Calcium ph alk

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

so here's where I am. Alk is high but within range. Calcium I dose by hand till I get my doser set up. Having not dosed for alk bc already high. Just got apex and calibrated and it says ph is 7.7. I'd rather not be below 7.8.

So what do I do?

JimWelsh · Sep 11, 2015

Open a window.

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

Tank is in basement. It does have a door but I can't leave it open all the time

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

Orp is 4.84 if that matters

NanaReefer · Sep 11, 2015

IMO try another test kit for your ALK. Still 7.7 ph is nothing to be overly concerned about, nor would I be chasing it around.

Downbeach · Sep 11, 2015

Can you run an air line from your skimmer intake to an outside air source?

jduck · Sep 11, 2015

How high is your alk?
What are your water parameters?
Check your orp level again. What are you using to measure? Good range 300-450mv
As for ph opening a window would help. Or running an airline for skimmer outside.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 11, 2015

Curious that you'd need to dose calcium before alkalinity.

The only way that could happen (aside from testing error) is a starting salt mix low in calcium, such as ordinary IO, or alkalinity aditions that you don't know about.

Low pH is caused by excess CO2 in the water, which often comes from your home air. The ways to deal with it include using limewater as an alk and calcium supplement (when needed), more fresh air in the room, a fresh air line to a skimmer inlet, a CO2 scrubber on a skimmer inlet, or growing a lot of macroalgae,

This has more on low pH issues:

Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

I checked with Hanna and alk stays at about 183. Even with addition of calcium.

Apex is testing orp.

Salt mix is Coral Pro.

Tank is 150 ga with reef octopus 200. Jaboa poweheads that are oversized.

I have 2 bellus, clown,blenny, goby, sixline, snails, hermits, and about 8 coral frags. System is not taxed.

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

Can't grow macro bc running pellets and gfo

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 11, 2015

Alwmh4 said:
I checked with Hanna and alk stays at about 183. Even with addition of calcium.

Apex is testing orp.

Salt mix is Coral Pro.

Tank is 150 ga with reef octopus 200. Jaboa poweheads that are oversized.

I have 2 bellus, clown,blenny, goby, sixline, snails, hermits, and about 8 coral frags. System is not taxed.

Then I cannot imagine how you could need calcium and not alkalinity. Where would it go?

Are you using tap water for top off?

Maybe the Hanna is not giving correct alk readings, or the amount of calcium you are adding is pretty small (how much of what are you adding?).

Downbeach · Sep 11, 2015

Are you using any type of pH buffer, i.e. perfect pH, pH up, etc.?

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

I'm using no buffers. I don't understand what's happening either. I add about 50 ml calcium per day for past two weeks. It was low. But I've brought it up to about 420 (salifert).

Rodi is top off at about 2-3 gallons per day

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

Should I double calcium every day to drop alk so that I can dose alk? That
Just sounds wrong.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 11, 2015

The calcium you are adding is made according to my recipe (like BRS sells) or something else?

If it is that recipe, 50 mL per day in 150 gallons boosts calcium by only about 3.3 ppm per day, so you've only added enough for a 30-40 ppm boost over the past 2 weeks.

That is likely within the noise of testing error of alk and calcium so I wouldn't worry about it.

I would stop dosing now and just watch both values over time.

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

It's the recipe online. I used pool supply calcium mixed in gallon jug. I was adding slowly bc I could find no exact "add this much per day" and didn't wanna go dumping 3 cups of calcium in. Err on the side of caution.

Ok I'll stop adding anything and get back to you in about a week. I have a water change in about 4 days so we will see if anything changes.

You think that I should just not look at ph or ca/alk for a week? Just not worry about it?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 11, 2015

Alwmh4 said:
It's the recipe online. I used pool supply calcium mixed in gallon jug. I was adding slowly bc I could find no exact "add this much per day" and didn't wanna go dumping 3 cups of calcium in. Err on the side of caution.

Ok I'll stop adding anything and get back to you in about a week. I have a water change in about 4 days so we will see if anything changes.

You think that I should just not look at ph or ca/alk for a week? Just not worry about it?

The online recipe is likely mine. You can look at alk more frequently, but don't bother calcium for at least a week. Just don't add anything for at least a week.

There are not directions "dose this amount per day". That's like saying add 12 gallons of gas to your car each week, regardless of how much you drive.

Alwmh4 · Sep 11, 2015

Yea. I know I know lol.

I'll post back to this thread with results after a week

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 12, 2015

OK, good luck.

Alwmh4 · Sep 20, 2015

Ok. Today. Alk 177. Ca 430. Ph 7.68. Orp 2.68

Water change 4-5 days ago:
Pre change alk 173 and ca 420
Post change alk 181 and ca maybe a touch higher that 420.

I'm assuming variation in post water change ca levels vs today might be testing error.

So what do you think? Ph is kinda low. Even with lights having been on for 4-5 hrs so far. Also, I'm not sure if this matters, ... My water never spears crystal clear. You can see little beams in water from kessils. I do have a goby but my sand is far from fine.