Ratios of SEACHEM Equilibrium, Alkaline Buffer and Acid Buffer to have a stable pH of 6.5; GH = 2 meq/L; KH = 2 meq/L

[Jay99]

 

Ratios of SEACHEM Equilibrium, alkaline buffer and acid buffer to have a stable pH of 6.5; GH = 2 meq/L; KH = 2 meq/L

QUESTION 1: Ratios of Equilibrium, Alkaline Buffer and Acid Buffer to have a stable pH of 6.5; GH = 2 meq/L; KH = 2 meq/L; Ratio based upon per 5 gallons RO/DI water units

 GIVEN: Setting up a 325 gallon freshwater planted tank. Will use RO/DI water exclusively.

 NOTE: Tank will have seven large Mopani driftwood pieces.  I have included this detail in case potential impact of driftwood on pH. Water changes should mitigate pH drop as result of driftwood.

 TARGET REMINERALIZED WATER PARAMETERS;

 pH = 6.5

GH = 2 meq/L (5.6 dGH)

KH = 2 meq/L (5.6 gKH)

QUESTION 2: Will there be difficulty maintain desired pH, GH, and KH in newly established aquarium? If so, does Seachem offer   additional product to speed up nitrogen cycle?

 NOTE: Will be adding Mopani driftwood, Anubias plants [several species], several pounds of seeded gravel from established aquarium. Hopefully, these additions will aid in speeding up the establishment of nitrogen cycle.

NOTE: I have provided my calculations below to give idea of my train of thought. Definitely correct me if I am off track. This is my first attempt to use RO/DI water. Once target water parameters are established, will continue to use 100% RODI water for all aquariums.

 Thank you,

Jay

 __________________________________________________

 MY CALCULATIONS;

NOTE THAT I RECEIVED CONFLICTING SEACHEM TOOL RESULTS FOR SEACHEM ALKALINE BUFFER

 WATER PARAMETERS (Remineralized):

Amount of SAECHEM EQUILIBRIUM; ALKALINE BUFFER; and ACID BUFFER required to bring 325 gallons of RO/DI water to:

pH 6.5

General Hardness (GH) level to 2 meq/L 

Carbonate Hardness (KH) level to 2 meq/L KH for 325 gallons of RO/DI water

 CONFLICTING SEACHEM TOOL RESULTS FOR SEACHEM ALKALINE BUFFER

 CONCERN:

Widely differing Seachem Alkaline Buffer quantities returned when using the ALKALINE BUFFER CALCULATOR  tool versus TARGETING pH WITH ACID BUFFER & ALKALINE BUFFER CHART.

 NOTE 1: The ALKALINE BUFFER CALCULATOR indicates 227.5 grams (32.5 tsps.) of SEACHEM ALKALINE BUFFER required to bring 350 gallons of RO/DI water to CARBONATE HARDNESS (KH) level to 2 meq/L KH

 NOTE 2: The SEACHEM ALKALINE BUFFER dose calculation, based upon TARGETING pH WITH ACID BUFFER & ALKALINE BUFFER CHART is 97.5 grams SEACHEM ALKALINE BUFFER required to bring 350 gallons of RO/DI water to CARBONATE HARDNESS (KH) level to 2 meq/L KH

 TARGET WATER PARAMETERS:

Reconstitute/remineralize reverse osmosis/deionized (RO/DI) water to reach target freshwater planted 350-gallon (estimated gallonage for discussion; actual gallonage determined during system initial fill) aquarium.

 pH: 6.5

 

CARBONATE HARDNESS (KH): 2 meq/L KH

            Given: 2 meq/L is equal to 5.6 dKH carbonate hardness

 

GENERAL HARDNESS (GH): 2 meq/L GH (dKH carbonate hardness [KH])

            Given: 2 meq/L is equal to 5.6 dGH

 

TEMPERATURE: 76 to 78 degree Fahrenheit

 

SEACHEM PRODUCTS TO BE USED:

EQUILIBRIUM (Raises GH)

ALKALINE BUFFER (Raises KH and pH)

ACID BUFFER (Lowers KH and pH. Use together with Alkaline Buffer to target a pH)

 

AMOUNT OF SEACHEM PRODUCTS REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE TARGET WATER PARAMETERS

 

NOTE: Product quantities listed below based upon my calculations using EQUILIBRIUM CALCULATOR and TARGETING pH WITH ACID BUFFER & ALKALINE BUFFER CHART

 

EQUILIBRIUM: 520 grams

 

NOTE 1: 520 grams (32.5 tbsp) quantity matches EQUILIBRIUM CALCULATOR

 

NOTE 2: 520 grams (32.5 tbsp) quantity matches TARGETING pH WITH ACID BUFFER & ALKALINE BUFFER CHART

 

ALKALINE BUFFER: 97.5 grams

 

NOTE: 97.5 grams quantity based upon TARGETING pH WITH ACID BUFFER & ALKALINE BUFFER CHART

 

ACID BUFFER: 78 grams

 

NOTE: 78 grams quantity based upon TARGETING pH WITH ACID BUFFER & ALKALINE BUFFER CHART

 

CALCULATIONS:

NOTE: Calculated quantities are amounts I plan to use unless Seachem Technical Services provides different amounts.

 

EQUILIBRIUM DOSING: 520 grams

Given:

Target: Reconstituted RODI water is pH 6.5; General Hardness of 2 meq/L (5.6 dGH); Carbonate Hardness (KH): 2 meq/L (5.6 dKH)

Unit = 5 Gallons

Aquarium Gallonage = 325 Gallons

Extrapolated (5-gallon unit to 325-gallon aquarium; 65-unit multiplier)

8 grams of EQUILIBRIUM x 65 Units = 520 grams EQUILIBRIUM

 

NOTE 1: 4 grams of SEACHEM EQUILIBRIUM increases General Hardness (GH) by about 1 meq/L (3 dGH).

NOTE 2: My target reconstituted RODI water is pH 6.5; General Hardness of 2 meq/L (5.6 dGH); Carbonate Hardness (KH): 2 meq/L (5.6 dKH)

NOTE 3: 520 grams SEACHEM EQUILIBRIUM matches EQUILIBRIUM CALCULATOR

 

ALKALINE BUFFER DOSING

Given:

Target: Reconstituted RODI water is pH 6.5; General Hardness of 2 meq/L (5.6 dGH); Carbonate Hardness (KH): 2 meq/L (5.6 dKH)

Unit = 5 Gallons

Aquarium Gallonage = 325 Gallons

Extrapolated (5-gallon unit to 325-gallon aquarium; 65-unit multiplier)

1.5 grams of ALKALINE BUFFER x 65 Units = 97.5 grams ALKALINE BUFFER

 

ACID BUFFER

Given:

Target: Reconstituted RODI water is pH 6.5; General Hardness of 2 meq/L (5.6 dGH); Carbonate Hardness (KH): 2 meq/L (5.6 dKH)

Unit = 5 Gallons

Aquarium Gallonage = 325 Gallons

Extrapolated (5-gallon unit to 325-gallon aquarium; 65-unit multiplier)

Formula: 1.2 grams of ACID BUFFER x 65 Units = 78 grams ACID BUFFER

 Thank you, 

Jay

[Pepere]

I have never quite understood the whole dose alkalinity buffer to target KH and Acid buffer to get target ph concept myself.

I may be wrong, but my suspicion is that it is simply extra profit for Seachem.. in their marketing elsewhere they spevifically state the acid buffer will react with alkalinity buffer lowering kh and creating co2.  So then you dose more alkalinity buffer to raise the kh back up?  Followed by more acid buffer for target ph?

 

I bought Acid buffer but have never used it.  I figure it might be useful if I have a senior moment and dose too much alkalinity booster by accident.

 

Does Sechem sell anything to speed up the nitrogen cycle?  They sell stuff they claim speeds up the cycle.  I have tried theirs and several other companies products claiming to do so and never saw any results that leads me to believe I was not seriously fleeced…

Use of these products at best saves time though many people running multiple tanks with different oroducts and tanks with nothing as a control have not seen much to hoorah about or seen any real time savings.

The worse such products will do seems to be lightening your wallet.

I can not see any foreseeable likelihood I will ever buy such products again..

The best thing to speed your cycle is a cycled filter, or the water used by someone cleaning their filters. Dump it and all the grungy stuff in your tank with your filters running.  Recoil with horror at the cloud of awful looking gunk in your tank and go away from it for 12 hours…  It works wonderfully!

 

Other things known to appreciably shorten the cycle is Black Kow composted manure, soil from your garden, much from the bottom if a pond etc… but of course Pond muck could import some things you dont want in the process…