Help - pH/Alkalinity gurus - Kalk doesn't keep pH high enough

[daverf]

I have a FOWLR tank and therefore am not really worried about calcium. I will be out of town for almost a month, and have decided to run the tank at a lower salinity. I'll have a house sitter that I can charge with basic tasks.

Anyway, I need to keep the pH/alkalinity up for the fish. I notice that it hovers around 7.9 at my reduced salinity (and also due to running my sulfur reactor). Currently I am dosing Kalk through my ATO.

I don't know that I can increase the Kalk dose, because I am already using so much powder in the ATO that it seems saturated after it is stirred.

So what does everyone suggest? Should I add Kent Marine buffer as well, to hopefully boost the PH before I leave? Then, run Kalk at my normal levels, to hopefully maintain?

Appreciate the help on this. Thanks...

 

[DyM]

Putting vinegar in the with the Kalk allows it to get more Calc and Alk, but I don't thing that will help with you PH. For the longest time, my ph was between 7.8 - 8.1 so 7.9 doesn't seem to be low. Not sure that the fish care either, but I'm guessing at that (since I've had fish for years at 7.8. PH is not something I'd chase.

 

[Walter White]

So both pH and Alk are 7.9? If so, then IMO both are in perfectly acceptable range. It has been my personal experience that as long as mag and calcium and alk are within acceptable ranges it better to just let the pH settle out and not try to chase pH around so much. I want to say I read an article by RHF that stated basically the same thing that 8.1-8.3 is just the text book ideal range but not absolutly necessary depending on the natural pH balance of the tank. I would bet many if not most reefer here fall in about the same range.

I was never able to get my pH in the "ideal" range until I had enough SPS growth that I could dose pretty significant amounts of two part without pushing my Alk and calcium too high.

Of course I have to ask, what mag and calcium are at?

 

[daverf]

Thanks a lot guys.

Kalgra to answer, I don't know. I only measure PH. Beyond that is the water chemistry/mineral aspects I have always ignored because I've never kept corals. Hm maybe I need to measure and learn more? I understand alkalinity and how it works, but I've never measured that either. I've just used water changes and kalk (ATO - exactly as you guys both mentioned doing) to try and keep pH up.

I've just worried because the sulfur reactor is fairly new, and I imagine the pH/alk may hover low or deteriorate because I'm running lower salinity.

But sounds like maybe I'm ok (on pH/alk range at least) and shouldn't chase it...

 

[DyM]

I'd buy an alk kit. Heck you can even take it to most LFS's and they'll measure it. I noticed the sulfur reactor hits alk about 1. so when I was at 9 dkh, it went down to 8. I don't know what the long term impact though would be, so I'd measure Alk, and Ph will fall where ever it needs to, but souldn't be that important. I would think the alk is only important to the live rock. Not sure if it matters to the fish.

 

[jda123]

What is your end game by dosing anything in a FOWLR tank? You growing lots of coralline or something?

Calcium Chloride, Baking Soda and Epson Salt are all that you need in a FOWLR - just add whatever you need when you need it. Water changes can probably take care of most of it.

I would worry more about PH swing than the actual reading. 7.9 is fine if it only dips to 7.8 with the lights out.