question about saltwater holding tank.

mos90

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
here is the situation. to fill my 28g nano.

i have a 30gallon holding tank for my ro/di water. i filled it up about a week ago, added powerhead and heater. the wtaer from the ro.di system comes out really soft and ph in the mid 6's. i mixed the salt slowly over the next hour(also about a week ago) until i achieved a sg of 1.023 and ph was about 8.3 then i covered it.

because of delays in recieving my live rock i didnt fill the tank yet.

so yesterday, i checked the sg and ph for the heck of it . sg was still fine at 1.023 and temp at 77 deg. but the ph seemed to drop to about 7.6. so i added a ph buffer to stabilize ph and raise kh. it went right up to 8.3 again. but this morning i checked the ph again and it dropped back down to 8.1.

can i not have mixed salt water in holding this long with nothing to stabilize the ph like argonite sand?
 

Heathd

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Mar 9, 2010
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Dallas, Texas
mos90;4280661; said:
here is the situation. to fill my 28g nano.

i have a 30gallon holding tank for my ro/di water. i filled it up about a week ago, added powerhead and heater. the wtaer from the ro.di system comes out really soft and ph in the mid 6's. i mixed the salt slowly over the next hour(also about a week ago) until i achieved a sg of 1.023 and ph was about 8.3 then i covered it.

because of delays in recieving my live rock i didnt fill the tank yet.

so yesterday, i checked the sg and ph for the heck of it . sg was still fine at 1.023 and temp at 77 deg. but the ph seemed to drop to about 7.6. so i added a ph buffer to stabilize ph and raise kh. it went right up to 8.3 again. but this morning i checked the ph again and it dropped back down to 8.1.

can i not have mixed salt water in holding this long with nothing to stabilize the ph like argonite sand?
With time, the water hardness will drop from mechanical churning, which will cause a drop in your PH.
 

Heathd

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Mar 9, 2010
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Dallas, Texas
mos90;4280733; said:
should i turn off the powerhead?
Its just something that happens with time. Mechanical churning from a power head or filtration unit just seems to advance it.

I wouldnt premix my saltwater and sooner then 24 hours before it goes into your nano.
 

mos90

Feeder Fish
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Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
Heathd;4280758; said:
Its just something that happens with time. Mechanical churning from a power head or filtration unit just seems to advance it.

I wouldnt premix my saltwater and sooner then 24 hours before it goes into your nano.

i will do that from now on.. but for this time i dont want to waste 7lbs of quality salt. can i get away with it this time? or should i start over?
 

mos90

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
i can add some more ph buffer before i add the water to the tank. then with the sand and rock it should hold steady after that. correct?
 

FLESHY

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2006
5,542
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Central Wisconsin
pH buffers dont ever seem to really fix your problems...I would recommend aerating your holding tank. Just give it a try.

Other than that maybe dont use all RODI water if you can help it, that should enhance the buffering capacities of your water.
 

mos90

Feeder Fish
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Jul 20, 2009
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rome,ny
FLESHY;4280795; said:
pH buffers dont ever seem to really fix your problems...I would recommend aerating your holding tank. Just give it a try.

Other than that maybe dont use all RODI water if you can help it, that should enhance the buffering capacities of your water.

i can slap an air stone in it tonight. i could add some filtered tap water to it but then ill need to adjust saltinity levels too. no big deal i guess.

buffers generally a temporary fix from what ive seen. better if not used at all. but i know im asking for trouble if i fill my tank tommarow with water that has a ph of 7.6ish. not good for live rock id think? especially cured live rock.
 

Heathd

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Mar 9, 2010
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Dallas, Texas
mos90;4280824; said:
i can slap an air stone in it tonight. i could add some filtered tap water to it but then ill need to adjust saltinity levels too. no big deal i guess.

buffers generally a temporary fix from what ive seen. better if not used at all. but i know im asking for trouble if i fill my tank tommarow with water that has a ph of 7.6ish. not good for live rock id think? especially cured live rock.
I dont think LR is gonig to care too much about that, but fish/corals/inverts may if they arent acclimated properly.
 

FLESHY

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jan 7, 2006
5,542
20
92
Central Wisconsin
Yea...I guess...I mean its low, but you might get away with it. I know plenty of people with AWESOME reefs at 7.8. LR shouldnt really care, you might shock some things to death on it...but who knows.
 
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