Does alkaline(Dkh) swing at night with P.h.?

Does/can alkaline(Dkh) swing down at night and rise with the light cycle?

 

Your PH is higher during the day b/c of the light(Photosynthesis). Plants use the light to produce O2. O2 levels help your PH in your tank. Thats why your PH will be its highest right before the lights go out and lower in the middle of the night. DKH also affects the PH b/c its buffers the water. One of the many reasons that people install refugiums is b/c when the main lights turn off, the refug lights turn on and helps to maintain the PH stable. DKH and Light work hand-in hand. Hope this helps.



luna

 

I do understand about P.H. swings and Photosistis,but my question was more alkaline based.Can your Dkh also drop and rise with the light cycle.I ask because I tested before the lights came on today and it seemed very low considering i dosed a 1dk increase this morning and it seems down from yesterday too.My mag is 1400 so i know its not that.

 

Your light does not affect your ALK/DKH levels. The corals use ALK/DKH to absorb Cal, thats why you see a difference in your levels. I have to dose a lot of Alk for my tank.



luna

 

I could see it possibly swinging a little if you drip kalk in your top off water and the evaporation rate was higher with the lights on.

~Will.

 

ok i was just wondering if it was usage or swing.I guess i do have to dose alot of alkaline to keep it up.I didnt think I would but im trying to figure out daily usage so i can dose accordingly.I got it where i wanted and waited and tested.I guess im not dosing enough because its still falling.Is a dose of +1Dk a day unusuall?How much do you have to dose per day and what is it equall to in Dk?

 

You don't want to dose the way I dose b/c it would send your system into a serious shock which may be fatal. Start with the bottles instructions and work your way up or down. In time you will be able to determine your consumption rate and you will be able to dose accordingly.



luna

 

I did start with the instructions and slowly raised dosing amount untill I was where i wanted and waited two days to see where i was and my alkaline had fallen off.I have been trying to raise it for two days again and it seems that I am behind the curve because it was lower today after i dosed than yesterday.So that is why i was wondering if it was swinging. As for consumption,I was just trying to find out if having to add what is equivelant to +1Dk worth of alkaline suppliment per day to maintaine sounds off? I know everyones tank consumption will be different.Just seemed like alot to me.
Also another stupid question...sorry...Do alkaline and calcium consume or (drop) at the same rate? My ESV B ionic two part calcium buffer system says "to maintain cal and alk levels add equal parts" That would mean the consumption rate would be the same but I thought it was not that way.Can you please enlighten?

 

Alkalinity and pH are related, alk is the buffering capacity of water and is a measure of carbonate (CO3) and bicarbonate(HCO3). Generally if alk rises so does pH unless carbonic acid (dissolved CO2) levels are higher than usual; then you get a low pH and high alkalinity.
Aeration, photosynthesis or adding sodium hydroxide increases oxygen levels which lowers carbonic acid this in turn will raise pH and alk. This is why alkalinity and pH can rise when lights are on due to photosynthesis.

A lot of organisms in a reef tank use calcium carbonate to build there skeletons, these will remove carbonates and calcium at an equal rate from the water. Plants and bacteria can also use inorganic carbon such as carbonate and bicarbonate as a food source but prefer organic carbon and carbonic acid.

 

Ok, this is where one hopes that we paid attention in chemistry class.
Cal and Alk work against each other. If the Cal level is high, you'll never be able to raise your Alk and visa-versa. The trick to keep your Cal and Alk levels stabled is to maintain your Mag.



luna