Chemistry question

[Phil Adams]

I did not respond since I thought others already answered. There are plenty of good ways to supplement calcium and alk (all detailed in the article linked above), and none is clearly best.

Your pH is fine. I don’t think it matters much for your tank which alk/calcium method you use, but I’d consider a trace element supplement even if you elect a method already adding then (like AFR) since you will be using relatively little of any alk/calcium method for a soft coral tank.

Thanks Randy. I’m sorry if I sounded ungrateful, it was just too much info for me to find my way through, and I’m grateful for it but was more confused than ever.
Also, I think some posters misread my ph. I thought it was stuck at 8.6+ but it seems the Hanna reagent had quickly gone off and in truth I’m at around 8.0.

 

[Mels_Reef]

Thanks Randy. I’m sorry if I sounded ungrateful, it was just too much info for me to find my way through, and I’m grateful for it but was more confused than ever.
Also, I think some posters misread my ph. I thought it was stuck at 8.6+ but it seems the Hanna reagent had quickly gone off and in truth I’m at around 8.0.

If you’re happy with your ph at 8, dose kalk or bicarb to maintain your Alk. If you want a ph boost, dose Soda Ash ;)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you’re happy with your ph at 8, dose kalk or bicarb to maintain your Alk. If you want a ph boost, dose Soda Ash ;)

Um, sarcasm? Not good advice, IMO.

 

[rtparty]

If you’re happy with your ph at 8, dose kalk or bicarb to maintain your Alk. If you want a ph boost, dose Soda Ash ;)

After 20 years of dosing soda ash, bicarbonate, and/or kalkwasser….soda ash is my least favorite by a long shot. The pH boost does not last and it just creates precipitation when dosed so it must be dosed to a super high flow area.

Bicarbonate is far easier to dose and not nearly the mess.

Kalkwasser is messy for sure but it doesn’t take much to set it up correctly and keep that mess to a minimum

 

[Mels_Reef]

After 20 years of dosing soda ash, bicarbonate, and/or kalkwasser….soda ash is my least favorite by a long shot. The pH boost does not last and it just creates precipitation when dosed so it must be dosed to a super high flow area.

Bicarbonate is far easier to dose and not nearly the mess.

Kalkwasser is messy for sure but it doesn’t take much to set it up correctly and keep that mess to a minimum

ph boost does not last?? That has got to be the most absurd thing I have ever heard about Soda Ash rofl

 

[Garf]

ph boost does not last?? That has got to be the most hilarious thing I have ever heard about Soda Ash rofl

Aeration is the great equaliser. There you go, that should make you giggle, lol

 

[Mels_Reef]

Ph using soda ash….

 

[mook1178]

OP, If only softies and fish. Stop all the dosing and do water changes. There is very little calcium or alkalinity use in your tank. Forget all the noise in this thread about Kalk, soda ash, etc. Water changes will get you where you want to be.

 

[rtparty]

ph boost does not last?? That has got to be the most hilarious thing I have ever heard about Soda Ash rofl

Well, it doesn’t. I know science is hard but you’ll get there.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Ph using soda ash….

That looks like your nightly PH drop. If you dose kalkwasser overnight and minimize the drop, your SPS will respond.

 

[Miami Reef]

Ph using soda ash….

Calibrate that probe. It’s not accurate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

ph boost does not last?? That has got to be the most absurd thing I have ever heard about Soda Ash rofl

As folks note, the pH boost from any alk additive maintaining alk only lasts until aeration eliminates it. It’s not hard to demonstrate it for your self. I have.

Take some salt water, and measure the pH. Add some soda ash, and stir. The pH rises, then falls again. :)

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

….at least we’re not at Bolus yet….

 

[rishma]

@Phil Adams …I’ve used Kalk on every tank for nearly 30 years. I have also used 2 part and AFR on many. They all have advantages and disadvantages, but don’t get lost in it. I’d suggest keeping it as simple as possible.

I like kalkwasser because it’s easy, combined alkalinity and calcium, helps reduce pH drop over night, and is cheap.

I like AFR a lot for similar reasons. You give up the pH support but get trace elements. The cost is a little higher but likely not a game changer for a low demand tank with soft corals.

For a soft coral tank, I’d use AFR (I use it along with Kalk on my current LPS tank). I don’t think the pH is as important for soft corals. The trace elements might be a more significant value.

Measure your alkalinity, adjust your AFR dose to keep it steady. I think it will work out well for you. If your alkalinity demand is really low and you find you are not need to dose AFR, you can use Tropic Marin A and K trace elements that don’t add alkalinity and calcium.

 

[rishma]

I really don’t relate to the messy comments about kalkwasser.

 

[rishma]

Ph using soda ash….

Your average pH is nice and high but those are huge swings! Like 2-3x my swings. Interesting!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Like 2-3x my swings. Interesting!

This is the massive aeration tank? That would limit the swing.

 

[Miami Reef]

Here is my graph that is highly accurate since I calibrate my pH probes with accurate standards (tested by Randy from an older article)

 

[rishma]

This is the massive aeration tank? That would limit the swing.

Yes, good point!

 

[Lucas Savioli]

In my experience both sodium (or calcium) carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) will raise pH and KH (which is carbonate hardness), however Na/Ca Carbonate raises pH more and faster than NaHCO3, and, Na/Ca Carbonate raises KH less than NaHCO3.
To raise pH without messing with KH one would need something like sodium hydroxide, which I never used because I don't mess with strong bases (nor have the experience or knowledge to do so).
A stable pH at 8.0 is fine, as long the KH is appropriated and buffers any swing tendencies.