Kalkwasser wil slowly decrease ph?

[morrisDR]

Lately there's been a video from reef in saying he's pH is lowly dropping from kalkwasser.



I myself dose kalkwasser and used to have a pH of 8.5-8.7 now I'm sitting at 7.9-8.0. my kalkwasser only worked when my co2 scrubber let the pH go to 8.2-8.3 and then suddenly ph would peak to 8.5-8.6.

Now that doesn't even seem to help ph stays the same...

Is there any possible explanation for both reefbums video and mine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No, there is zero scientific reason to think that the effect of kalk on pH changes up or down over time. Some folks may have been misled into believing things that are test error or placebo effects by the Fauna Marin tidal wave of misinformation relating to kalk and pH, such as broken buffer stuff.

High pH can boost the potential for precipitation of calcium carbonate, which if not accounted for in dosing, will lead to lower alk. In some scenarios, that lower alk could lead to lower pH.

pH is impacted by many things, especially alkalinity, photosynthesis, aeration, and the CO2 level in the aerating air.

pH measurement is also obviously impacted by proper calibration. In any scenario where pH seems to change for unclear reasons, recalibration is the first thing to do.

 

[morrisDR]

No, there is zero scientific reason to think that the effect of kalk on pH changes up or down over time. Some folks may have been misled into believing things that are test error or placebo effects by the Fauna Marin tidal wave of misinformation relating to kalk and pH, such as broken buffer stuff.

High pH can boost the potential for precipitation of calcium carbonate, which if not accounted for in dosing, will lead to lower alk. In some scenarios, that lower alk could lead to lower pH.

pH is impacted by many things, especially alkalinity, photosynthesis, aeration, and the CO2 level in the aerating air.

pH measurement is also obviously impacted by proper calibration. In any scenario where pH seems to change for unclear reasons, recalibration is the first thing to do.

I used salifert pH test kits. Normally the water would be blue now it's light green . The pH probe may lie but that test kit isn't. So what do you think happend? Ph just doesn't want to be hight again... Maybe to much bacteria or something???

 

[Pod_01]

Is your Alk the same?
Are you measuring at the same time?
CO2 level in the room will impact pH levels. My pH is down in winter and higher when the windows are open…

I never used test kit for pH so not sure how accurate they are.

pH will rise during the day and fall over night.

 

[morrisDR]

Is your Alk the same?
Are you measuring at the same time?
CO2 level in the room will impact pH levels. My pH is down in winter and higher when the windows are open…

I never used test kit for pH so not sure how accurate they are.

pH will rise during the day and fall over night.

I think it has something to do with co2 in the air because pH only seems to be high in summer...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I used salifert pH test kits. Normally the water would be blue now it's light green . The pH probe may lie but that test kit isn't. So what do you think happend? Ph just doesn't want to be hight again... Maybe to much bacteria or something???

I listed all the main things that impact pH. You’d have to tell us which might be most likely. Closed windows in winter is one biggie.

 

[morrisDR]

I listed all the main things that impact pH. You’d have to tell us which might be most likely. Closed windows in winter is one biggie.

Yes so the windows are closed and in summer when pH is rock high windows are open. The moisture in the air is much higher in the Netherlands in the winter. So would recirculating my co2 scrubber technically solve this problem?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes so the windows are closed and in summer when pH is rock high windows are open. The moisture in the air is much higher in the Netherlands in the winter. So would recirculating my co2 scrubber technically solve this problem?

A CO2 scrubber can boost pH any time of the year, but can become expensive.

 

[morrisDR]

A CO2 scrubber can boost pH any time of the year, but can become expensive.

No I get that I change my co2 scrubber every 2 weeks but I mean recirculating. So the skimmer won't suck air from my house anymore. Because ATM I'm running normal co2 scrubber

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No I get that I change my co2 scrubber every 2 weeks but I mean recirculating. So the skimmer won't suck air from my house anymore. Because ATM I'm running normal co2 scrubber

I’m not a fan of pure recycled air because it gives up on oxygenation. Just letting in a little fresh air can reduce that issue.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Yes so the windows are closed and in summer when pH is rock high windows are open. The moisture in the air is much higher in the Netherlands in the winter. So would recirculating my co2 scrubber technically solve this problem?

Yes- i recirculate and it is a game changer. My media lasts at least a month. Just have to be careful about your skimmate overflowing and getting sucked into your scrubber and causing an enormous mess.