PH Drop/Increase

[don1234]

Greetings all,
75g
Cascade 1200
Protein Skimmer
Heater MH Lighting
30 lbs Live Rock
30 lbs Base Rock
Live Sand
15 Hermits
5 Narssius (Spelling?)
6 Turbo Snails
1 emerald
1 Banded Shrimp
1 Yellow Tang
1 Blue Hippo Tang
1 small Zoa Colony
Last night my tank looked kind of weird so I tested the water and it was fine
This morning I tested the water and the PH had dropped from like 8.2/8.4 to 7.8.
Salinity between 1.020-1.025 (more towards the lower end) 1.022
The nitrates and ammonia levels are at the safest readings.
The only thing different that occurred to the tank is that the LFS recommended that I feed the Zoa colony DT's Phytoplankton (Spelling?)
So I did that Tuesday and Thursday.
Wednesday the room temperature was cooler than normal.
Any suggestions why the PH may have suddenly dropped and what recomendations are there to bring it back up?
Also when I woke up the white stripe on both sides of my Yellow tang that were barely visible were extremely distintive.
Thanks

 

[atrialfib22]

The Zoa colony feeding should not have a direct effect on the pH and really they feed off your light so it's not even vital to feed them, it's just preference if you do it...
Do you have results for your carbonate hardness test?
Also, what is your water change routine? And how long has your tank been up and running?

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by don1234
http:///forum/post/2683110
Last night my tank looked kind of weird so I tested the water and it was fine
This morning I tested the water and the PH had dropped from like 8.2/8.4 to 7.8.
Any suggestions why the PH may have suddenly dropped ..
Next time try testing ph at the same time of day...
ph levels change throughout the day....btw, how's your trates??

 

[don1234]

My Tank has been up and running for about 40 days.....I completed the cycling process and added the Yellow Tang and Zoa Colony on the 33rd day and the Blue Tang on the 36th day.
As far as my water chang routing I just top it off with tap water or Spring water that has gone through RO process.
Any recommendation on the water changing and topping off process?

 

[don1234]

My nitrate levels are normal....

 

[bang guy]

I would check your Alkalinity but that change from evening to morning isn't unusual.
CO2 has a profound effect on PH so at night when algae is producing CO2 instead of consuming it the PH will often drop.

 

[don1234]

One thing that I remembered that I did differently the night before is turnoff the airpump that was pumping bubbles into the tank through an air stone type device. Because I had just read that pumping bubbles into a saltwater aquarium was bad. I just checked the PH again and it is still down to 7.8. Do you think reconnecting the air pump would remedy my PH decrease. I just read that saltwater aqauriums need good gas exchange. So am I correct in saying that is what the pump was doing?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by don1234
http:///forum/post/2683387
One thing that I remembered that I did differently the night before is turnoff the airpump that was pumping bubbles into the tank through an air stone type device. Because I had just read that pumping bubbles into a saltwater aquarium was bad. I just checked the PH again and it is still down to 7.8. Do you think reconnecting the air pump would remedy my PH decrease. I just read that saltwater aqauriums need good gas exchange. So am I correct in saying that is what the pump was doing?
I recommend against an airstone.
Make sure your skimmer is working correctly and that your waterflow is still high.

 

[don1234]

Okay....Skimmer appears to be working properly and Waterflow seems to be good......In your previous response about akalinity....are you saying that there is another test that checks for alkalinity outside of the PH test Kit? I have the kit that checks Amonia, Nitrates and PH..and another amonia with the blue card....I thought that the reading on the PH card yellow, brown, darker brown, purple and darker purple (I think) also indicated the akalinity level? Does that make sense?

 

[novahobbies]

Just so we're all on the same page here..... what test kit are you using? The litmus style pads on sticks, or a wet set with 5mL tubes and chemicals? What brand?

 

[don1234]

I'm using the one with the 5ml tubes and chemicals not sure of the brand right off hand...here is the picture

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by don1234
http:///forum/post/2683415
In your previous response about akalinity....are you saying that there is another test that checks for alkalinity outside of the PH test Kit?
Right, PH kits test PH. To determine the Alkalinity level you need to test Alkalinity.

 

[don1234]

Okay then I'll be getting an akalinity test this evening. Soooo...if it is too high that means....what? If it is too low that means what? Which would cause a PH decrease high alkalinity or low?
Sorry I'm just really new to this!

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by don1234
http:///forum/post/2683537
Okay then I'll be getting an akalinity test this evening. Soooo...if it is too high that means....what? If it is too low that means what? Which would cause a PH decrease high alkalinity or low?
Sorry I'm just really new to this!
If Alk is low then PH will trend lower but it's not a direct relationship. Alkalinity will tend to stabilize PH but it shouldn't be used to raise PH. If Alkalinity is nornal and PH is low then you need to find the cause of the low PH. If ALK is low then add Carbonate or Bicarbonate or a commercial Alkalinity additive. Only add it if ALK is low though.

 

[don1234]

Okay...clears that up! Thanks for all the info! Wouldn't you know it cycle went smooth and then bam. Hopefully I can correct the problem. Some days my take has a yellowish appearance to the water like a slight yellow tint. Any thoughts on that (Alkalinity?)

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by don1234
http:///forum/post/2683601
Okay...clears that up! Thanks for all the info! Wouldn't you know it cycle went smooth and then bam. Hopefully I can correct the problem. Some days my take has a yellowish appearance to the water like a slight yellow tint. Any thoughts on that (Alkalinity?)
A yellowish tint is usually a byproduct of Algae that's commonly called Gelbstoff. A large water change will dilute it, running the water through GAC (Granular Activated Carbon) for 48 hours will remove it completely.

 

[don1234]

Okay...I found the problem to the drop in PH. This past week I had been topping off my tank through out the week with RO water, but I wasn't using a PH Buffer. So last night I got PH buffer in addition to the akalinity test. I removed 10 gal of water from the tank and added 1/4 tsp of the buffer in 2 five gal buckets each. Mixed thoroughly and slowly returned the water to the tank. I check the PH about three hour later and it was almost back to normal. I checked again this morning and all is back to normal. Thanks for all of the suggestions and recommendations!

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by don1234
http:///forum/post/2684278
Okay...I found the problem to the drop in PH. This past week I had been topping off my tank through out the week with RO water, but I wasn't using a PH Buffer. So last night I got PH buffer in addition to the akalinity test. I removed 10 gal of water from the tank and added 1/4 tsp of the buffer in 2 five gal buckets each. Mixed thoroughly and slowly returned the water to the tank. I check the PH about three hour later and it was almost back to normal. I checked again this morning and all is back to normal. Thanks for all of the suggestions and recommendations!

I can give you the advice "Only add an alkalinity additive if Alkalinity is low".
You may chose to follow the advice or you may choose to ignore it, it's your tank. I hope you at least tested Alkalinity before you added the buffer to your water.

 

[don1234]

Yes! I did test the akalinity first and it was low now it is at normal levels safe for marine fish and invertabrates according to the test result chart. I purchased the Kit that checks GH and KH. Also took a sample of my water to the LFS.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by don1234
http:///forum/post/2684284
Yes! I did test the akalinity first and it was low now it is at normal levels safe for marine fish and invertabrates according to the test result chart. I purchased the Kit that checks GH and KH. Also took a sample of my water to the LFS.

Excellent! I was afraid that you had fallen into the "PH Buffer" trap. I'm glad I was mistaken.