PH problem.

[abeandlulu]

First of all, I have not been on here for a while. So I hope every one had a happy holidays... I have had some problems with my PH lately. My ph got as low as 7.4.

Luckaly this was a slow process. So no fish or coral were affected. I added Kent supper buffer to raise the ph and eventually raised the alk. to high levels and my corals started to suffer.

I didnt loose any corals or fish but now I cant get my PH to go above 7.9.(during the day) I have been adding seachm buffer every other day it goes to 7.9 in the day and 7.7 to7.8 at night. I have a milwalkee ph meter reading the ph.
my reading are
nitrates-0
phos.-0
alk.-10
calc.-450
mag.-1550
ANY suggestion would help.
thanks
leslie

 

[meowzer]

HAH....I'm not sure I want to talk to you

 

[abeandlulu]

What did I do wrong??? Im sorry!!!

 

[meowzer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by abeandlulu http:///forum/thread/383609/ph-problem#post_3356348
What did I do wrong??? Im sorry!!!
You left us
LOL...I'm just playing.....I wish I could answer your issue.....BUT that is one of the things that I can never figure out...CHEMISTRY STUFF

 

[abeandlulu]

Well! That is a relief! Im so glad you are not really mad at me! I wish I could get on here more. The oldest one started elem. school youngest in preschool. OH and The oldest begged and pleaded for a seahorse tank!!..... so guess what else I get to take care of.. But the PH is really bugging me. Everything is fine and growing good. I just dont understand it..

 

[meowzer]

Sounds like you are running a normal happy household....LOL....sorry I could not help with the ph
GLAD YOU ARE OK THOUGH

 

[jstdv8]

getting good surface aggitation on the water?

 

[abeandlulu]

yes I have 2 6105 tunzes I put in about a month ago.

 

[abeandlulu]

Thanks meowzer

 

[jstdv8]

just to clarify, i'm talking about flow, i'm talking about lots of waves on the surface of the water.

 

[gemmy]

Have you tested your top off water and fresh made saltwater for water changes?

 

[abeandlulu]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstdv8 http:///forum/thread/383609/ph-problem#post_3356446
just to clarify, i'm talking about flow, i'm talking about lots of waves on the surface of the water.
Yes. I have alot of waves on the surface.

 

[abeandlulu]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/383609/ph-problem#post_3356462
Have you tested your top off water and fresh made saltwater for water changes?
I just tested my saltwater and the was 7.7 and the freshwater was 8.3. I use tropic marin pro-reef salt.

 

[abeandlulu]

I took my ph meter to my LFS and the calibrated it for me. When I got the meter I calib. with 7.0 solution, but not the 4.0 solution. that is why my fresh water reading was so high. my ph in the tank is still a 7.8 now (after some more buffer) They said to get the ph up to use the ph buffer and also use alkabalance. has anyone else done this

 

[jstdv8]

buffer will work temporarily, but its like puting on a bandaide. it doesnt cure the problem, just covers it up.
google randy holmes-farley low Ph causes and cures and do the tests.

 

[geoj]

If we have new tanks then we should start with the acid that comes from CO2 (algae respiration). CO2 forms carbonic acid and neutralizes some alkaline minerals we can’t stop this from happening but if we take the Glass tops off and have good circulation then the CO2 will escape the water faster and affect the alkalinity less. A shut up house will have some affect on the amount of CO2 in the water also. The air above the tank is in balance with the dissolve gases within the water so if the house is stuffy with CO2 the tanks ph will fall.
If we have older tanks then we should start with the carbonic acid from waste decomposition. It neutralizes some alkaline minerals we can’t stop this from happening ether but we can do a big cleaning use better maintenance, lower feeding/stocking. Now there are us lazy people that can’t keep up with the maintenance of those highly fed FOWLR tanks and reefs that use up alkaline minerals do to growth of corals, we would have chronically low alkalinity with out dosing alkaline minerals or doing many water changes. We can every time alkalinity drops to 8dkh add those alkaline minerals back or drip them in as they are need. It is not simple but you can learn how.

 

[abeandlulu]

Thanks Jstdv8. I googled the info you gave me and as soon as I saw CO2 I knew exactly what the problem was. I should have figured this out earlier. I was my calcium reactor. My media is getting low and I had to much CO2 pressure and it was blowing CO2 straight into the sump side of the refugium. The PH has already come up a little on its own.

 

[jstdv8]

Ha, the little things you forget about when they are running properly