Baffled By Weird Chemistry

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2022

OK, the trend is looking reasonable. 32 ppm (1.8 dKH) over 3 days is not unreasonable.

Neil Cohen · Feb 10, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
OK, the trend is looking reasonable. 32 ppm (1.8 dKH) over 3 days is not unreasonable.

Agreed. Not complaining, though I need to buy reagent by the gallon, testing every 12 hours. Paranoid that consumption will return to normal and Alk will suddenly drop 1.8 dkh. Trying not to "chase numbers", just get back to stability.

Neil Cohen · Feb 10, 2022

Next science/chemistry question for @Randy Holmes-Farley. At the same time my alk went haywire, I had to electrolysis "accidents". A set of LEDs that were supposed to be waterproof, werent and a battery powered ph meter fell in. Water turned cloudy but everything was fine after a few days. Googling electrolisys and salt water, I started reading about chlorine generators for pools and found this:

"The byproduct Sodium Hydroxide has a very high pH level and will increase the pH level in your water"

Is it reasonable to extract from that, that the additionally sodium hydroxide spiked the Alk in my tank?

Salt Chlorine Generators

www.taylortechnologies.com

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2022

Neil Cohen said:
Next science/chemistry question for @Randy Holmes-Farley. At the same time my alk went haywire, I had to electrolysis "accidents". A set of LEDs that were supposed to be waterproof, werent and a battery powered ph meter fell in. Water turned cloudy but everything was fine after a few days. Googling electrolisys and salt water, I started reading about chlorine generators for pools and found this:

"The byproduct Sodium Hydroxide has a very high pH level and will increase the pH level in your water"

Is it reasonable to extract from that, that the additionally sodium hydroxide spiked the Alk in my tank?

Salt Chlorine Generators

www.taylortechnologies.com

I doubt it. Not enough.

A more likely possibility is that something toxic was released, such as copper, that reduced calcification. Electrolysis from an exposed copper wire will release lots of copper.