Low Ph 7.59 using calcium reactor

I have done lots of reading on this forum about low pH but I don’t understand it completely.


I have Geo618 Calcium reactor with Apex as the controller. My pH during the day is 7.80 and at night is at 7.56.
I thought the pH probe needs to be recalibrated, so I did but the results are the same.
Currently I have hair algae and I think it is due to low pH.
Anyway, I read that adding Kalk +2 from brightwell might be my solution to raise the pH.
My question is do I add this to my auto top off (drip system) or have a separated container for the kalk? The instruction says to make stock solution add 1 teaspoon of kalk to 1gallon of RO water. So how much stock solution should I add to my tank?
Tank info:
90g with lots of SPS and LPS
Thanks

 

You can add it straight to your ATO reserve or you can mix in and drip from a seperate container.
I would recommend starting with a half tsp./gallon and testing to see where you are before going with a full dose. It doesn't take much saturated limewater to raise pH.
If you want to follow the directions just add as many tsp. of kalk that equal the volume in gallons of your ato reserve.
So for instance 5 gallon reserve = 5 tsp. of kalk.

 

Not to take over your thread but I also have low ph around what you have.. I have been dumping 2 tsp (recomended dose) Into the return side of my protein skimmer allowing it to dump into my skimmer box and sift threw the sponge that catches my micro bubbles then into tank.. is this bad?? this is the second time i read about mixing it sep. or when you do water changes.. i have always done it this way and never had an issue. when i had my nano i would just add the pH in the back part..

 

thats really a low ph. i agree with above . just have one thing to add if using kalk +2 don't expect it to keep your mag up, keep an eye on it you will have to dose mag. also kalk+2 mixes well its why i use it. i use 2 1/2 teaspoons of kalk+2 per 5 gallons of water. its really an amount you have to determine what works for you. start slow as stated above. and up
keep in mind every tank is different. and there is no set amount or way to do things. so go slow with the kalk amounted added to your ato.
i add my kalk directly to my ato water ( use egg crates if you do this) and also have a apex so i can watch ph. also set my apex to shut off power to my ato if ph reaches 8.45 ( i keep ph at 8.2 to 8.3 ) you will get a feel for the amount of kalk that needs to be added

 

your dumping kalk in? not a good idea. kalk dust will kill corals.

 

Just the buffer. Not sure if thats what your talking about.. Its just the bottle of fine powder. says marine buffer 8.3

 

oh thats a ph raise different story. honestly i have been there it didn't work well for me. kalk did

 

Thanks thats something else i guess for me to do some research on.. never heard of it.

 

yes research it well, there are a few ways to dose it. as with anything in this hobby what works for one is not the best route for another. but i have been using kalk since dec of last year and find it to be the simplest way to keep three things stable... ph, alk and cal .... i dose threw my ato so its very simple others drip kalk thats less of a risk route. i have my apex controller backing my ato so it cuts the risk doing it that way ( ato sensors can stick, best to have a back up shut off) also if a flood happens ato /kalk water isn't something that will fill my tank and send my ph sky high

 

Thank you I really needed this.

You mean dumping the powder directly to the ATO? Can you explain a bit more why I need egg crates?

Unfortunately I don’t have auto shut off for my ATO. I’m currently using a 5g spare tank as my top off.

Another question, kalk stabilizes the pH, so do I need to bring the pH to 8.1-8.2 range before using kalk? Or kalk will raise it from 7.6 to 8.0?