Help please!

daftboy

daftboy

Member
Well my pH water is very low on my water change water... so I added buffer... i needed quite a bunch.. I now have that at 8.3 but my carbonate hardness is way of the charts..or so i think... the API test only goes up to 12 drops with is 214 or so.. I need 21 drops to change it from blue to yellow, what should I do ??
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Daftboy
http:///forum/post/3244286
Well my pH water is very low on my water change water... so I added buffer... i needed quite a bunch.. I now have that at 8.3 but my carbonate hardness is way of the charts..or so i think... the API test only goes up to 12 drops with is 214 or so.. I need 21 drops to change it from blue to yellow, what should I do ??

New salt mixed water should not ever need buffers. The whole point of water changes is to replenish everything so you don't need to use a buffer.

I never even test my new water except for SG to match. I did test once upon a time ago just to see, and all was perfect, it was a waste of testing chemicals.
 
daftboy

daftboy

Member
Well I had this issue 2 weeks back.. the water coming form my filter unit gave a a low pH and I almost lost my corals... so this time I tested it before hand and yet again my pH with salt and fresh water was around 7.6 so I HAVE to add buffers or it will be history repeating.. not trying to doubt you im I just want to know about the Carbonate Alkalinity only....
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Daftboy
http:///forum/post/3244296
Well I had this issue 2 weeks back.. the water coming form my filter unit gave a a low pH and I almost lost my corals... so this time I tested it before hand and yet again my pH with salt and fresh water was around 7.6 so I HAVE to add buffers or it will be history repeating.. not trying to doubt you im I just want to know about the Carbnate Alkalinty....

What brand of salt mix are you using?
The coral will absorb the extra alkilinity over time. I am very concerned if new mixed saltwater has low PH. I would switch the brand...or you are talking about something else and I am just not getting it. All fresh water coming from a filter unit has low everything, when you mix the salt mix with it and bring the SG up to the level you need then all is ready to go and you use it to replace water you remove from your tank (water change).
Top off water is different. Water evaporates, but not the salt. So you add fresh RO water to the original water line on the tank to keep the SG the same, as water evaporates the SG rises.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Daftboy
http:///forum/post/3244300
SeaChem Marine Salt

Good brand of salt....When is it testing low? Is it when you add it to your tank, or still in the mixing bucket?
What are you using to test the SG? A swing arm hydrometer, a refractometer, or a floating hydrometer?
 
daftboy

daftboy

Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3244316

Good brand of salt....When is it testing low? Is it when you add it to your tank, or still in the mixing bucket?
What are you using to test the SG? A swing arm hydrometer, a refractometer, or a floating hydrometer?

I test it still in the mixing bucket.. I use a refractometer..but your still not answering my question..... is this ok to add with that high of a amount or not..
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Daftboy
http:///forum/post/3244320
I test it still in the mixing bucket.. I use a refractometer..but your still not answering my question..... is this ok to add with that high of a amount or not..

I'm sorry I thought I answered you. Alkalinity is used up by the coral, with a high reading...don't worry it will go down on its own. Alkalinity will stabilize the PH. I buffer my top off water with alkalinity buffers to keep my PH at 8.4
Are you sure your refractometer is calibrated correctly?
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Daftboy
http:///forum/post/3244335
yes.. i never had a issue with my SG

I had a very low PH because my SG was low. My hydrometer kept saying my SG was off the chart so I added fresh RO water. Once my hydrometer said my SG was perfect the PH was so low my corals began to die.
Your tale sounds familiar to mine. Have you gone to the LFS to have the SG and PH tested, or run a different test kit to see what it reads? Just to double check your readings?
Having low PH right from a fresh mixed bucket of saltwater means something is very wrong. If your refractometer is not off, and it says the SG is right then your PH should be perfect as well.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Garick
http:///forum/post/3244338
You kinda need a balance of Ca and Ka to keep your ph stable.

+1 in the tank...the OP has a problem with fresh mixed saltwater right in the bucket before he even uses it.
 
daftboy

daftboy

Member
I should have the right amount of salt/water because seachem calls for 1/2cup per gallon for 1.024 salinity I add 2 1/2 cups for 5 gallons.. usually i might have to add a little less because I don't fill my 5g bucket to the brim..and usually the refractometer lets me know how off I am pretty accurately
 
garick

garick

Member
wouldn't half a cup per gallon call for like 2 and a half cups of salt for 5 gallons of water? 4.5 cups would normally make 8.5 gallons of water?
If your making your 5 gallon bucket hold 4.5 cups of salt your SG would be pretty High.
How long do you allow it to mix? Most cases I suggest overnight because otherwise you'll have salt that settles in your tank and takes days or weeks to finally dissolve.
 
garick

garick

Member
If that's the case. How long do you allow it to mix? Normally a power head + a heater if the water is cold. Running for quite a few hours so that the salt is fully dissolved. The water should be completely clear and not cloudy at all. If its cloudy it still has not fully dissolved and that might mess with your readings.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Daftboy
http:///forum/post/3244357
i meant 2 1/2 cups... i do it in 1/2 cup increments so i do it 4 1/2 times sorry.

Sorry, I have to get off line now...Final comment: I would go to the LFS and ask them to verify my readings on PH and SG. You should no way have low PH on fresh mixed saltwater, unless the SG is also low.
.. Just to double check.
I also let my new mixed water churn with a heater and power head for 24 hours before using it. I do that because the warm water mixes better, I am not worried about matching temps with the DT.
 
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