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Boomer · 10-06-2006, 11:27 AM

Would it be a bad idea to mix a dilute of muratic/sulfuric acid and RO/DI water and drip that in?

Yes, that is a bad idea and we do not recommend it. You will see in that article it is also not recommended. I'm quite familiar with that article and I'm with Randy daily on our Chem Forum. See link below on sig. Adding sulfuric acid is a real no-no. The muriatic acid /HCl would be the one to use and yes it would drop the pH and Alk. BUT, you are getting way to carried away here and it is not needed. All you need to do is lower the amount of kalk in you make-up water. And a WC would be a good idea.

As I understand it, the alk is just a measure of the ability to hold a pH.

No not really. That is Buffering Capacity and they are not the same but measuring Alk is a measurement of Bc more or less. Alk is the Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC). The ability to neutralize an acid when it is added. Thus, Alk deals with more or less only downward trends in pH.

Also, how can having too much alk adversly effect life in the reef?

I pretty much explained that. I'll try to make it more clear. When you have very high Alk and pH it will cause abiotic precipitation. This is where Ca++ and the CO3-- from the Alk will combine and produce a solid CaCO3, Calcite/Aragonite as a solid. This will not go back into solution. The Alk, Ca++ will drop and bring the pH with it as there is little in the water to buffer the pH and the tank can CRASH, very low pH and Alk. This can happen suddenly and is dangerous for

10-06-2006, 11:27 AM	#25 (permalink)
Boomer Feather Duster Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Duluth, Minnesota Age: 60 Posts: 249 Karma: 40	Would it be a bad idea to mix a dilute of muratic/sulfuric acid and RO/DI water and drip that in? Yes, that is a bad idea and we do not recommend it. You will see in that article it is also not recommended. I'm quite familiar with that article and I'm with Randy daily on our Chem Forum. See link below on sig. Adding sulfuric acid is a real no-no. The muriatic acid /HCl would be the one to use and yes it would drop the pH and Alk. BUT, you are getting way to carried away here and it is not needed. All you need to do is lower the amount of kalk in you make-up water. And a WC would be a good idea. As I understand it, the alk is just a measure of the ability to hold a pH. No not really. That is Buffering Capacity and they are not the same but measuring Alk is a measurement of Bc more or less. Alk is the Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC). The ability to neutralize an acid when it is added. Thus, Alk deals with more or less only downward trends in pH. Also, how can having too much alk adversly effect life in the reef? I pretty much explained that. I'll try to make it more clear. When you have very high Alk and pH it will cause abiotic precipitation. This is where Ca++ and the CO3-- from the Alk will combine and produce a solid CaCO3, Calcite/Aragonite as a solid. This will not go back into solution. The Alk, Ca++ will drop and bring the pH with it as there is little in the water to buffer the pH and the tank can CRASH, very low pH and Alk. This can happen suddenly and is dangerous for _________ Boomer Want to Talk Chemistry ! The Reef Chemistry Forum If you See Me Running You Better Catch-Up An explosion can be defined as a loud noise, accompanied by the sudden going away of things, from a place where they use to be.