Managing pH. How do you do it?

[Justdrew]

Things I do/use to manage alk/ph-
- Dose kalkwasser (+pH) (9L/day)
- Dose soda ash (++pH) (130ml/day)
- Dose from a calcium reactor (-pH) (10ml/min)
- Skimmer (+pH)
- Scrubber (++pH)
- Outside airline to skimmer (have since removed) (+pH)

I use a lot of things that add pH and sort of use the calcium reactor to keep it in check, as I sometimes reach 8.6.

Most of all of this is to balance Alk tho, as that's more important.

Hydroxides such as kalk or sodium hydroxide will provide around 2x the pH boost of carbonate solutions per unit of alkalinity added. RHF has covered this many time.

 

[danlechem]

Soda ash is more potent than kalk for pH? I thought it was lower pH for alk for all day dosing.
I use Randy's sodium hydroxide recipe because it's the best bang for dosing when it comes to pH (although much more PPE needed to prepare).

You got a link to randy's hydroxide recipe please?

 

[Dburr1014]

My kalk reactor is 100% ATO fitted.
Probably not the norm, 50 gallon sump 75% sps.

 

[Justdrew]

You got a link to randy's hydroxide recipe please?

Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost

In a previous thread, I posted a true two part DIY recipe: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-diy-two-part-recipes-with-higher-ph-boost.344500/ But some folks may want to just swap the new ingredient into my 2/3 part recipe (as used by BRS, for example). Here's the original recipe link...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[bubbgee]

You should not dose kalk from your ato

This should be fine. Randy recommends this approach but you need to keep a lid on the ato so it doesn't absorb room co2 and neutralize pH.

 

[bubbgee]

Hydroxides such as kalk or sodium hydroxide will provide around 2x the pH boost of carbonate solutions per unit of alkalinity added. RHF has covered this many time.

Yup. It's my go-to when I am below 8.0.

 

[Biff0rz]

Hydroxides such as kalk or sodium hydroxide will provide around 2x the pH boost of carbonate solutions per unit of alkalinity added. RHF has covered this many time.

Right, but dont forget the calcium reactor runs at a lower ph to melt the media, so when the effluent comes out, it tends to lower ph (unless you scrub it) but then again, scrubbing only adds about .1 back and will still be lower than the incoming tank water.

 

[Miami Reef]

Soda ash is more potent than kalk for pH? I thought it was lower pH for alk for all day dosing.

Per unit of alkalinity added, nothing beats sodium or calcium hydroxide. It is about twice the pH boost of Carbonate (Soda Ash.)

 

[bubbgee]

Per unit of alkalinity added, nothing beats sodium or calcium hydroxide. It is about twice the pH boost of Carbonate (Soda Ash.)

Agreed, which is why I stick with hydroxide. Which is why I was surprised soda ash boosts pH higher in Biff0rz's tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

Agreed, which is why I stick with hydroxide. Which is why I was surprised soda ash boosts pH higher in Biff0rz's tank.

Test error is a likely cause.

 

[Uncle99]

I get better colour and growth when I don’t pay attention to PH.

 

[Justdrew]

Right, but dont forget the calcium reactor runs at a lower ph to melt the media, so when the effluent comes out, it tends to lower ph (unless you scrub it) but then again, scrubbing only adds about .1 back and will still be lower than the incoming tank water.

My statement had nothing to do with a calcium reactor. It was simply the pH boost of hydroxides vs carbonates.

 

[Biff0rz]

Agreed, which is why I stick with hydroxide. Which is why I was surprised soda ash boosts pH higher in Biff0rz's tank.

It does :shrug:. Maybe because the carx is dosing more alk, not sure the chemistry tbh. But with the soda ash offline I see a 0.15-0.2 drop in ph. With the kalk offline it's about a 0.05-0.10 difference. If it matters, I slow drip the ash with a versa. If there's more alk and the soda is spread, I believe maybe that's why the ph is rising more.

 

[bubbgee]

It does :shrug:. Maybe because the carx is dosing more alk, not sure the chemistry tbh. But with the soda ash offline I see a 0.15-0.2 drop in ph. With the kalk offline it's about a 0.05-0.10 difference. If it matters, I slow drip the ash with a versa. If there's more alk and the soda is spread, I believe maybe that's why the ph is rising more.

yeah, that is weird. Well if it works for you, I wouldn't change anything.