Newbie Corner Feedback Thread

[Paul B]

I can almost see the Unisphere from my house. The thing is still there along with that NY pavillion, that big yellow thing that was supposed to be an ovservation tower and was also the space ship in "Men in Black"
It is all corroded and practically falling down, they don't want to spend the money to fix it or take it down.
It will probably fall on some poor slob some day, then they will remove it.
Isn't that a little far from Ohio?

 

[WaterKeeper]

Not if you were born on 187th St and Pinehurst Ave in Manhatten and only moved to Danbury Ct a few years before the fair. My Grandparents lived pretty close to where you do but I can't remember their street adress in Queens. They moved to Rutherford NJ shortly after the fair. That's why I always kid you about L.I. sound and things like Jone's Beach.

 

[Paul B]

I grew up on Kissena Blvd in Flushing about a mile from the Fair.
So what made you move out to the sticks?
I do like Danbury though, loved the Danbury Fair

 

[WaterKeeper]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14715011#post14715011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
I do like Danbury though, loved the Danbury Fair

I was at one time one of Mr. Leahy' Fair Ambassadors. Too bad it is just a shopping Mall now.

I moved out here in 1973 as my dad worked for Mosler Safe in Danbury and was moved out to the main office here. My job as a quality control manager at an electroplating plant was eliminated at about the same time so I came along with him in search of new employment.

 

[Paul B]

Unfortunately a Mall don't compare to the fair.
I moved to Flushing in 1952 from Bensunhurst Brooklyn,
I was three

 

[EnglishRebel]

Okay guys

Tom
I'm still having problems with low PH. If you remember my tank is not here yet (gets delivered Tuesday) and I have a 30 gallon fuge connected to a 20 gallon sump. A few days ago I added a 55 gallon tank to the room (which added 50 gallons of fresh SW to the system) so now the return pump feeds the fuge that gravity feeds the 55 which in turn gravity feeds the sum. I have calibrated my probe several times and have put it back in the 7.0 and 10.0 fluid a few days ago and it's reading correct. It was 7.54 on Saturday. I have had the window open for several days and also had two air stones in the sump for a day. The reading this morning was 7.64 so although it has improved I don't think it's CO2.
My other readings are:
Salinity: 1.026
Calcium: 460
Magnesium: 1430
Hardness: 11.5.

I cannot understand why my PH is so low, however I just measured my RO/DI and SW with my Hanna portable temperature compensated meter and the RO/DI water is 8.2 but the SW mix is 7.7. Any idea what's going on here? I picked up a bottle of Kent PH buffer (says it raises the PH to 8.2) but don't want to start dosing until I know what's happening.
Thanks

 

[Paul B]

Oh is this what this thread is about? I forgot.
Anyway, I would get your pH tested by some other means besides your electronic meter.
After being an electrician for 40 years I have learned not to trust anything electrically powered when there are much simpler testing means.
I think your pH is perfect and your meter is kaput.
What does it read if you mix up a new quart of ASW?

Oh wait a minute. This is Waterkeepers baby, I will let him answer.
Never mind

 

[WaterKeeper]

:lol:

Yeah Alan, if we stuck to the original premise we would be talking about growing plankton right now. I guarantee that the longer a thread runs the more off topic it becomes.

Now about that pH. As usual Paul and I will disagree but a good pH meter is accurate to about ±0.02 S.U. That is far more accurate than any colorimetric test. As long as you do a two point calibration you should be getting fairly accurate results.

Your problem is not uncommon with a recently set-up tank as there is probably some micro cycling going on and that in itself is a slightly acidic process. It will probably go away as the tank matures. Most of the products sold to help elevate pH are just sodium carbonate (you can make your own by heating some baking soda in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes or so) and have a pH of about 10.6 straight out of the bottle. They are fine to use for short periods of time but hopefully are not needed long term. Routine use tends to add more sodium to the tank than you really want to maintain. That is why we usually recommend using limewater as it raises pH, alkalinity and calcium at the same time. Try to purchased product and see what happens.

 

[Paul B]

As usual Paul and I will disagree but a good pH meter is accurate to about ±0.02 S.U.

Waterkeeper and I never disagree.
Hey Water that number you posted above. I don't even have those symbols on my computer.

So you are telling me my $2.00 pH meter is wrong?



I am sure a good pH meter is accurate to whatever that number means. I am just saying to test it with something else also.
Like a $2.00 test kit.

 

[EnglishRebel]

I've tested with the PH probe on my ReefKeeper Elite (that sounds like WaterKeeper), a Hanna portable probe and also Salifert test kit. The salt water I mixed up was only one day old when I tested it. Why would the SW have a much lower PH than the RO/DI water it was made with. It seems like the SW is the problem and not any cycling as the NSW is the same PH as the tank.
Any thoughts on why SW should be less. I'm also going to post over on the Chemical forum to see of RHF has any ideas.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14722378#post14722378 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
Oh is this what this thread is about? I forgot.
Anyway, I would get your pH tested by some other means besides your electronic meter.
After being an electrician for 40 years I have learned not to trust anything electrically powered when there are much simpler testing means.
I think your pH is perfect and your meter is kaput.
What does it read if you mix up a new quart of ASW?

Oh wait a minute. This is Waterkeepers baby, I will let him answer.
Never mind

I'd also do a check on the ro/di water

 

[WaterKeeper]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14723382#post14723382 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EnglishRebel
I'm also going to post over on the Chemical forum to see of RHF has any ideas.

Sure, sure run to Randy.

What type of salt mix are you using. I thought it was IO or RC but I may have missed that Alan.

He checked the RO/DI Scott but if the unit is working properly then trying to check pH on DI water is nearly an impossible task for the average reefkeeper. It is so easy to change the pH of RO/DI that the container you collect it in makes a difference. It has zero buffering capacity and if you take a straw and blow bubbles into it the pH will plummet like a rock. If the pH of the DI water was 2 it would rise to the proper pH once ASW.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14724700#post14724700 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WaterKeeper
Sure, sure run to Randy.

What type of salt mix are you using. I thought it was IO or RC but I may have missed that Alan.

He checked the RO/DI Scott but if the unit is working properly then trying to check pH on DI water is nearly an impossible task for the average reefkeeper. It is so easy to change the pH of RO/DI that the container you collect it in makes a difference. It has zero buffering capacity and if you take a straw and blow bubbles into it the pH will plummet like a rock. If the pH of the DI water was 2 it would rise to the proper pH once ASW.

thanks WK

IMO his test results for alk and calcium don't jive with the low ph unless he has been using buffer for awhile---I believe that will eventually give you a low pH high alkalinity situation.

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14725614#post14725614 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
thanks WK

IMO his test results for alk and calcium don't jive with the low ph unless he has been using buffer for awhile---I believe that will eventually give you a low pH high alkalinity situation.

The PH test on the RO water was taken from the 45 gallon container it's stored in. I have not used any buffering solutions until I know what's going on. I still harp back to the 8.2 PH of the RO water and the 7.6 of the FSW. I am using Instant Ocean (and have done since day one). Could my batches be off?
Thanks

PS Tom I'm not doubting your judgement by "running to Randy just being a good "scientist" and getting a second opinion. :lol:

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14726289#post14726289 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EnglishRebel
The PH test on the RO water was taken from the 45 gallon container it's stored in. I have not used any buffering solutions until I know what's going on. I still harp back to the 8.2 PH of the RO water and the 7.6 of the FSW. I am using Instant Ocean (and have done since day one). Could my batches be off?
Thanks

PS Tom I'm not doubting your judgement by "running to Randy just being a good "scientist" and getting a second opinion. :lol:

BTW
Tom is an analytical chemist.
Have you read the lastest posts on the Salt thread at the top of the reef chemistry forum. IO is not the greatest salt mix out there.
As soon as my last of the bucket goes I am switching to H2Ocean.
I have to dose alot less two part.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14728025#post14728025 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
BTW
Tom is an analytical chemist.
He just choses to stay on here and red pen Newbies(I think he keeps score )
Have you read the lastest posts on the Salt thread at the top of the reef chemistry forum. IO is not the greatest salt mix out there.
As soon as my last of the bucket goes I am switching to H2Ocean.
I have to dose alot less two part.

 

[Paul B]

Tom is an analytical chemist

When I was a little kid and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I would always say "Analytical chemist" It has that SuperHero sound like "Zohan protector of the Meek" :lol:

I actually think WK even knows what he is talking about.
We should have a contest between him and Randy

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14728025#post14728025 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
BTW
Tom is an analytical chemist.
Have you read the lastest posts on the Salt thread at the top of the reef chemistry forum. IO is not the greatest salt mix out there.
As soon as my last of the bucket goes I am switching to H2Ocean.
I have to dose alot less two part.

Sorry I mispoke. I'm using Reef Crystals.

'Tom is an analytical chemist.'. Does that mean he talks about what he knows or knows what he talks about. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[EnglishRebel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14729101#post14729101 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paul B
We should have a contest between him and Randy

You mean with dueling mass spectrometers at twenty paces. :rollface:

 

[WaterKeeper]

My GC column is bigger than yours.

I was only joking Alan. Randy is definitely the one I count on when I have a chemistry question that I can't answer and I link to all his great articles frequently.