B's Reef

[jbb]

Use soda ash. You can make it at home by baking baking soda in the oven. Make a solution out of that. Problem solved.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/makechemicalsyourself/a/Sodium-Carbonate-From-Baking-Soda.htm

 

I use soda ash and dose it 24/7

 

I have BRS Soda Ash that I was about to start using. Would that be the same ?

[metrokat]

I have BRS Soda Ash that I was about to start using. Would that be the same ?

Affirmative. Mix it up with a powerhead.

[jbb]

Affirmative. Mix it up with a powerhead.

 

roger that

[Veng]

I use Red Sea's stuff, and it always drops my pH when I use it. Also, the more air exchange you have, the more regulated/constant your pH will be. Soda ash should do the trick though.

[jbb]

Affirmative. Mix it up with a powerhead.

 

 

I've heard a few people say that the BRS calculator isn't the best thing to use . Any input on the matter ?

 

 

to go from 6.16 to 9 its says 40.5 tsp per gallon of ro/di

[Veng]

Do half, test 30 minutes later and dose more as needed.

[jbb]

Do half, test 30 minutes later and dose more as needed.

 

That's sort of what I thought .

 

 

My concern though is raising the levels too quickly.

[metrokat]

I use the measurement on the side of the soda ash box to mix my solution. then i dose half of what is suggested, test, dose test dose. You have to know the tanks consumption for about a week to accurately set the dosers, even then it may be off.

[Veng]

 

That's sort of what I thought .

 

 

My concern though is raising the levels too quickly.

There's a lot of people who will say not to move dKH more than 1 dKH per day. It's not something I've ever adhered to, and really haven't seen any immediate negative effects as a result. I agree stability is key, but let's face it, we all bring corals home all the time and change dKH by far more than that, and most of them don't show massive ill effects.

[jbb]

There's a lot of people who will say not to move dKH more than 1 dKH per day. It's not something I've ever adhered to, and really haven't seen any immediate negative effects as a result. I agree stability is key, but let's face it, we all bring corals home all the time and change dKH by far more than that, and most of them don't show massive ill effects.

 

 

Think I'm going to play if safe , and take the slow and steady approach. Its much easier to dose a lil more than replace everything that dies.

 

[metrokat]

Don't put a keg of GFO on it, should be fine otherwise. My dosers have accidently dosed all day and shot my dkh up to 16. It should shock the system and kill stuff but it did not. But we all know I feed my tank some magic sauce or something right?

[Veng]

Don't put a keg of GFO on it,

..... I see what you did there....

[jbb]

5:34pm pH = 8.59

 

30ml dose 5ml at a time over 5min.

 

6:18pm pH = 8.71 and climbing

 

 

I thought soda ash lowered pH , no ?

[Veng]

Honestly, I don't remember.

[metrokat]

To be safe no more than 1.4 dkh should be raised.

So from 6.16 to 7.56 takes 87 ml.

87ml to be dosed over a period of 24 hours.

Means 3.6ml per hour.

 

This should not jump your PH. 30 ml should also not but I don't know enough about Soda Ash and PH to help out. Maybe a call to BRS is due. Why si their product increasing PH when it is not supposed to.

[Veng]

Increasing airation will help, otherwise, randy-holmes farley:

Acute Upward pH Spikes

 

In an acute high pH situation (such as 5 gallons of limewater entering the tank and sending the pH over 9), adding an acid such as vinegar, muriatic acid (HCl or hydrochloric acid) or sulfuric acid are all acceptable ways to lower the pH. A number of aquarists have successfully treated such situations with vinegar, and have not ended up losing any animals, though the tank is loaded with white calcium carbonate precipitate. I've added HCl to my tank in similar situations without difficulty.

 

If you do such an acid treatment, be very careful to not overshoot, and monitor the pH during any acid additions. I would only intervene in this fashion if I could monitor the pH in real time, and could add the acid to a high flow situation far from any organism. Diluting the acid in water (say, 20:1 or 100:1) prior to adding it to the tank is highly recommended both for your safety and that of the tank inhabitants (dilution isn't necessary for vinegar which is already dilute).

[jbb]

I'm so confused

[metrokat]

I tried calling you to help but you're all ninja right now. Maybe Jordan should answer your calls.

[jbb]

I tried calling you to help but you're all ninja right now. Maybe Jordan should answer your calls.

 

I was elbow deep in salt water. Time to get cleaned up for dinner

[tailes]

Are you *still* elbow deep in water?

[metrokat]

Are you *still* elbow deep in water?

It seems that way, it's been a while since I spoke to Ninja. Last I heard he was up in his garage finding stuff he'd forgotten he had.

[jbb]

Are you *still* elbow deep in water?

 

Neck deep now

 

 

UPDATE :

 

pH pen came in today. Current calibrated (OLD) pH probe is reading 8.62 , New calibrated pH pen is reading 7.9. I am still waiting on the new probe to show up, tracking says tomorrow . So I will get started on the Alk situation now that I have a better idea of what the pH actually is. Big thanks to those that offered up the help, I really do appreciate it.

 

It seems that way, it's been a while since I spoke to Ninja. Last I heard he was up in his garage finding stuff he'd forgotten he had.

 

 

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd

 

 

I found an entire garage full of tanks for Veng !!!

 

On my way to fill out papers to make an offer on a new casa .

 

 

Wish me luck !!

[metrokat]

GOOD LUCK NINJA!

[Veng]

Really good luck on the new casa.

[tailes]

Wohoo! Good luck!

 

And no we won't help clean out your garage because I know that means you're donating tanks to us.