Help with dosing problem.

AJI23 · Mar 18, 2015

So I just ordered a gallon of bicarbonate. I hope this works. My whole display has a white film on the glass from precipitation. I cleaned it all off with a razor. 2 hrs later looks like I never cleaned it. I just read your whole article on precipitation and what causes it. My ph is around 8.5 before I dose. So it must be the high ph that causing the precipitation. Do you think if I vinegar dose will help with this. Or should I just add some arm and hammer baking soda to help out till my delivery comes. I don't know what I'm going to do with all this soda ash I have left over. I have like 3-4 gallons. Maybe I could mix the 2. Would that help out if I mix them both. And what would be the ratio for that.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 18, 2015

The pH shouldn't be that high unless the alkalinity is higher than you think, or you do not have enough aeration.

Switching to bicarbonate will help lower the pH a bit with each dose, but CO2 (via aeration and photosynthesis/respiration) and the alkalinity level are what ultimately set the pH.

AJI23 · Mar 18, 2015

You know what. I recently made a change in sump. My ph used to stay around 8.25 But I wanted to try to eliminate some noise in my sump from hearing the water crash into my sock. So I extended the two 1 1/2 pvc pipes to be slightly under the water in my sump. That made a slight improvement in noise. But to come to think about it my ph is higher than normal. It used to stay around 8.25. And now it's at 8.5. I will remove these extensions and see if this helps with the co2.
What do you think.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 18, 2015

Are they near the probe?

Maybe it just needs recalibration.

AJI23 · Mar 18, 2015

No they are on the complete opposite side. Located by the return pump. I made a new order from brs. Ordered calibration fluid and bicarbonate. Should arrive on sat or Monday.

AJI23 · Mar 18, 2015

Another question. How much arm n hammer baking soda do I use to make 1 gallon of alkalinity solution. And how much of that solution will raise 1 dkh.

redfishbluefish · Mar 18, 2015

Right from Randy's Recipe HERE:

Recipe #2, Part 2: The Alkalinity Part

Dissolve 297 grams of baking soda (about 1 1/8 cups) in enough water to make 1 gallon total. This dissolution may require a fair amount of mixing. Warming it speeds dissolution. This solution will contain about 950 meq/L of alkalinity (2660 dKH). As mentioned earlier, Arm & Hammer is a fine brand of baking soda to use in these recipes.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 18, 2015

You can use this calculator to determine doses:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

AJI23 · Mar 18, 2015

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1426730607.142093.jpg

this is out of control. This is one day of precipitation.

AJI23 · Mar 18, 2015

AJI23 · Mar 19, 2015

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1426808425.867588.jpg

. This is the correct one. Right.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 19, 2015

Yes.

AJI23 · Mar 22, 2015

Just a update. So for 2 days I been dosing with baking soda. And I have no sign of precipitation. My ph probe failed while recalibrating. I ordered a new one arriving Monday. Thanks for the help. I will continue to update for those experiences same problem.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 22, 2015

Ok so far so good!

AJI23 · Mar 26, 2015

Still no precipitation but I still can't keep my levels where I want them. They Stay around 6.5-7.0 alk and 405-410 cal. And I'm at 15 min 12x a day at 1.1mls per min on both. I do t want to keep raising. Maybe this is the levels it wants to stay at. I'd like 8 and 420. But it doesn't seem to drop below the 6.4 or 400 mark.