vodka increases dKH (?)

[ZoWhat]

Does dosing vodka increase the dKH on an alkalinity test?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Does dosing vodka increase the dKH on an alkalinity test?

Shouldn't. @Randy Holmes-Farley would vodka/ ethanol have this effect?

I've carbon dosed off and on for years with vodka and never noticed a rise in alkalinity.

 

[lejeune981]

I've never noticed any.. I dose 2 part along with vodka dosing

 

[ZoWhat]

Weird.... I went from 9.4 to 13.2 in 2 weeks and didn't dose anything but 80 proof vodka

Maybe my sailfert test is out of whack.

I need to look around to see if a have a test liquid that has a known dKH

 

[lejeune981]

Deff interesting...
I've been dosing nopox for about a year.. then transitioned over to just vodka..
Never has my alk go up or down... till recently when all my Lps really started growing..

 

[Cory]

Weird.... I went from 9.4 to 13.2 in 2 weeks and didn't dose anything but 80 proof vodka

Maybe my sailfert test is out of whack.

I need to look around to see if a have a test liquid that has a known dKH

You can test your salifert test kit by using 1.135 grams of baking soda in 1 gallon of 0tds ro/di or distilled water. Result should be 10dkh.

 

[ZoWhat]

If I buy a scale that can measure 1.135 grams my wife will think I'm selling heroin. lol!

 

[madweazl]

If I buy a scale that can measure 1.135 grams my wife will think I'm selling heroin. lol!

1/4 teaspoon will get you close enough for a sanity check of your test kit.

 

[Cory]

If I buy a scale that can measure 1.135 grams my wife will think I'm selling heroin. lol!

Lol mine was 30 dollars. If you dont want to buy one a pharmacist at the store will weigh it for you. They are usually happy to.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does dosing vodka increase the dKH on an alkalinity test?

Vodka dosing to a reef tank will have no direct effect on alkalinity.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If nitrate is dropping fast, that can add alkalinity.

From an article of mine:

When nitrate proceeds further along the nitrogen cycle, depleted alkalinity is returned in exactly the amount lost. For example, if the nitrate is allowed to be converted into N2 in a sand bed, one of the products is bicarbonate, as shown in equation 2 (below) for the breakdown of glucose and nitrate under typical anoxic conditions as might happen in a deep sand bed:

1. 
   (2) 4NO3- + 5/6 C6H12O6 (glucose) + 4H2O --> 2 N2 + 7H2O + 4HCO3- + CO2

In equation 2 we see that exactly one bicarbonate ion is produced for each nitrate ion consumed. Consequently, the alkalinity gain is 0.8 meq/L (2.3 dKH) for every 50 ppm of nitrate consumed.

Likewise, equation 3 (below) shows the uptake of nitrate and CO2 into macroalgae to form typical organic molecules:

1. 
   (3) 122 CO2 + 122 H2O + 16 NO3- --> C106H260O106N16 + 138 O2 + 16 HCO3-

Again, one bicarbonate ion is produced for each nitrate ion consumed.