help me with ph levels having troble

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by The reef
The main problem i having is my ph level still at a stand still and am wondering how to get it up pluse when i check my ph in my ready made saltwater the ph says it is 7.9 and may be a lower reading becaouse the watter is colder then the calibration fluid. but dnot know for shure so what could i do to raise my ph

I raised mine by just doing proper water changes over a couple of week period.
Do me a favor, mix up some water, wait 24 hrs, and then measure the pH. I bet it is around 8.2 give or take a little (8.1)
So if you do this change a few times, plus having proper bufferng (alk and calc, and even magnesium) it will rise to your target.
PS, 7.9 isnt all that bad. We want to raise it, but don't throw everything out of wack trying to get the ideal. Do it slowly over time as well. Sudden changes in pH could be worse than consistent 7.9

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by ctgretzky9
I raised mine by just doing proper water changes over a couple of week period.
Do me a favor, mix up some water, wait 24 hrs, and then measure the pH. I bet it is around 8.2 give or take a little (8.1)
So if you do this change a few times, plus having proper bufferng (alk and calc, and even magnesium) it will rise to your target.
PS, 7.9 isnt all that bad. We want to raise it, but don't throw everything out of wack trying to get the ideal. Do it slowly over time as well. Sudden changes in pH could be worse than consistent 7.9
im not shure the calibration solution is to acurate so i orderd the calibration packets I will let you know if I then get a difrent reading with the change out watter.
One sad thing hapend today is my clown trigger was dead when i went down stairs and the puffer and two triggers were resting on the bottom breathing without closing their mouth i tested the nitrite and nitrate phosphate and amonia all of these levels where fine. I took out the clown trigger and threw him away I then figured the only other thing that could have such an affect over night maybe their wasent enough disolved oxegen in the watter so I turned on my air intake to my protin skimmer and airated the tank after a half hour all the fish started swimming around the tank and breathing normal so I concluded my disolved oxygen depleted somehow so now im going to buy a air pump to put in both tanks and another to airaite my tanks, and my changout watter like you said sence i dont have anything to test for disolved oxygen untell my fish die so is it a good idea to buy a pump for my tank to help the air exchange.

 

[the reef]

ok now i think i know what is rong between the calcium and the alkalinity now i got a new calcuim test and it tested difrently I think my other test was to old I maybe figured that it was sence i seen that my ph whent down on both tanks and i tested the alkalinity on the trigger tank it raised from 210 to 300 and my reef it raised from 150 to 170 i tested both tanks for calcium with the new test and found that my levlel on my trigger tank is below 20 ppm and my reef tank is below 50 ppm so I concluded that the calcium to react with the carbonate ions where not avalible it only increased the alkalinty so now i am adding the calcium every day untell i can reach the desirable level I dont know what my magnisum is at but i will soon when my test kit gets here as with my calibration solutions for my ph pen and my refragmenter.

 

[neoreef]

Originally Posted by The reef
what if i tested my ph pen on ro watter shouldent to ro watter be 0 ph level
The pH of water should be 7, or neutral. It is, however, hard to get a good reading on pure water. Most meters need some kind of ion to measure anything, and since pure water is not buffered, the pH can swing high or low easily with any impurity.

 

[the reef]

thanks neo reef i am past that part of the equaison cuz not all ro watter is exatcly perfect ro watter can be a little bit unbalanced could have a swing on the ph by .1 or 2 so is not a good calibration solution

 

[the reef]

hey ctgretzky9 i got it all figured out my change out watter was a lower ph level untell i ariated it and came out to be a little over 8.2 I am airating my tank as well with a slow flow of bubles so i dont increase it to much in a days time and now my tank watter is 8.0 ph and still going up and now knowing also that their is plenty of oxygen in my tank as well along with the bubles adding them also took out a small % of the nirtate I read it does help some not all but some nirtate to be released into the atmosphere. and my high alk is coming down as well. at lest with now knwing there is more oxygen the fish swim more and now i wont be killing any more fish when it comes to lack of oxygen. thanx for all of the help and will always give back what i learn on here helping others thanks again your frend here in utah the reef