ULM PH Control?

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Looking for how to achieve an ultra low maintenance PH for my new build.

In preparation for my build, I've automated AWC, ATO, salinity control, dosing, feeding, and filtration using the least amount of equipment and complexity.

I chose the Triton method to reduce water changes and keep my tank elements balanced. It only requires a dKH controller.

I went with GHL for automation.

The one parameter that seems a little too low is my PH which hovers between 7.8 and 8. Not bad, but I'd like to boost it a tad and make sure I can maintain it.

Opening a window doesn't seem to boost PH. Maybe a little...

I'm not interested in adding a skimmer / CO2 scrubber combo. Based on Skimmate analysis and several articles, I'm in the camp that skimmers are not a very effective filtration method. Besides which they need cleaning and maintenance which im trying to avoid. I know there are oxygenation benefits to skimmers, but I'm not worried about that parameter. You can convince me otherwise.

I was thinking maybe dosing something like Kalkwasser. My concern here is that it would interfere with my Triton dosing. Also, this would require a stirrer and mixing kalk which is not quite ULM.

Is there another product that can be dosed along with Triton?

Other ULM methods or equipment for controlling/maintaining PH?
 

homer1475

Figuring out the hobby one coral at a time.
View Badges
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
11,677
Reaction score
18,660
Location
Way upstate NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
SInce opening a window does practically nothing, running a co2 scrubber probably won't help either.

Why would you need all that for kalk? Just throw a couple tablespoons in your top off, and let the ATo do it's thing.
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
SInce opening a window does practically nothing, running a co2 scrubber probably won't help either.

Why would you need all that for kalk? Just throw a couple tablespoons in your top off, and let the ATo do it's thing.

The problem with Kalk is that it would interfere with Triton dosing which is based on dkH. If I dose Kalk, that would raise dKH and reduce or eliminate the Triton dosing.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
66,541
Reaction score
62,834
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Looking for how to achieve an ultra low maintenance PH for my new build.

In preparation for my build, I've automated AWC, ATO, salinity control, dosing, feeding, and filtration using the least amount of equipment and complexity.

I chose the Triton method to reduce water changes and keep my tank elements balanced. It only requires a dKH controller.

I went with GHL for automation.

The one parameter that seems a little too low is my PH which hovers between 7.8 and 8. Not bad, but I'd like to boost it a tad and make sure I can maintain it.

Opening a window doesn't seem to boost PH. Maybe a little...

I'm not interested in adding a skimmer / CO2 scrubber combo. Based on Skimmate analysis and several articles, I'm in the camp that skimmers are not a very effective filtration method. Besides which they need cleaning and maintenance which im trying to avoid. I know there are oxygenation benefits to skimmers, but I'm not worried about that parameter. You can convince me otherwise.

I was thinking maybe dosing something like Kalkwasser. My concern here is that it would interfere with my Triton dosing. Also, this would require a stirrer and mixing kalk which is not quite ULM.

Is there another product that can be dosed along with Triton?

Other ULM methods or equipment for controlling/maintaining PH?

Fresh air (say, via open windows) brought to the tank must raise pH above 8, or the aeration is insufficient.

My very high pH DIY two part uses hydroxide and raises pH the same as kalkwasser, but can be dosed like any two part.
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Fresh air (say, via open windows) brought to the tank must raise pH above 8, or the aeration is insufficient.

My very high pH DIY two part uses hydroxide and raises pH the same as kalkwasser, but can be dosed like any two part.

Very interested. Would this impact the Triton dosing?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
66,541
Reaction score
62,834
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very interested. Would this impact the Triton dosing?

Not sure what you mean by "Triton" dosing. It becomes the alkalinity solution that is dosed. You will not use Tritons fluid, but you can still control it with whatever controller you want.
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure what you mean by "Triton" dosing. It becomes the alkalinity solution that is dosed. You will not use Tritons fluid, but you can still control it with whatever controller you want.

So I'm using Triton Core 7 to maintain my parameters with a GHL KH Director.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
66,541
Reaction score
62,834
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I'm using Triton Core 7 to maintain my parameters with a GHL KH Director.

If you want to dose only that exact product for alkalinity, then certainly you cannot dose hydroxide or anything else that will help with pH since all such products boost alkalinity. You can substitute for it, some or all of it, but you cannot dose both at the same level as before.
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you want to dose only that exact product for alkalinity, then certainly you cannot dose hydroxide or anything else that will help with pH since all such products boost alkalinity. You can substitute for it, some or all of it, but you cannot dose both at the same level as before.

So I have been doing some investigation of my PH. I did an outdoor aeration test and was able to increase my PH by .23 and opening a window increase my PH by about .1. Aeration of tank water indoors actually lowered my PH by about .05. So clearly I have higher CO2 level in my home.

My daily rage is between 7.92 and 8.06 which is in the acceptable range.

I'm still thinking that I would like to boost this a little to get to a range of 8.1 to 8.2.

I really want to be ULM and don't see these as an option:

1. Leave windows open. While this is probably the simplest and most ULM solution it's not feasible all the time. I can crack windows during the nicer days, but can't do this at night or when whether is too hot or too cold.

2. Skimmer, outdoor air, and CO2 scrubber. While this would probably work, I not a fan/believer of Skimmers as a filter mechanism and they come with a high initial investment cost. They are just not efficient at filtering and can potentially remove beneficial stuff. They require cleaning and maintenance and the CO2 scrubber material is costly will need frequent replacement.

3. Dosing Kalkwasser or another high PH carbonate/calcium is a potential solution. However, I am using Triton Core 7 for maintaining my saltwater parameters. It uses just dKH control and any other carbonate/calcium would throw it off.

4. So I found a Brightwell product, PH+, which is intended for temporary usage to boost PH until the underlying problem is solved. Again, I know the underlying problem and it seems this product is not meant for long term use.

Where does that leave me? I think I need to transition from Triton 7 to something that boosts PH a little.

@Randy Holmes-Farley The Triton Core 7 is sort of a mostly complete and simple solution. Monitor dKH and dose their 4 Core 7 products in equal amount to maintain your water parameters. Is there a way to mirror this simplicity with other products or homebrew?
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Trying to find out what Triton Core 7 provide...

Number 1 = Magnesium + Traces
Number 2 = Calcium + Traces
Number 3A = Alkalinity + Traces
Number 3B = Alkalinity + Traces

But there doesn't seem to be more info than this.
 

Betex

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
529
Reaction score
430
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Trying to find out what Triton Core 7 provide...

Number 1 = Magnesium + Traces
Number 2 = Calcium + Traces
Number 3A = Alkalinity + Traces
Number 3B = Alkalinity + Traces

But there doesn't seem to be more info than this.
If you are using the triton core 7 than you wouldn't be doing Randy's 2-part recipe it would be either or otherwise would just get more complicated.
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One thing to note is that I have been unable to even dose Triton Core 7 as my dKH is magically staying high. I switched away from IO Reef Crystals (11dKH-ish) to Neomarine (7.5dKH-ish) a couple months ago and have been doing incremental AWC ~1gal/day on a 34gal tank. The water has been changed out several times by now. Every time it's dropped below 8dKH I have dosed to bring it back to 8dKH and then it just keeps going up...and staying high for week or two. And yes, I am dosing the correct amount. It corrects pretty quickly, but then continues to slowly increase of the week.
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you are using the triton core 7 than you wouldn't be doing Randy's 2-part recipe it would be either or otherwise would just get more complicated.
I understand that. I guess my concern is that I would like to maintain the major and trace elements without having to monitor them. Just monitor dKH and have the NSW parameters maintained. This is what Triton Method supposedly does.
 

Betex

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
529
Reaction score
430
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One thing to note is that I have been unable to even dose Triton Core 7 as my dKH is magically staying high. I switched away from IO Reef Crystals (11dKH-ish) to Neomarine (7.5dKH-ish) a couple months ago and have been doing incremental AWC ~1gal/day on a 34gal tank. The water has been changed out several times by now. Every time it's dropped below 8dKH I have dosed to bring it back to 8dKH and then it just keeps going up...and staying high for week or two. And yes, I am dosing the correct amount. It corrects pretty quickly, but then continues to slowly increase of the week.
I currently use neomarine but that mixes at 8.4-8.6 or something close to those numbers FYI
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I currently use neomarine but that mixes at 8.4-8.6 or something close to those numbers FYI

Really? I'll check it again...but per Brightwell:

"134 g per 1 US-gallon (3.785 L) of purified water yields a specific gravity of ~1.025 g/cm3,
with a pH of ~8.30 and alkalinity of ~7.5 dKH."
 

Betex

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
529
Reaction score
430
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I understand that. I guess my concern is that I would like to maintain the major and trace elements without having to monitor them. Just monitor dKH and have the NSW parameters maintained. This is what Triton Method supposedly does.
You can use Randy's recipe and just forego the Core part and use the rest of triton for the minors
Really? I'll check it again...but per Brightwell:

"134 g per 1 US-gallon (3.785 L) of purified water yields a specific gravity of ~1.025 g/cm3,
with a pH of ~8.30 and alkalinity of ~7.5 dKH."
Yeah mine is usually right at the 8.4 mark
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You can use Randy's recipe and just forego the Core part and use the rest of triton for the minors

Yeah mine is usually right at the 8.4 mark
Using Hanna Checker, I got 8.0 on the button.
 

Deep

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 11, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
481
Location
Singapore
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Which is probably really where I want it. Maintaining a target 8dKH with AWC water also at 8dKH is probably ideal.
Are there any corals or is there some photosynthesis happening - if CO2 is being used by these then that should raise PH ? Whats consuming the ALK in your tank ? Was not very clear from your post.
 
OP
OP
arking_mark

arking_mark

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,592
Reaction score
1,814
Location
Potomac
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Are there any corals or is there some photosynthesis happening - if CO2 is being used by these then that should raise PH ? Whats consuming the ALK in your tank ? Was not very clear from your post.
My tank is mostly a softy tank with a couple SPS frags.

Since switching to AWC and then changing salts, I have had unexpected dKH measurements.

Before AWC, I was doing monthly 15% water changes....and my dKH would stay between 7.5 and 9.

After switching to incremental 3% daily AWC, dKH kept climbing to as high as 10-11dKH. Since I was transitioning to Triton Method, I was targeting 8dKH and quickly realized my IO reef salt was the issue. Then I switched salts to Neomarine, but have had unexpected higher dKH and find it difficult to get to 8dKH and use my Triton 7 dosing.

The tank has never looked better, but I am having issues with Yumas and Ricordea. Nems are doing great, zoas seem happy, other mushrooms are happy...just not Ricordea or Yumas.
 
Back
Top