PH/Alkalinity Problem Can someone help

[archie]

Hi my ph is a steady 7.8 and can't get it to go up. I have been adding Superbuffer-dkh made by Kent marine my calcium is 500 mg/l and my Alkalinity is 3 meq/L. I have also tried aerating the house with a fan in the windows beside the tank. I have done this for a week for several hours with no luck. Can anyone help? Or explain this odd situation? any help would be gratefully appreciated my e-mail is ArchieNorris@msn.com

A picture of my tank is below.

 

[thomas712]

Check the magnesium level and get back with me.
Any idea what your water change water mixes up like? test wise?

 

[beagle31]

idk about your alk. but after water changes (RO) i use perfect P.h. it has a big 8.2 on the bottle its a white chrystle mixed up and dissolves instanly i have had perfect 8.2 everytime
hope this helps

 

[ren99]

how bout break the water with 2 power heads?

 

[mandysam]

I was going to say the same thing about the powerheads. I posted the same problem here a couple of weeks ago. And thanks to the help on this board the problem seems to be resolved. I stopped adding Buffer to raise my PH added 2 powerheads (One to ripple the top of the water) and did several water changes. My PH is steady at 8.2 now. I really think the water movement was a huge factor. Just my 2 cents.

 

[ophiura]

Originally posted by beagle31
idk about your alk. but after water changes (RO) i use perfect P.h. it has a big 8.2 on the bottle its a white chrystle mixed up and dissolves instanly i have had perfect 8.2 everytime
hope this helps
I would be very wary of such products unless you are testing your alkalinity levels. Alkalinity, pH and calcium along with magnesium are very interrelated. You can be causing trouble for yourself by adding such things without following other parameters.

 

[archie]

I have three 1200phs with Hydor Bioflo add ons breaking the surface of the water. Also the sump return is breaking the surface, so I don' think that is the problem? what else could it be? My water parameters are listed below:
Ammonia Nitrite and Nitrate are all -0-
ph : is a 7.8 night and 8.1 during day
Alkalinity: is 2.5 meq/L
calcium is 460 mg/l
This as of 04/23/2005 3:29pm Easten

 

[archie]

anymore ideas?

 

[ren99]

how bout the water you are using for topoff/change. are they good?
do a water change and see?

 

[ivanfj]

Maybe it is time for a refugium where you can keep your lights on 24/7 and you will always have 8.1 reading on the pH.

 

[ren99]

I think he should solve his underlying problem of why PH is so low before doing a refugium. Fixing the source of the problem is always better.

 

[ivanfj]

pH does drop a point or two at night. If his day time reading is around 8.1, which is fairly good, then he may wanna have his tank in a day-time mode all the time. In that case, a refugium, IMO, can be quite helpful in stablizing the pH at day-time mode since you can have a light above the refugium for 24/7. Just my 0.02

 

[archie]

I think a refugium would be a good idea. I have a 30 gal tank under the 75, a Kent Nautilus TE Turbo Skimmer and recentely purchased a Kent RO/DI. I have already done two 10 gal water changes, before that I was using Wal-mart drinking water and a RO unit under my sink for top offs. My question is, what exactly goes into making a refugium (light ,sand ,plants ,mud ). I've read so many things my head is spinning. I want to use the 30 gal tank is it big enough? Although I've had a salt water tank for about 5 years and still learning new things eveyday. The refugium is a whole new thing to me. But I have no clue where to start on this adventure. Any assistance would be helpful, I don't even know where I can purchase the plants. :help: