Aquarium Redox Balance

[Carl]

I've updated the "AQUARIUM REDOX BALANCE | Fish Health | Potential & Reduction | rH" article

Here is an excerpt:

(9) Use of water conditioners (for use in chlorine/chloramine removal) during times of stress (especially oxidative stress) such as SeaChem Prime which are mostly all Reducers.
However these products only temporarily reduce Redox and are not a long term solution. It also should be noted that aquarium water conditioners will often cause temporary cloudiness of aquariums due to their strong reducing abilities, however this cloudiness is short lived in healthy aquariums.
Product Resource: SeaChem Prime; Water Conditioner, Reducer

Another danger is the use of Vitamin C as a water conditioner for large percentage water changes (in particular as ascorbic acid); while this is very effective for immediate chlorine removal, it will also drastically drop pH a point or more which can add considerably to stress.

For more about aquarium water conditioners, please read these articles:
Tap water in Aquarium/Pond; Vitamin C Use
“Aquarium Water Conditioners”



Carl

[Carl]

Another updated to the popular Aquarium Redox article.

Here is an excerpt:
"Although not a well known process among many aquarists, with much misunderstanding of both sides of the equation by even some advanced aquarium keepers; the implications of Redox for a healthy aquarium are quite far reaching, especially now with peer reviewed research into the correlation of rH, and thus important for any aquarist considering moving from basic aquarium keeping (or pond) to advanced to understand.

Even the average aquarist should consider this water parameter when all other parameters check out, yet fish continue to be susceptible to disease. Not only does my years of research and observations with 1000s of aquariums bears out this is important to consider, but growing research in human disease resistance does as well.
As research grows, knowing what can affect oxidation and reduction which are both important in their own way can help an aquarium keeper deal better with sick fish or an aquarium that has a sudden build up of organics. Even lighting and quality of light is showing to have an affect on Redox based on tests!
However some in the aquarium keeping community still seem to be in the dark as per this growing documented research.

Redox, also known as Redox Potential, oxidation potential, & ORP (oxidation reduction potential) describes the ability for the loss of an electron by a molecule, atom or ion to the gain of an electron by another molecule, atom or ion.
Without this ability to gain electrons, many minerals cannot be absorbed and properly assimilated, especially in times of stress.

So it is very important to keep a healthy Redox Balance via both sides of the Redox equation;
(a) Normal oxidizers such as proper/optimum dissolved oxygen levels.
(b) To counter oxidative stress (often artificially induced in our aquariums); via proper positively charged mineral levels (such as Calcium and Magnesium) and even level 1 or higher UV Sterilization. Often, we as aquarium keepers perform methods to counter oxidative stress without even knowing it, this includes GH boosters used in the "Estimative Index Of Dosing" for planted aquariums.

Basically we are attempting to provide enough oxidation to provide ample oxygen, allow for biological organic waste breakdown, and not allow too much bacteria in the water column. WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, not add oxidative stress to inhabitants in the aquarium and allow optimum osmoregulation too."



Carl

[allexx46]

Hi Carl,

I have an unusual situation. My ORP is constantly rising over 500. Most people and most of your articles on ORP are discussing falling ORP. I have purchased most of your articles which amount to a large book and read most of them more than once. Still the answer to this question eludes me. Is there a way to buffer ORP like there is pH?

Setup: 3.5 year old 165gal freshwater hightech planted tank with VERY large fish and lots of plants. Two large planted overflows with panda gara, Amano/Vampire shrimp and snails. Media in sumps in wondermud over lava rock. These fill up full with plants and have to be harvested every 2 weeks. 1 large sump with filter pads over bio-balls feeding bags of submerged lava rock, charcoal, Peat pellets, and ground coral. Cor20 pump feeds duel outlets one left and one right side of tank. CO2 is fed into the Core20 set to max flow that the overflows will take. There is a 60" bubble wall running accross the back of the tank creating alot of current and surface agitation. Each overflow has a 2" airstone in the bottom to eliminate stagnate water. Lighting of main tank is 2 60" LED plant lights. Lighting on overflows is 2 each 30" Plant lights. All controlled with 2016 Apex. pH is 6.85 dipping to 6.6 with CO2. Guessing CO2 gets to 20ppm. I add Excel at 30% rate every other day. Fish are fed once a day. Water change once a month intense gravel clean once every 6 but need to miss plant roots so not perfect. Lots of trumpet snails in the substrate in in the filters. Use Sea chem Pristine and other innocents. Nitrate and Nitrite near zero all the time. GH around 130 KH is too low to read. I use SeaChem Alkaline and Acid Buffers to achieve 6.8 and adjust after water change if CO2 is moving it too much. In trying to stop the rise of ORP I have tried adding Vitamins, Magnesium Sulfate and potassium carbonate. Discus and neutral regulator give me algae I assume due to PO4 but they control the ORP the best. I do not see much effect from Wonder Shells. I assume this is because the pH is buffered and they need acid to break down. Using Prime and Vitamin C to control ORP rise daily but I want to go on a vacation without getting alerts from my Apex every 15 min.

[Carl]

From reading this, your reducers are being overwhelmed by oxidizers (including Wonder Shells, although I would continue their use based on your readings)
I would also strongly consider a Category A UV Sterilizer run at level one sterilization.
Reference: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html

But mostly I would concentrate on adjusting aspects that add to oxidation.
This includes CO2, peat.
Work on increasing KH too

Do NOT EVER use neutral regulators, these percipitate calcium & magnesium (which will render your Wonder Shells and other similar additives useless)
Reference: www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html

From above article:
"I should also note that I do NOT find the use of Neutral pH regulators helpful for community aquariums ditto Discus Buffer).
A more natural balance of carbonate buffers and acid buffers (or a mix both natural or supplemented buffers) is much better for long term keeping of a healthy aquarium chemistry equilibrium. These products often use phosphates which are not a healthy way to neutralize pH/KH, and in fact these products drive out ESSENTIAL calcium and magnesium ions!! As SeaChem states on their website; "softens water by precipitating calcium and magnesium".
Dangers of long term use includes negative affect on Redox Balance. As well, and this is backed up by the basic science of how these Neutral Regulators work along with the importance of calcium & magnesium for ALL fish, is that fish health IS AFFECTED long term."

Carl