PH

[davidwillis]

pH probes are just garbage. This sucks because they are not cheap, right? I once wrote a controller on a MacMini and I used real lab/research grade USB probes, but they were like $500 then. They were a actually good, but I still used 3 and took 2 out of three.

Since you have a co2 meter, you can probably just go off of that. Under 700 and your tank should be OK. If you are close to 400 then your pH is probably great.

Dang... I just checked c02, and it is now over 800.

 

[davidwillis]

Since you are already dosing vinegar, have you thought of adding the vinegar to Kalkwasser? I mix up Kalkwasser with 45ml of vinegar per gallon of saturated kalkwasser, and I have been happy with the results.

This is interesting to me. I could see the gas exchange of room air ( with elevated CO2) at the surface overwhelming the intake of outside air introduced by the skimmer. You might be on to something there.

I add 126 ml of vinegar a day? That would mean I would need to add about 3 gallons of Kalkwasser a day. That may be too much.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I add 126 ml of vinegar a day? That would mean I would need to add about 3 gallons of Kalkwasser a day. That may be too much.

A different approach is to saturate that vinegar with calcium hydroxide and still dose 126 mL.

 

[davidwillis]

A different approach is to saturate that vinegar with calcium hydroxide and still dose 126 mL.

Interesting, what is the ratio for that?

 

[Troylee]

Interesting, what is the ratio for that?

238 grams per gallon of ro. It’s in Randy’s new and improved 2 part with ph boost… I’m not sure how much hydroxide you’d have to add to your vinegar that’s all Randy haha! I know it don’t take much to make your ph and alk jump! I switched from kalk to hydroxide myself. P

 

[IntrinsicReef]

I add 126 ml of vinegar a day? That would mean I would need to add about 3 gallons of Kalkwasser a day. That may be too much.

Yes, Randy's approach might be better for you. Just out of curiosity, why do you dose that amount of vinegar. I match kalkwasser/ vinegar to my evaporation rate ( roughly a gallon of top off in 150 gallon aquarium) and achieve the nutrient reduction I need for 4x a day feeding.

 

[davidwillis]

238 grams per gallon of ro. It’s in Randy’s new and improved 2 part with ph boost… I’m not sure how much hydroxide you’d have to add to your vinegar that’s all Randy haha! I know it don’t take much to make your ph and alk jump! I switched from kalk to hydroxide myself. P

do you mean 238 grams of Kalk per gallon of gallon of vinegar? What is the PH of this solution?

 

[Troylee]

do you mean 238 grams of Kalk per gallon of gallon of vinegar? What is the PH of this solution?

238 grams of sodium hydroxide “lye” to a gallon of ro water.. ph is 14 or something crazy lol.. my meters don’t go that high haha. I’d guess it would only take a couple ml of dissolved hydroxide to offset the vinegar.

 

[davidwillis]

Yes, Randy's approach might be better for you. Just out of curiosity, why do you dose that amount of vinegar. I match kalkwasser/ vinegar to my evaporation rate ( roughly a gallon of top off in 150 gallon aquarium) and achieve the nutrient reduction I need for 4x a day feeding.

My no3 is still 20 even with that much dosing. According to the things I have read, I can go up to 61.6ml per 25 gal, or 740ml for my tank. So I am still on the low end of carbon dosing scale. But with this amount, I am seeing some slime on the glass, so I am not sure I will go up more for a while.

 

[Miami Reef]

238 grams of sodium hydroxide “lye” to a gallon

Incorrect.


283g of NaOH per gallon
500g Calcium chloride per gallon
182g Balling Part C per gallon

Dose equal parts of each solution to maintain alkalinity.

 

[Miami Reef]

Interesting, what is the ratio for that?

There is no “ratio” for making saturated calcium hydroxide.

Adding kalkwasser powder to vinegar is a good way to reduce 50% of the pH lowering effect of vinegar. All you need to do is add calcium hydroxide powder to the vinegar until you can see visible settlement on the bottom.

This precipitation will redissolve when you add more vinegar. Only dose the clear fluid from the top of the bottle. This solution will raise calcium and alkalinity, so watch the trends, and be prepared to lower the dosages of the main supplements in case the alkalinity rises too much for your liking.

 

[IntrinsicReef]

My no3 is still 20 even with that much dosing. According to the things I have read, I can go up to 61.6ml per 25 gal, or 740ml for my tank. So I am still on the low end of carbon dosing scale. But with this amount, I am seeing some slime on the glass, so I am not sure I will go up more for a while.

Gotcha. Well, I haven't tried saturating kalkwasser in vinegar, but I really like offsetting the acidity of the vinegar. Let me know if you try it and what you find.

 

[Miami Reef]

Gotcha. Well, I haven't tried saturating kalkwasser in vinegar, but I really like offsetting the acidity of the vinegar. Let me know if you try it and what you find.

I’ve done it. It worked in reducing the initial pH lowering effect of vinegar. If you spread the plain vinegar dose throughout the day, you likely won’t need to saturate the calcium hydroxide with vinegar.

 

[davidwillis]

There is no “ratio” for making saturated calcium hydroxide.

Adding kalkwasser powder to vinegar is a good way to reduce 50% of the pH lowering effect of vinegar. All you need to do is add calcium hydroxide powder to the vinegar until you can see visible settlement on the bottom.

This precipitation will redissolve when you add more vinegar. Only dose the clear fluid from the top of the bottle. This solution will raise calcium and alkalinity, so watch the trends, and be prepared to lower the dosages of the main supplements in case the alkalinity rises too much for your liking.

Just to get an idea, will it be more or less than 283g/gal before it is saturated?

If I currently dose 50ml soda ash, and calcium. If I dose 126ml of this saturated solution, will that provide more calcium and alkalinity than the 50ml of soda ash and calcium?

 

[Miami Reef]

Just to get an idea, will it be more or less than 283g/gal before it is saturated?

If I currently dose 50ml soda ash, and calcium. If I dose 126ml of this saturated solution, will that provide more calcium and alkalinity than the 50ml of soda ash and calcium?

How many gallons is your tank?

 

[Miami Reef]

Just to get an idea, will it be more or less than 283g/gal before it is saturated?

Much less.

Remember that for 283g/gallon is the recipe of sodium hydroxide. To put it simply, it is basically soda ash, but with about DOUBLE the increase in pH when adding the same amount of alkalinity.

 

[davidwillis]

How many gallons is your tank?

300g

 

[Miami Reef]

300g

About 0.26dKH added if you saturate calcium hydroxide with vinegar and dose 126mL in a 300gal tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Interesting, what is the ratio for that?

You add it until no more dissolves and the excess sits on the bottom.

 

[davidwillis]

I tried running an air line outside again, but this time I ran it to both my skimmer and my ozone. I also used my air pump for my ozone to also pump to my protein skimmer. I think part of my problems last time was that the long line cut the air down to my skimmer. I also cut down my vinegar dosing.
Anyway, my my ph is now up to 8.05 to 8.1, which is better. But I am wondering, which provides the most gas exchange, a protein skimmer or the ozone reactor (avast)? I am thinking of adding another skimmer or ozone reactor (just air, not ozone) for more gas exchange.