randys sodium hydroxide two part.......

[jhart85]

Im battling low ph currently, ive plumbed in an outside airline with little effect on ph. Probes have been calibrated. I currently dose kalkwasser at night and still hit a low of 7.7 by lights on. My calcium has risen to over 500. I dose daytime fauna Marin balling with the trace 1,2,3 added. My question is has anyone used randys two part solution to maintain high ph with lower calcium and also added in a trace 1,2,3 with it? im wondering if it would work the same as it does with fauna bicarbonate kh solution thanks.

 

[cdemoss01]

@Randy Holmes-Farley can help you.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Plenty of folks use it, such as Miami, but you are skipping over sodium carbonate which may be worth a try first.

Tropic Marin’s trace mixes can be put in it. Fauna may make theirs differently, but may be able to.


@Miami Reef

 

[Miami Reef]

Sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) have the same pH-boosting effect when maintaining alkalinity. Sodium carbonate will only be a downgrade to pH if switching from kalkwasser.

Where’s the alkalinity at?



Do the aeration test.

Take a cup of water and aerate it heavily with an airstone inside the home for 1 hour. Record pH.

Take the same cup outside and repeat the process for an hour. Record pH.

Post the results of the test here.

 

[Miami Reef]

If calcium is high, either change water or only dose sodium-based alkalinity additives until the calcium decreases through consumption.

 

[jhart85]

Plenty of folks use it, such as Miami, but you are skipping over sodium carbonate which may be worth a try first.

Tropic Marin’s trace mixes can be put in it. Fauna may make theirs differently, but may be able to.


@Miami Reef

ok thanks randy ill start with sodium carbonate is there a suggested trace A and K amount to add by chance.

 

[jhart85]

Sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) have the same pH-boosting effect when maintaining alkalinity. Sodium carbonate will only be a downgrade to pH if switching from kalkwasser.

Where’s the alkalinity at?



Do the aeration test.

Take a cup of water and aerate it heavily with an airstone inside the home for 1 hour. Record pH.

Take the same cup outside and repeat the process for an hour. Record pH.

Post the results of the test here.

the alkalinity was setting at 9 on hanna and 10.9 on salifert. I had some burnt tips on my acros which have previously been doing good. I reduced a nightly kalk dose from 5000ml to 2000ml and during this transition upped my nitrates to 10 from 1 per troy lee recommendation. currently im setting at 7.4 per a new Red Sea kh test kit. ill update with results from test above its currently in process thanks

 

[jhart85]

Sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) have the same pH-boosting effect when maintaining alkalinity. Sodium carbonate will only be a downgrade to pH if switching from kalkwasser.

Where’s the alkalinity at?



Do the aeration test.

Take a cup of water and aerate it heavily with an airstone inside the home for 1 hour. Record pH.

Take the same cup outside and repeat the process for an hour. Record pH.

Post the results of the test here.

first results are after aeration with stone inside and second is after aeration outside. almost same ph reading both times

 

[Miami Reef]

Faulty probe.

What container capacity did you use for the aeration test? A cup, right? Did you ensure the aeration was strong? The surface should have been aggressively bubbling.

What calibration packets/solutions? What brand probe?

Did you check to see if the probe read the 7 and 10 solutions correctly after calibration?

 

[jhart85]

Faulty probe.

What container capacity did you use for the aeration test? A cup, right? Did you ensure the aeration was strong? The surface should have been aggressively bubbling.

What calibration packets/solutions? What brand probe?

Did you check to see if the probe read the 7 and 10 solutions correctly after calibration?

4cup container 3cups was added, it was strong agitation. The ph solution were not cross referenced to the solution after calibration. It’s Neptune probe roughly 2 years old and I used Neptune solution to calibrate

 

[jhart85]

Faulty probe.

What container capacity did you use for the aeration test? A cup, right? Did you ensure the aeration was strong? The surface should have been aggressively bubbling.

What calibration packets/solutions? What brand probe?

Did you check to see if the probe read the 7 and 10 solutions correctly after calibration?

I also checked my Kalk coming from my mixing drum earlier, I mix full saturation rate and it came back with 12.2

 

[Miami Reef]

Aeration outside will almost always result in higher pH compared to indoors.

I suggested a cup because the volume is small enough for carbon dioxide to be in full equilibrium within the hour.

Recalibrate the probe and cross reference both solutions. Ensure the pH packets are near 77 F when calibrating.

You’re using 7 and 10 pH solutions, right? Don’t use 4 & 7 as it doesn’t bracket the seawater pH range.

 

[jhart85]

Aeration outside will almost always result in higher pH compared to indoors.

I suggested a cup because the volume is small enough for carbon dioxide to be in full equilibrium within the hour.

Recalibrate the probe and cross reference both solutions. Ensure the pH packets are near 77 F when calibrating.

You’re using 7 and 10 pH solutions, right? Don’t use 4 & 7 as it doesn’t bracket the seawater pH range.

Yes I 7 and 10 solutions were used and I also made sure to chose that during the calibration process I’ll re perform the test using a smaller sample and post back result also I’ll order another calibration set thabks

 

[Miami Reef]

Yes I 7 and 10 solutions were used and I also made sure to chose that during the calibration process I’ll re perform the test using a smaller sample and post back result also I’ll order another calibration set thabks

When was the last time you calibrated the probe?

 

[jhart85]

When was the last time you calibrated the probe?

Exactly 3 days ago.

 

[Baylott224]

What's wrong with 7.95 ph

 

[jhart85]

What's wrong with 7.95 ph

Ph hit 7.73 for the low before lights on. I’m questioning why so low, I draw a lot of outside air and implement Kalk at night and would suspect a higher ph results.

 

[rishma]

I agree with @Miami Reef, the aeration test results do not make sense to me, particularly one you aerated outside the house.

The most common cause of low pH is elevated indoor CO2 levels. Your test result would indicate that both indoor and outdoor CO2 levels are elevated and they are similar. I’m not sure what to make of that.

Do you live is city or area with a lot of car traffic? I’m grasping for something other than a probe issue.

 

[jhart85]

I agree with@Miami Reef, the aeration test results do not make sense to me, particularly one you aerated outside the house.

The most common cause of low pH is elevated indoor CO2 levels. Your test result would indicate that both indoor and outdoor CO2 levels are elevated and they are similar. I’m not sure what to make of that.

Do you live is city or area with a lot of car traffic? I’m grasping for something other than a probe issue.

I’m currently conducting the second test I’m having my wife do it and I question the aeration. I completed the first inside test and it’s much lower than before

 

[jhart85]

Ok @Miami Reef here are the results after one hour of heavy aeration in a small cup.