pH and Alkalnity going down

[Stenopus]

Hi,
I have noticed that my pH and kH going down, right now they are
ph 7.9 kH 7 , i have only 20 grams of NaHCO3 in my house , my tank is 377 litres. Please help.

[HighlandReefer]

Got Kalk? What is your calcium level?

[Petar]

Hi ,
calcium is 380 in this moment , i don't have anything ot raise it up in this moment, what to do ?

[HighlandReefer]

Bake the baking soda & then add it. This will cause an increase in pH & alkalinity, otherwise if you add as is, it will slightly decrease the pH, but will increase the alkalinity. Randy has this method explained in his Additive mixes. After baking, add in small amounts to get to desired pH.

Is this part of the Chemistry Quiz? LoL.
:bounce1:

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd look to choose a method to supplement both calcium and alkalinity in a balanced fashion that also boosts pH. Limewater (kalkwasser) and high ph two part systems would be fine choices.

These have more:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

The "How To" Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 3: pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

[Stenopus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13298379#post13298379 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
I'd look to choose a method to supplement both calcium and alkalinity in a balanced fashion that also boosts pH. Limewater (kalkwasser) and high ph two part systems would be fine choices.

These have more:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

The "How To" Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 3: pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

Hi to all ,

thx for reply,

Hello doctor,

I am not good with english and i even don't know what is lime ?

Anyhow i have baked it on 150c 30 min in owen and add it slowly, so now pH is 8.05-8.015 m kH is 8 ,but i think that i don't have a balance between calcium and alkalinity. In my country i can't find products that i need for this in this moment, i can find in some chemistry shop like this:

calcium chloride and sodium carbonate

can i do something with this , i am new don't know much about chemistry ?

BR

[HighlandReefer]

Can you find Pickling Lime or decapado de cal?

[Stenopus]

is that a food or ...?

what for we are using it ?

thx

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you dissolve it in water, it is a suitable way to slowly dose calcium and alkalinity and also help boost pH. :)

[Stenopus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13307721#post13307721 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
If you dissolve it in water, it is a suitable way to slowly dose calcium and alkalinity and also help boost pH. :)

yeah, but if i don't know what lime or pickling lime is how should I know what product to buy ?

can you discribe me what for we are using pickling lime or lime ?

can I use Calcium Chloride-Dihydrate and sodium hydrogen carbonate to raise calcium and alkalnity isntead of lime ?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Chemically it is either calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. It is sued for many things, but in grocery stores it is used to make pickles and tortillas.

This is from the last article linked above:

Where To Get Lime

Aquarists can buy lime from a variety of different aquarium supply companies. Most often, these companies sell calcium hydroxide and call it kalkwasser or kalkwasser mix. Some of these companies claim that their lime meets a particular standard for purity (Warner, ESV, and Seachem, for example), and these standards are detailed in later sections of this article. Others (Kent, Coralife and Two Little Fishies, for example) do not appear to make specific claims other than claiming that their products are pure.

Pickling lime can often be found at large grocery stores, especially in the Fall. Apparently, some folks still do use it for canning, although one company (Ball) has apparently stopped selling it. However, you may still find their product occasionally. Another major brand is Mrs. Wages, which can also be obtained online for $1.85 per pound or less. Any brand of pickling lime is likely fine to use as a base for limewater solutions, as it has to be food grade to be sold commercially (the implications of which are described below).

Many aquarists have recently turned to buying bulk brands of food grade lime or quicklime. Some primary manufacturers such as the Mississippi Lime Company sell a variety of different grades of lime and quicklime, including food grades of each. Unfortunately, they do not sell directly to the public, and even their distributors will sell only large amounts (many hundreds of pounds). Still, many reef clubs or local reef stores have organized purchases for their members or customers. There is no beating bulk lime for cost when compared to other balanced methods of supplying calcium and alkalinity to aquaria. I bought 100 pounds of quicklime this way several years ago for less than $0.50 per pound, and expect it to last a considerable time into the future.

One should be careful using agricultural lime, such as the products sold by Home Depot or other home improvement stores. In many cases this material, despite being called lime, is actually calcium carbonate. If so, the term lime is simply short for limestone. Even when the bag gives concentrations of CaO and/or MgO, that statement is a unit of measure of calcium or magnesium, not an indication that there is really CaO in the bag. Limestone is not suitable for making limewater since it is insoluble. Further, in agricultural grades of calcium hydroxide or oxide, the purity may not be adequate for a reef aquarium.