Heater is clean. No buildup. There was a small part on the sandbed that was clumped but I’ve read that clumping would be precipitation or bacteria related.
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Best options to raise pH
- Thread starter liverock27
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Heater is clean. No buildup. There was a small part on the sandbed that was clumped but I’ve read that clumping would be precipitation or bacteria related.
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Yes it could be either. If it were bacterial it would most likely have been going on for some time and you'd have noticed the Alk demand. If for some reason it just started with bacteria it would still use up the Alk.
When you dose the sodium hydroxide, do you see bubbles of it forming or is it a milky cloud? I noticed when it’s dosed in my sump, it turns little bubble-like and then once it goes though the little powerhead I have in the sump it turns to flakes. These flakes never make it into the display
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When I dose it I have it going into the sump in a high flow area where the water is going over a weir. I don't notice anything different compared to a light milky cloud like using soda ash. But my doser adds it slow enough that it's hardly perceptible
Are you 100% certain that you mixed it up with the correct amount? 283 grams per gallon. I'm using a digital scale and tare the container I'm pouring it into.
Are you 100% certain that you mixed it up with the correct amount? 283 grams per gallon. I'm using a digital scale and tare the container I'm pouring it into.
I used a scale as well but made a 2 gallon solution to last longer. So 566g
Im gonna try that method. I'll reroute the alk line to right in front of my overflow weir and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestion
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Leo, I did have to increase my effluent rate on my CaRx just a tad. Stable now at 8dkh.
Hmm.. so it didnt double the dosage?
BTW...I assumed you kept your alk much higher given the amount of corals you grow and give out
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Sps = decent lighting and flow
BUT
ALK has to be super solid
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BUT
ALK has to be super solid
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@lshin037 I think keeping as close to natural sea water for alk is good for the health of the corals. Yes you will get more growth at higher alk... but I'm patient. 
@hzheng33 It took about 2 weeks before the media needed to be changed. I got the color changing one just to check. This was without the skimmer air recirculation installed. Today I'm changing out the media and installing the recirc. I'll report back on how long the color changing media lasts this time around.
@hzheng33 It took about 2 weeks before the media needed to be changed. I got the color changing one just to check. This was without the skimmer air recirculation installed. Today I'm changing out the media and installing the recirc. I'll report back on how long the color changing media lasts this time around.
Just a little update for future reefers doing their research..
We all know every tank is different but this is MY experience. The combination of a co2 scrubber and sodium hydroxide caused a snowball effect on ph. The elevated ph from the co2 scrubber caused more alk demand. Dosing more sodium hydroxide elevated the ph even higher causing even more demand. The only way I was able to keep my ph and alk demand steady was using a motorized ball valve like this one. It opens when energized and closes when deenergized. It works like the bypass idea some are using with the neptune valve. The Neptune valve is only 1/4 and I needed something with 3/8 connections. I plugged it into my apex to programmed it to open (intake room air) when ph gets to 8.29. My ph has been solid, swinging from 8.29 to 8.31 day and night (cant even call that a swing). My demand/dosing has been very stable keeping it at 440CA and 9Dkh. The only drawback is the noise of the valve. You'll definitely hear it! Im working on trying to block the noise but it's really not a big deal for me since the tank is not in the living room.
We all know every tank is different but this is MY experience. The combination of a co2 scrubber and sodium hydroxide caused a snowball effect on ph. The elevated ph from the co2 scrubber caused more alk demand. Dosing more sodium hydroxide elevated the ph even higher causing even more demand. The only way I was able to keep my ph and alk demand steady was using a motorized ball valve like this one. It opens when energized and closes when deenergized. It works like the bypass idea some are using with the neptune valve. The Neptune valve is only 1/4 and I needed something with 3/8 connections. I plugged it into my apex to programmed it to open (intake room air) when ph gets to 8.29. My ph has been solid, swinging from 8.29 to 8.31 day and night (cant even call that a swing). My demand/dosing has been very stable keeping it at 440CA and 9Dkh. The only drawback is the noise of the valve. You'll definitely hear it! Im working on trying to block the noise but it's really not a big deal for me since the tank is not in the living room.
