PH and CO2 scrubbers

telegraham

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How many use them? Everything I read has very conflicting information regarding ph and whether or not to test for or attempt to rectify low pH. Many say it is fine to run a low pH system, and many others say you must correct pH to achieve healthy corals and good growth. I find it hard to decipher all the conflicting information out there, yet we're concerned about acidification of the oceans and mass bleaching events.

I run 90 gallon with sump. Alk is 8-8.5 using soda ash as my supplement. Open tops and skimmer run 24/7. My pH with my probe averages about 7.9 at night and 8.05 during the day. Corals seem healthy but growth isn't anything to brag about. My euphyllia always have baby heads but I've never seen them grow into full sized heads.

Should I invest in a co2 scrubber? Can there be any possible negative effects from adding one to the system?
I'm a high-pHer. Generally in the 8.3-8.8 range. Yes...my pH is higher than my alk. Recently, I've been working on flattening the pH swings around 8.4. That's a fun project.

Regarding scrubbing, it does work, but outside air is less expensive. Also consider testing the CO2 at your system's location. Like me, you may not need a scrubber.

Lastly, scrubber media is calcium hydroxide. I prefer to dose mine instead of scrub with it. Something to consider, but scrubbing (if needed) and dosing kalk works wonders.
 

fushi

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I'm a high-pHer. Generally in the 8.3-8.8 range. Yes...my pH is higher than my alk. Recently, I've been working on flattening the pH swings around 8.4. That's a fun project.

Regarding scrubbing, it does work, but outside air is less expensive. Also consider testing the CO2 at your system's location. Like me, you may not need a scrubber.

Lastly, scrubber media is calcium hydroxide. I prefer to dose mine instead of scrub with it. Something to consider, but scrubbing (if needed) and dosing kalk works wonders.
I have been having success with dosing Sodium Hydroxide at night and Sodium Carbonate during the day to flatten my PH swing; everyday I tweek a ml dose and get the swing a bit smaller.

This might be fun for your next experiment.
 

jmichaelh7

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It works a lot my ph was 8.10 for a while because I haven’t had any corals but now that I stocked up again I threw media in the reactor . Ph went to 8.4 I sometimes turn off skimmer from apex when it reaches 8.45
 

IKD

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I have a similar issue. Can’t get pH above 8.15 at peak (low is 7.9). I do have a CaRx. But I keep windows open most of the time, fans blowing on surface, skimmer air intake from outside, CO2 reactor, air stone, pumps agitating surface water, and measuring my indoor CO2 levels (~400-600 which is on the lower side). Not sure there is anything else I can do! If anyone has other ideas let me have them!!
 

telegraham

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Get a refugium going if you want to help with pH that also is working wonders for me

I had very little impact from a reverse light cycle fuge, and chaeto is no longer growing in my system. Minor and trace as as they should be. Interesting how systems are different.
 

telegraham

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I have been having success with dosing Sodium Hydroxide at night and Sodium Carbonate during the day to flatten my PH swing; everyday I tweek a ml dose and get the swing a bit smaller.

This might be fun for your next experiment.
Doing the same with just calcium hydroxide, but started with sodium hydroxide. Haven't used sodium carbonate. Good results?
 

fushi

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Doing the same with just calcium hydroxide, but started with sodium hydroxide. Haven't used sodium carbonate. Good results?
Yes, on a scale of ph boost (from least to greatest) i think it would go sodium carbonate, calcium hydroxide(saturated), sodium hydroxide. I wanted to try kalk slurry but it would have taken up too much room on my reefer170 setup.

When I was using just sodium hydroxide my ph was getting too high with my alk demand. Now I have found I can get pretty fine control by dosing sodium hydroxide when I need more ph boost and sodium carbonate when I need less. The best part is it gives me something to tinker with lol
 

telegraham

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Yes, on a scale of ph boost (from least to greatest) i think it would go sodium carbonate, calcium hydroxide(saturated), sodium hydroxide. I wanted to try kalk slurry but it would have taken up too much room on my reefer170 setup.

When I was using just sodium hydroxide my ph was getting too high with my alk demand. Now I have found I can get pretty fine control by dosing sodium hydroxide when I need more ph boost and sodium carbonate when I need less. The best part is it gives me something to tinker with lol
I'm actively controlling pH in two tanks. Both are dosed calcium hydroxide on different schedules, and one gets dampened with vinegar.
1643127544334.png

1643127692360.png

Decent average and sinusoidal control. Alk is maintained right around 7dKH.
 

GarrettT

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Can you tell what days I changed my media?

I've never understood how people only get .05-.1 of PH fluctuation a day. I get atleast 0.3. Do y'all have a refugium that y'all run at night or something?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Yes, on a scale of ph boost (from least to greatest) i think it would go sodium carbonate, calcium hydroxide(saturated), sodium hydroxide. I wanted to try kalk slurry but it would have taken up too much room on my reefer170 setup.

When I was using just sodium hydroxide my ph was getting too high with my alk demand. Now I have found I can get pretty fine control by dosing sodium hydroxide when I need more ph boost and sodium carbonate when I need less. The best part is it gives me something to tinker with lol

Carbonate has half the effect of hydroxide on pH, per unit of alk dosed.

The immediate effect on pH for dosing 1.4 dKH of each additive is about:

hydroxide 0.66 pH units (calcium or sodium, doesn't matter)
carbonate 0.34
bicarbonate -0.04
 

DrMMI

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I've never understood how people only get .05-.1 of PH fluctuation a day. I get atleast 0.3. Do y'all have a refugium that y'all run at night or something?
Yes I run a reverse light schedule refugium which definitely helps blunt the lows.
 

scotto

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Yes, on a scale of ph boost (from least to greatest) i think it would go sodium carbonate, calcium hydroxide(saturated), sodium hydroxide. I wanted to try kalk slurry but it would have taken up too much room on my reefer170 setup.

When I was using just sodium hydroxide my ph was getting too high with my alk demand. Now I have found I can get pretty fine control by dosing sodium hydroxide when I need more ph boost and sodium carbonate when I need less. The best part is it gives me something to tinker with lol
This is exactly what I want to try. I've also wanted to employ kalk slurry, but it would mean some bigger changes and space considerations for an already built out set up. I also employ auto water changes, so I've faced no issues with NaCl buildup in the long run with two part additives (via ICP).

What concentration of hydroxide are you working with, and have you noticed any precipitation in the area its dosed?

I'm using a Quantum carbonate/bicarbonate additive, which is the same concentration as Red Sea's liquid alk supplement It's roughly ~1.9x as concentration as Randy's Recipe #1. It would be nice from a dosing perspective to make the hydroxide supplement the same concentration, but that would mean a ~3.5M solution, and who knows what that will do in the long run to even the "safe" plastics or sump precipitation.
 

fushi

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This is exactly what I want to try. I've also wanted to employ kalk slurry, but it would mean some bigger changes and space considerations for an already built out set up. I also employ auto water changes, so I've faced no issues with NaCl buildup in the long run with two part additives (via ICP).

What concentration of hydroxide are you working with, and have you noticed any precipitation in the area its dosed?

I'm using a Quantum carbonate/bicarbonate additive, which is the same concentration as Red Sea's liquid alk supplement It's roughly ~1.9x as concentration as Randy's Recipe #1. It would be nice from a dosing perspective to make the hydroxide supplement the same concentration, but that would mean a ~3.5M solution, and who knows what that will do in the long run to even the "safe" plastics or sump precipitation.
I use Randy’s solution.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/second-new-diy-two-part-recipe-with-higher-ph-boost.357080/

Sodium hydroxide and have no precipitation issues


My recommendation would be to just calculate your daily alk usage of your current solution in dkh, then use this calculator to figure out how much of Randy’s solution to add (in dkh). Then just start switching in Randy’s solution little by little until your desired ph is achieved.
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Eventually you’ll find a daily dose of sodium hydroxide you need to keep your ph up and when your alk consumption increases you just dose more of your other solution.

I am also setting up a new tank with @RobB'z Reef kalk slurry manifold so stay tuned for an update on that. It seems like the best solution for medium to large tanks.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/kalkwasser-slurry-dosing-manifold-available-for-testing.873606/
 

JonEB

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I succeeded with a co2 scrubber with a bit of diy.

 

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