Ph booster

[I never finish anythi]

No it’s fine , I get used to the people who have awesome tanks after years of asking questions and finally have the recipe but don’t want to share

Happy reefing

100% this . I ain't policing just learned to never chase number unless you really have to .

 

[scotty333]

100% this . I ain't policing just learned to never chase number unless you really have to .

The search for perfection…..

 

[danlechem]

My tank was running fine with 7.7ph slow bit steady coral growth. Decided to try and get 8 with na03 and lime water and my sky went to 12 and calcium through the floor making everything look s#+t. Ph jumped massively to 7.8! I've got dkh back down to 9 and calcium's steadily rising - I'm wondering weather to try chasing ph again and go back to a lesser dose of na03 - my head tells me to leave it alone and go back to afr dosing only!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My tank was running fine with 7.7ph slow bit steady coral growth. Decided to try and get 8 with na03 and lime water and my sky went to 12 and calcium through the floor making everything look s#+t. Ph jumped massively to 7.8! I've got dkh back down to 9 and calcium's steadily rising - I'm wondering weather to try chasing ph again and go back to a lesser dose of na03 - my head tells me to leave it alone and go back to afr dosing only!

Chasing pH is a reasonable thing to do. Chasing incorrectly is not.

One certainly needs to monitor alkalinity when dosing high pH alk supplements, and dosing alk (such as with NaOH, sodium hydroxide) without calcium will allow calcium to deplete and should be balanced with calcium dosing.

 

[scotty333]

Chasing pH is a reasonable thing to do. Chasing incorrectly is not.

One certainly needs to monitor alkalinity when dosing high pH alk supplements, and dosing alk (such as with NaOH, sodium hydroxide) without calcium will allow calcium to deplete and should be balanced with calcium dosing.

Is this suitable?

https://www.leroymerlin.pt/produtos...g7tYmMiL6Pc1JI3-LYcGh1P-r5ysLbEhoChU8QAvD_BwE

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is this suitable?

https://www.leroymerlin.pt/produtos...g7tYmMiL6Pc1JI3-LYcGh1P-r5ysLbEhoChU8QAvD_BwE

I'd look for a food or EP grade, rather than a drain cleaner grade. :)

 

[scotty333]

https://chemist.eu/catalog/chemical...LxOGqKU8bG4-dAfn97xhBKWrQpBPZUTRoC9b0QAvD_BwE

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

https://chemist.eu/catalog/chemical...LxOGqKU8bG4-dAfn97xhBKWrQpBPZUTRoC9b0QAvD_BwE

It might be fine. Percent purity is a hard thing to judge by. Food and pharma grades actually have metal limit specifications.

 

[scotty333]

https://www.laboratoriumdiscounter....5iZ0Q9987DSCxmHIP5EWPw0rN1X4gECRoCzy8QAvD_BwE
Isn’t kalkwasser cheaper ? Or will this raise calcium also?
https://confortanimal.pt/produto/se...KabJhOzRLBFdJxNEIK7NqmmsGucawgFRoCcX4QAvD_BwE

 

[BriDroid]

I also like the tinkering aspect. I picked up a free Pinpoint pH monitor and saw that my pH is between 7.6 and 7.8 in any given day. I decided to play with a DIY CO2 scrubber. It made a difference for a couple of days. I was able to reach 8.0 late in the afternoon. Now I’m back to the same 7.6 to 7.8 and the media is only half purple. It will get expensive fast for very little change. The coral looks exactly the same too. I’ll use this media up and go back to the old days of not caring about pH!

 

[scotty333]

I’ve got the giant air pump coming Thursday so for 120e I hope it works cos messing my levels with kalk is last option

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

https://www.laboratoriumdiscounter....5iZ0Q9987DSCxmHIP5EWPw0rN1X4gECRoCzy8QAvD_BwE
Isn’t kalkwasser cheaper ? Or will this raise calcium also?
https://confortanimal.pt/produto/se...KabJhOzRLBFdJxNEIK7NqmmsGucawgFRoCcX4QAvD_BwE

Kalk can be very inexpensive, as can food grade sodium hydroxide. Each has pros and cons.

 

[scotty333]

Does the sodium also raises calcium like kalk ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does the sodium also raises calcium like kalk ?

No, which is the benefit since it can be made more potent and is not evaporation limited the way kalkwasser dosing is. One optimally uses it as part of a DIY two part.

 

[scotty333]

No, which is the benefit since it can be made more potent and is not evaporation limited the way kalkwasser dosing is. One optimally uses it as part of a DIY two part.

So I could in effect add enough to raise ph .4 by adding into my ato once a week?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I could in effect add enough to raise ph .4 by adding into my ato once a week?

You will always be limited by tank alkalinity, unless you do not care about how high it might get or how much abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate might happen. 0.4 ph units is asking a lot.

 

[scotty333]

I don’t want >10 dkh so maybe it’s nog the best option

 

[Faurek]

If you really want higher pH decrease your alk and CA dosing and substitute for kalkwasser, most proven method I can think of. Using pH boosters is fine if they tell you how much alk they raise, if they just say that they stabilize pH it's playing Russian roulette with your tank to some degree.

 

[scotty333]

If you really want higher pH decrease your alk and CA dosing and substitute for kalkwasser, most proven method I can think of. Using pH boosters is fine if they tell you how much alk they raise, if they just say that they stabilize pH it's playing Russian roulette with your tank to some degree.

Ill see how the aeration experiment goes then see

 

[Faurek]

Make sure you are taking air from outside and not a room full of CO2, why not using macroalgae?