Top up water

Mini_reefer · 05/06/2017, 03:00 PM

I'm curious if I should areoate my top up water? I feel like it's been dropping my ph in my 29 cube. I have good o2 exchange in my tank between 2 koralia pumps faced upwards, my return upwards and oversized skimmer. Also I did a water change today after mixing my salt ph was 7.5. I use Red Sea coral pro salt and it says not to mix more than 4 hours so I don't want to leave it mixing for awhile. What do you guys do?

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jubei2006 · 05/06/2017, 09:30 PM

Have you checked any parameters on your mixed Saltwater? Are you dosing anything in your Cube? Are you using a chemical test or lab grade Probe? The redsea mixing instructions request large pump to aerate, sprinkle don't dump salt to unheated ro/di water. Not following could cause caco3 precipitate which could be causing your pH problem.

Mini_reefer · 05/07/2017, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jubei2006

Have you checked any parameters on your mixed Saltwater? Are you dosing anything in your Cube? Are you using a chemical test or lab grade Probe? The redsea mixing instructions request large pump to aerate, sprinkle don't dump salt to unheated ro/di water. Not following could cause caco3 precipitate which could be causing your pH problem.

I use a 1080gph koralia to mix 5gallon bucket heated to 68 to mix then mixes for about 90 minutes to 76 to 78 to match my tank. I test with API kit i don't have time to use and do scientific experiments often. All elements were at 0 in fresh batch of saltwater. I do not dump I mix a 1/2 cup at a time within 15 minutes I have added all my salt mix to 1.023 then add very last bit to match my tank. Fluctuations are minimal on top up I add water atleast 2x a day not a lot just what I need never drops less than .001

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disc1 · 05/07/2017, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mini_reefer

All elements were at 0 in fresh batch of saltwater.

Even the calcium and magnesium? That means you forgot to put the salt in. Or did you mean to be a little more specific there.

Mini_reefer · 05/07/2017, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disc1

Even the calcium and magnesium? That means you forgot to put the salt in. Or did you mean to be a little more specific there.

"Forgot to add salt"

lol all I'm asking is should I add buffer to my top up water as my ph drops throughout the week that's it

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homer1475 · 05/18/2017, 07:33 AM

Ph is dependent on the amount of CO2 in the house/room the tank is located. Circulating your top off water will have 0 effect on your PH.

exsequor · 05/23/2017, 06:46 PM

I store my ro/di in a 220g rotomold sealed but no aeration besides new water added every week when I flip on the water / booster (has a float valve, but I have no reason to rely on it right now).

Anyways, what good does circulation do if the water is perfect TDS and PH wise off the gate anyways???

Kadee · 05/27/2017, 07:03 PM

To combat my dropping PH I have added a diy CO2 scrubber to my air intake on my skimmer and kalkwasser in my ato. Works great to maintain my PH 8.2 to 8.3 day and night.

Khazmodain · 06/07/2017, 05:02 PM

Definitely don't add buffering chemicals for the purpose of chasing pH. Any clue what your alk looks like? Do you do your water changes on the weekends and see your pH drop throughout the week? If you can determine that alk is dropping to levels which are too low by the end of the week then it may be of value to supplement alk in topoff with kalkwasser or other means. But I wouldn't recommend blindly boosting alk as a response to low pH.

Ron Reefman · 06/09/2017, 05:36 AM

Chasing pH is a fools errand. I have 4 tanks and haven't looked at pH in 4 or 5 years. If pH is that low (7.5) adding buffer is a very temporary solution. What is the pH in the tank before you do the water change? And the pH of the new water?

Either the new water needs to be stirred more, or to get better air (less CO2), or the tank needs better air. Some people feed their skimmer with air from outside the house. Closed houses in the winter or summer can develop high CO2 and that will lower the pH in your water.

Mini_reefer · 06/09/2017, 07:54 AM

Thanks everyone for the response!! My tank itself is stable with ph around 8.2 to 8.4 even at night. Lowest I've seen is 8.0 at 5 am when i do morning test every now and then but by 12 pm it's where it should be. As far as my top up water goes I've just let my circulation pump keep aimed up top to help turn the water over and after a few hours i have seen the ph creep up to where it should be. I never really have tested my top up water for anything it was just a curiosity of mine one day. Ts all good now folks!

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05/06/2017, 03:00 PM	#1
Mini_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Pasadena md Posts: 12	Top up water I'm curious if I should areoate my top up water? I feel like it's been dropping my ph in my 29 cube. I have good o2 exchange in my tank between 2 koralia pumps faced upwards, my return upwards and oversized skimmer. Also I did a water change today after mixing my salt ph was 7.5. I use Red Sea coral pro salt and it says not to mix more than 4 hours so I don't want to leave it mixing for awhile. What do you guys do? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05/18/2017, 07:33 AM	#6
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Ph is dependent on the amount of CO2 in the house/room the tank is located. Circulating your top off water will have 0 effect on your PH. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

06/09/2017, 05:36 AM	#10
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Chasing pH is a fools errand. I have 4 tanks and haven't looked at pH in 4 or 5 years. If pH is that low (7.5) adding buffer is a very temporary solution. What is the pH in the tank before you do the water change? And the pH of the new water? Either the new water needs to be stirred more, or to get better air (less CO2), or the tank needs better air. Some people feed their skimmer with air from outside the house. Closed houses in the winter or summer can develop high CO2 and that will lower the pH in your water. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

05/06/2017, 09:30 PM	#2
jubei2006 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Newton, nc Posts: 68	Have you checked any parameters on your mixed Saltwater? Are you dosing anything in your Cube? Are you using a chemical test or lab grade Probe? The redsea mixing instructions request large pump to aerate, sprinkle don't dump salt to unheated ro/di water. Not following could cause caco3 precipitate which could be causing your pH problem.

05/23/2017, 06:46 PM	#7
exsequor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 224	I store my ro/di in a 220g rotomold sealed but no aeration besides new water added every week when I flip on the water / booster (has a float valve, but I have no reason to rely on it right now). Anyways, what good does circulation do if the water is perfect TDS and PH wise off the gate anyways???

05/27/2017, 07:03 PM	#8
Kadee Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 38	To combat my dropping PH I have added a diy CO2 scrubber to my air intake on my skimmer and kalkwasser in my ato. Works great to maintain my PH 8.2 to 8.3 day and night.

06/07/2017, 05:02 PM	#9
Khazmodain Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Des Moines, IA Posts: 231	Definitely don't add buffering chemicals for the purpose of chasing pH. Any clue what your alk looks like? Do you do your water changes on the weekends and see your pH drop throughout the week? If you can determine that alk is dropping to levels which are too low by the end of the week then it may be of value to supplement alk in topoff with kalkwasser or other means. But I wouldn't recommend blindly boosting alk as a response to low pH.

06/09/2017, 07:54 AM	#11
Mini_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Pasadena md Posts: 12	Thanks everyone for the response!! My tank itself is stable with ph around 8.2 to 8.4 even at night. Lowest I've seen is 8.0 at 5 am when i do morning test every now and then but by 12 pm it's where it should be. As far as my top up water goes I've just let my circulation pump keep aimed up top to help turn the water over and after a few hours i have seen the ph creep up to where it should be. I never really have tested my top up water for anything it was just a curiosity of mine one day. Ts all good now folks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk