Reef Chemistry

[Renegade]

Hey all, haven't posted on here in a long time.

Anyways, long story short, i've been in the hobby for a good 6years and well i finally experienced my first tank crash. A quick recap i have a 120g 4x2x2 reef system running dual 250w mogul base hm. Dart closed loop. with 2 returns, Corner overflow with a Mag 9 "i think" Return. EuroReef 135, 10g Refug. Temp of 76 to 78. Not a 100% sure what happened to begin with but i started to lose all my SPS. then Error on my part, I should have know better. I took my calcium reactor offline, because, 1 from time to time it acts up and i was going to be away camping and someone else was babysitting my tank. It never fails me that the only time it screws up is when my cousin is watching my tank. 2 i no longer had a demand for a large consumption of calcium. Anyways Now my tank chemistry is to say the least a little out of whack.

Couple questions. First is there a difference between distilled white vinegar and pure white vinegar? I need to crash my PH as its getting to a dangerous level. First to low, some kalk dosing and now build up. Now i'm not usually one for getting in there and making harsh changes, i prefer the little nudges and allow the ecosystem to balance itself, but my tank has that look and its had it for the past couple days, you know the look that theres something wrong that only you notice.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php#12

Anyways currently i'm trying to force a safe ph drop and balance with a couple air stones in my sump.

I'm open to some tips on re-balancing the chemistry in an aquarium thats been running for 5 years.

I'm looking for input from the more seasoned Canreef folks. I know there a lot of new faces, and though i'm sure you are extremely knowledgeable salt water enthusiast. I'm really looking to hear from people with 10yrs experience.

Yes i know your going to ask for some test results and i'm about to go do them. Anyways bye for now.

[whatcaneyedo]

I'm sitting at 6 years the same as you but it sounds to me like all you need is to have some simple water changes done to bring your tank back to normal. If you add too much vinegar to counter act the rise in your pH you may very well cause a bacteria bloom as vinegar is often used like vodka or sugar for organic carbon dosing.

With my system I drop over 1 dkh of alkalinity a day if I take my Ca reactor off line. I've had it happen before where it went below 5 dkh and coral started dieing.

Test your water parameters and post them if you want a better answer. Its hard to advise based on speculation.

[Tom R]

Hi Kyle

Great to hear from you.

I have never had to take my pH down. I would be very careful. If you decide to use the vinager or some pH down do it slowly.

I like the idea of multiple water changes.

Tom R

[Myka]

To my knowledge, there is no difference between distilled vinegar and pure white vinegar as far as tanks go. I'm not sure there is any difference at all even.

Anyway, that said, what is your pH actually at? Please post results of your testings. Especially ammonia, nitrate, pH, calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. Also post the brands of kits you use.

A slow drip of vinegar isn't that scary to me, but I wouldn't do it without a freshly calibrated digital pH meter, and not if it wasn't 8.8 or higher. Also, be aware that the pH will try to creep back up as soon as you stop dosing the vinegar. If the pH is 8.7 or lower, I suggest you just do a 25% water change everyday until it gets lowered. Usually the safest way to "fix things" is the use of multiple waterchanges. Waterchanges wouldn't lower a chronically high pH, but in your case I understand you overdosed kalk. Next time use calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate! :p

Reefing since '93. ;)

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

I agree with the others on the multiple water changes routine. Know someone else who also ODed on Kalk and after several water changes, pH was back to normal (was probably around 9.0 before the changes).

[o.c.d.]

Distilled means that a liquid is separated from a mixture, and distilled vinegar is distilled from ethanol. All vinegar is made from this process, so there is no real difference. It is like saying 100% fruit juice is made from fruit. Distilled would be a little bit purer