Keeping PH over 8.0

[vio]

I dose vodka ...basements dry .I dont add anything to the ato .would baking soda bring the ph up only or alk also

Thank You, MikeC


I use Deltec KM500S Kalkwasser Stirrer

Reef Foundation B (Alk) ? is a complex of carbonate and other buffers present in seawater that maintain proper alkalinity and pH. (I use for ATO)
also lots of water flow, 8.2 PH, I got the tank on basement .
​

 

[duke62]

Im thinking of just adding Kalk to the ATO. What I dont understand is when i have to dose do I need to clean out the ATO after? I know there will be left over kalk at the bottom do I just leave that paste and just keep adding my 2 teaspoons or do I have to clean out the container after each new ATO fill up? Do I need a small powerhead to go off every few hours to mix the kalk?

 

[Dre]

Did you keep on the refuge light as i suggested?

 

[duke62]

Its been on all day and all night. Did nothing. PH dropped to 7.7 last night

 

[Dre]

It should drop in the 7's at night that's normal. What about when the lights are on? I would dose alk buffer to bring it up if my corals were in danger, seriously.

 

[MikeC]

The only thing I don't like about Kalk in the ATO is it can junk up the pump.
I chose to use the 50mil BRS doser and the APEX and dose every 10 min for a calculated time and try to match my evaporation.

This way I have two 5 gal containers that the Doser feeds off when one is almost empty I replace it with the other and yes I rinse out the sludge at the bottom, Kalk is cheep

 

[vio]

Im thinking of just adding Kalk to the ATO. What I dont understand is when i have to dose do I need to clean out the ATO after? I know there will be left over kalk at the bottom do I just leave that paste and just keep adding my 2 teaspoons or do I have to clean out the container after each new ATO fill up? Do I need a small powerhead to go off every few hours to mix the kalk?

I see lots of ppl. use Kalka. the way u said, but is NOT the right way ,there is a good reason why
Deltec KM500S Kalkwasser Stirrer ask for $ 750 , I buy mine used, is working great, I got a dosing pump from BRS, working on timer (14 min. x 1.1 ml) take RO/DI from my ATO tank, push the fresh water at the bottom of Stirrer, then only the clear water ,from top, rich of Kalka. go by gravity next to Protein Skimmer, he may remove some PO4 that way, Is well seal (the Stirrer) from air, so NO white stuff around, help me on dosing also, make the job of my Vortex Libra, much easy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YABfHvMdrsA

 

[MikeC]

That's a fancy machine you got there

I see lots of ppl. use Kalka. the way u said, but is NOT the right way ,

Vio I might have missed it but can you elaborate on why you feel it is the "wrong way"

Thank you

 

[jedimaster1138]

I use the Avast K1 kalk stirrer which is similar to the Aqumedic one linked here and a peristaltic dosing pump also Avast. It pulls water from my ATO reservoir (which is completely pure RO/DI water) then down into the stirrer. Saturated kalkwasser is then pushed out the top of the stirrer, through a tube and into the tank. At this point my ATO is just a back up ... most of my evaporation is made up by the timed kalkwasser dosing.

If you just add kalk powder to your ATO reservoir at some point the pump that's sucking water out of the reservoir is going to get gunked up with kalk deposits. You either have to clean it often or it might poop out. Or it might not.

The other disadvantage to doing it that way is that the pump, which is probably sitting at or near the bottom of the reservoir is going to draw and dose solution that has some not fully dissolved powder in it, which isn't great for your critters.

That being said I still have major pH issues, though not as bad as Duke's. At least I can get above 8 during the day, albeit barely so.

 

[duke62]

Yeah my PH never gets over 8

 

[duke62]

Right now with all the lights on for 2 hours now my PH is 7.76. Thats with the DT rooms door open and window cracked upstairs and downstairs

 

[duke62]

added a air stone 1/2 hour ago got it up to 7.9. We shall see how much it helps as the night goes

 

[piranhapat]

Stick with air stone. Stay away from adding Kalk. With WC and airstone your at safe PH. You don't have to have Ph at 8.2 . Alk is good don't start adding other stuff that could throw your water off. It just happens that your tank is running this way . Don't stress over it.

 

[duke62]

Air stone not working. Back down to 7.7

 

[mbg75]

Might be time for a new probe.

Maybe try a test kit?

 

[Jaftica]

kalk is great, i just dump a bunch in my ato container and mix it with a power head, never clean it out just add more rodi and remix, when the suff on the bottom gets used up i add a bunch more, been doing it that way for 15 years

 

[duke62]

I keep putting it back into the calibration fluid and its reading true

 

[jedimaster1138]

Air stone not working. Back down to 7.7

Are you pulling air from outside?

I don't know if this is possible or not, but have you experimented with opening that window near the tank (how near is it btw?) wide open for a few hours and see what it does?

Wife and I have been home all day today, window has been closed. Looks like my peak pH is going to be 8.02. That means the overnight low is going to be bad news.

 

[vio]

That's a fancy machine you got there

Vio I might have missed it but can you elaborate on why you feel it is the "wrong way"

Thank you

One reason is this : "Do not mix with an airstone; this will add carbon dioxide and oxygen, which will reduce the effectiveness of the calcium hydroxide and defeat its purpose!" also by using power pump u will mix w/carbon dioxide from room, i now Deltec try to avoid any air . Also the powder (Kalka.) is not welcome in the sump or tank. My water i dose from Deltec, act just like effluent from Calcium Reactor, depende the amount of Kalka. ( i use 2 cups on all resevoir)
http://www.masa.asn.au/masawiki/index.php/Kalkwasser
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rhf/feature/
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1689490

 

[piranhapat]

If you didn't read this yet. I hope this helps you.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/