crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
Yep, the calcium is a mineral that does increase the GH test value. Depending on how accurately you are viewing the liquid pH test kit, I think 8.8 pH is within a good range of variance. I wouldn't be concerned until it actually reaches 9 or higher, but adding one dosage of calcium chloride would not hurt if you think it will make a difference. Try using the high range pH tester if it is available rather than the wide range pH tester since you know the pH is above 7.7; the HRPH test may give you a more precise color indicator.
No, pure calcium chloride would not have brought down the KH by anywhere near that much, that is a 3dKH change. For calcium to reduce KH (HCO3-), then this compound would need to be stripped of its hydrogen cation (H+) to make a carbonate (CO32-) and the carbonate is what gets neutralized by calcium.
To create the carbonate (CO32-), then there has to be one of 3 actions to occur: 1) an addition of a hydroxide (OH-); 2) consumption of a hydrogen cation (H+) directly striped from the bicarbonate (HCO3-); 3) addition of a hydrogen cation (H+) due to an acid.
Pure calcium chloride does not trigger these 3 events to occur unless the particular manufactured product being used has a slightly lower pH than pure calcium chloride; if it was lower, it would be negligible.
Rain is very acidic and the addition of this rain is like adding an acid, that is adding hydrogen cations (H+), to the water.
Rain effects everyone's pond different since the pond's volume makes a tremendous difference due to chemical dilution. A 500gallon pond with a 7 dKH has half the volume of alkalinity when comparing this to a pond with a 1,000 gallon pond with a 7 dKH. So, a 1 inch rain would have a much bigger impact on the 500 gallon pond, whereas a 1 inch rain would barely put a dent into a 1,000 gallon pond.
KH is constantly being consumed depending on your pond's bioload as well. Bioload includes your fish stock density, presence of organics, presence of algae and other plants, and the efficiency of the biological filtration system and including other contaminants such as rain.
No, pure calcium chloride would not have brought down the KH by anywhere near that much, that is a 3dKH change. For calcium to reduce KH (HCO3-), then this compound would need to be stripped of its hydrogen cation (H+) to make a carbonate (CO32-) and the carbonate is what gets neutralized by calcium.
To create the carbonate (CO32-), then there has to be one of 3 actions to occur: 1) an addition of a hydroxide (OH-); 2) consumption of a hydrogen cation (H+) directly striped from the bicarbonate (HCO3-); 3) addition of a hydrogen cation (H+) due to an acid.
Pure calcium chloride does not trigger these 3 events to occur unless the particular manufactured product being used has a slightly lower pH than pure calcium chloride; if it was lower, it would be negligible.
Rain is very acidic and the addition of this rain is like adding an acid, that is adding hydrogen cations (H+), to the water.
Rain effects everyone's pond different since the pond's volume makes a tremendous difference due to chemical dilution. A 500gallon pond with a 7 dKH has half the volume of alkalinity when comparing this to a pond with a 1,000 gallon pond with a 7 dKH. So, a 1 inch rain would have a much bigger impact on the 500 gallon pond, whereas a 1 inch rain would barely put a dent into a 1,000 gallon pond.
KH is constantly being consumed depending on your pond's bioload as well. Bioload includes your fish stock density, presence of organics, presence of algae and other plants, and the efficiency of the biological filtration system and including other contaminants such as rain.
. Haven't done any significant water changes in 2 weeks when I last back flushed my bio filter. I plan on doing that this week.
