High PH - why?

sueandherzoo

sueandherzoo

Active Member
I decided to test my water today at lunch to see if maybe I could think about adding a fish or SOMETHING to my tank soon. It's been up and running about 9 weeks now and all that's in there is a tiger pistol shrimp, a few blue-legged crabs, a few snails, and a feather duster. (and live rock and live sand, of course)
Ammonia is zero. Nitrite is probably zero (can't really see the difference in color between zero and the next level up on the color chart) and nitrates are at 15. However, PH is off the chart high! (the water in the test vial looked like red wine). Alkalinity is in the "normal" range but if I had to choose which side it was leaning towards it would be low.
So once again I will not go to the LFS after I leave the office, I will go home and try to figure out if I need to do something about this ph level. Your thoughts and knowledge would be appreciated. (I guess I'm just not meant to have fish.
 
sueandherzoo

sueandherzoo

Active Member
Instant Ocean. But here's the strange thing.... I tested it again when I got home a half hour ago and it's much more acceptable now. I used two different test kits and got 8.4 on one and 8.6 on the other. What in heck would cause it to be so high at 2:00 p.m. and lower at 7:00 p.m.. That was scary but I'm not going to do anything about it - I don't want to start the tank on being chemical dependent.
Sue
 
D

dennis210

Guest
Usually human error. Whenever you get an erroneous number on any test - retest immediately. Results good or bad should be repeatable. If 2 consecutive tests from the same kit do not give the same value 9 times out of 10 it is either proceedural or titrational (drops nots accurate).
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
sue, if you are going reef with this tank, i recommend you upgrade your salt mix also. make the jump to reef crystals, or oceanic. if money is no object tropic marin pro reef is a good salt.
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
If your pH is out a whack, then your calcium or magnesium is out a whack. Get a test kit for calcium and magnesium and get those into range.
 
brijean

brijean

Member
hey Mr X I use instant ocean also and also going to go reef next year I was wondering whats wrong with instant ocean?
and i take it that its safe to jump from one salt mix to useing something else??? please let me know cuz its that time i got to go buy a few 5 gal buckets of salt
and thanks
 
keebler

keebler

Member
A bad batch of salt or a bad salt in general can cause this. One time I mixed up saltwater with my tap water (never added it to the tank) and the pH was really high and the calcium wasn't even close to high enough. I tested my tap water straight and the alkalinity was off the charts. I dumped that batch and used ro water and it was all in range. So you should freshwater test your water source to be sure and like X said, you should get a good salt brand. Some salt brands aren't made for reef tanks and don't have a good balance, so they throw off the pH.
 
sueandherzoo

sueandherzoo

Active Member
Thanks all. Since there's really nothing in that tank right now except ls, lr, a pistol shrimp, feather duster, and a few snails, I haven't worried about the calcium but I will definitely pick up a test kit for that when I hit the LFS today.
Your posts turned on a lightbulb in my head (it happens once in a while)..... even though I've been using Instant Ocean for the entire 10 weeks I've had the tank set up, the last time I made a batch of salt water it was from salt that a friend had given me since they gave up the hobby. Does salt "go bad"? There were some clumps in it - do I need to throw it all away? What a shame if I do, but even more of a shame if I keep using it and it's a problem.
Sue
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if pH is off the chart (i.e., 8.6 and higher), shouldn't the alkalinity be high? I'd retest a couple more times before adding anything to the tank....you know, one or two miscounted drops can do that to the test solution.....and also don't forget, pH fluctuates throughout the day, and that fluctuation is more noticable in a small system. Hah! Another argument for you to go out and buy the "big" tank!!
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
i don't think sea salt mix goes bad. are you letting it mix overnight in a separate container with an airstone or powerhead?
instant ocean is a salt i would use if i was just going to do a fish only. it's not nearly as close to natural sea water as many others. it's ok for fish though.
i changed from instant ocean to reef crystals, and then to oceanic, instantly, with no ill effects.
 
sueandherzoo

sueandherzoo

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2790395
i don't think sea salt mix goes bad. are you letting it mix overnight in a separate container with an airstone or powerhead?
instant ocean is a salt i would use if i was just going to do a fish only. it's not nearly as close to natural sea water as many others. it's ok for fish though.
i changed from instant ocean to reef crystals, and then to oceanic, instantly, with no ill effects.
I do pre-mix my saltwater and let it sit for at least a couple of days before adding to tank, but no, I don't have a stone or a powerhead in the container. I just give it a good stir every time I walk by. What's the reason for the airstone or PH? To make sure it's thoroughly dissolved and mixed?
Sue
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
it's certainly not good to leave the water still, until it's used. the powerhead/airstone is to help keep it aerated, and not still, and the heater is to get an accurate count on the salinity (it varies with temperature), and also to not shock the tank. if you poured a decent amount of 70 degree water into an 80 degree tank, i think the livestock would be stressed to say the least.
it also takes a good bit of time to completely dissolve the salt and get it to mix properly. i wouldn't rely on stirring it every so often, because the ph could be off.
 
sueandherzoo

sueandherzoo

Active Member
OK, I'm off to do errands in a few minutes and can stop by a LFS -- what do I want to buy for my water container? An air pump and air stone or a powerhead? Which uses less electricity?
Sue
 
sueandherzoo

sueandherzoo

Active Member
Cracks me up - I never recognize you! Everytime I get used to associating you with an avatar, it changes!

Yes, the heating season has begun. All the thermostats are set to keep the house at 70, even when we're at work. (Gotta keep the parrots, turtles, and dogs comfie, ya know?)
Sue
 
jerryatrick

jerryatrick

Active Member
That could also be a reason why your PH is off along with the way you have been preparing your water. PH will change in the winter time due to the heat running inside the house.
 
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