- Joined
- Mar 26, 2018
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Randy or anyone else I am looking for some input.
Parameters 12/28/18
Alk 8.06
Ca 540
Mg 1320
pH 8.0
NO3 0
PO4 0.04
Turned CaRx On and Skimmer Off
Parameters 1/03/19
Alk 9.64
Ca 437
Mg 1320
pH DT 7.88
pH CaRx 6.83
CaRx Effluent 13mL/min
NO3 0.25
PO4 0.08
CaRx Reborn Media and NeoMag
Before turning the calcium reactor on i was maintaining Ca and Alk with Kalk. I knew the CaRx would lower the pH in the DT so i brought it down slowly by adding Kalk this last week so the ph did not dip too low. I want to stop adding kalk to get the ph up but what pH is to low in the DT with a calcium reactor. I know below 7.2 the SPS will start to have there Calcium broke down. From what ive read a pH of 7.8 is not unheard of in DT's running CaRx's. What has been the lowest pH that you have seen in a successful reef tank running a CaRx? Is 7.7 too low? Where would you start to see detrimental effects?
My NO3 and PO4 has also been decreasing lower then I want it so I have turned off the skimmer to hopefully get this up. I dont really want to feed more then every other day especially since my PO4 is higher then NO3 currently. I could potentially start dosing as i have pharma grade KNO3. I just sent in an ICP test as well so it will be interesting to see how that comes back. I can also start turning off the NO3 reducing systems that contain my bacteria populations. Here is a video of my setup if anyone is interested:
Ok i have been babbling a little bit so now for some more data that you may be interested in. I removed an aliquot from my tank that was at pH 7.88 and temperature of 77F. I bubbled this aliquot for 30 minutes indoors and measured a new pH of 8.08 at 71.4F. I then took another aliquot and bubbled this outdoors for 30 minutes and performed the test again and got pH 8.12 at 68.3F. Based on this data it looks like the CO2 is not being removed from the tank readily and this is what is causing the low pH as after bubbling indoors the pH rose 0.2. This skimmer has a second chamber so almost all the CO2 should be getting used up. Now to fix this issue. I had glass tops on this tank that I have removed most of them. I have also now moved the powerheads closer to the top of the tank to agitate the surface more. Is there anything else I can do to raise the pH in the DT besides adding an airstone to it? I guess i can turn the effluent down but reduce the pH through the CaRx so the output of Alk, Ca and Mg remains the same but not as much CO2 is introduced into the tank? Skimmer is turned off and removed so I can not run an air line from outdoors to the intake or insert the effluent from CaRx into the skimmer. Im sure this is only a big issue right now as the house is so closed up and things will not be as bad when it gets to be summer and windows can be opened up.
Parameters 12/28/18
Alk 8.06
Ca 540
Mg 1320
pH 8.0
NO3 0
PO4 0.04
Turned CaRx On and Skimmer Off
Parameters 1/03/19
Alk 9.64
Ca 437
Mg 1320
pH DT 7.88
pH CaRx 6.83
CaRx Effluent 13mL/min
NO3 0.25
PO4 0.08
CaRx Reborn Media and NeoMag
Before turning the calcium reactor on i was maintaining Ca and Alk with Kalk. I knew the CaRx would lower the pH in the DT so i brought it down slowly by adding Kalk this last week so the ph did not dip too low. I want to stop adding kalk to get the ph up but what pH is to low in the DT with a calcium reactor. I know below 7.2 the SPS will start to have there Calcium broke down. From what ive read a pH of 7.8 is not unheard of in DT's running CaRx's. What has been the lowest pH that you have seen in a successful reef tank running a CaRx? Is 7.7 too low? Where would you start to see detrimental effects?
My NO3 and PO4 has also been decreasing lower then I want it so I have turned off the skimmer to hopefully get this up. I dont really want to feed more then every other day especially since my PO4 is higher then NO3 currently. I could potentially start dosing as i have pharma grade KNO3. I just sent in an ICP test as well so it will be interesting to see how that comes back. I can also start turning off the NO3 reducing systems that contain my bacteria populations. Here is a video of my setup if anyone is interested:
Ok i have been babbling a little bit so now for some more data that you may be interested in. I removed an aliquot from my tank that was at pH 7.88 and temperature of 77F. I bubbled this aliquot for 30 minutes indoors and measured a new pH of 8.08 at 71.4F. I then took another aliquot and bubbled this outdoors for 30 minutes and performed the test again and got pH 8.12 at 68.3F. Based on this data it looks like the CO2 is not being removed from the tank readily and this is what is causing the low pH as after bubbling indoors the pH rose 0.2. This skimmer has a second chamber so almost all the CO2 should be getting used up. Now to fix this issue. I had glass tops on this tank that I have removed most of them. I have also now moved the powerheads closer to the top of the tank to agitate the surface more. Is there anything else I can do to raise the pH in the DT besides adding an airstone to it? I guess i can turn the effluent down but reduce the pH through the CaRx so the output of Alk, Ca and Mg remains the same but not as much CO2 is introduced into the tank? Skimmer is turned off and removed so I can not run an air line from outdoors to the intake or insert the effluent from CaRx into the skimmer. Im sure this is only a big issue right now as the house is so closed up and things will not be as bad when it gets to be summer and windows can be opened up.