can't maintain pH?!

kth132 · Sep 6, 2015

My pH drops within a day. I use reef builder 8.3 I'll mix it up add it in my reef tank. I watch my pH climb to about 8.2 8.3 and by the next day it's back down to 7.8 I've went through a ton of buffer the last 3 weeks and I'm hesitant to add anymore..

toothman · Sep 6, 2015

What is it at the highest point? If you run a skimmer try to attach a hose going outside for fresh air. If everything is looking good in your tank then I wouldn't worry so much. Don't chase your pH

cmcoker · Sep 6, 2015

What's your alkalinity? If you have used a ton of buffer, you need to check your alk.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 6, 2015

Buffers are never the best way to raise pH (despite the misleading manufacturer claims). The result is as you have observed, plus your alkalinity is now likely too high.

The pH is controlled mathematically by your alkalinity and the CO2 level in the water, which is often driven up by the CO2 in your home air.

Using limewater and bringing more fresh air into the home or direct to the skimmer are often the best options.

gcrawford · Sep 6, 2015

Might want to research Kalk reactors. I use a geo reactor and Mrs Wages pickling lime inline with my ATO. Some use this with a dosing pump for more control. I also use a geo calcium reactor. The two in combo keep the daily swing between 8.0 and 8.3. Very stable conditions using this combo for me.

kth132 · Sep 8, 2015

Thanks for the replies. Maybe I'll try an air stone in the sump. And look into lime water in the future.

redfishbluefish · Sep 8, 2015

Assuming you have a CO2 problem in your house, running an airstone with a pump in your house won't help. You need to draw in fresh air from the outside. That's why the recommendation of running an airline from your skimmer to the outside.

Hope this helps.

reefndude · Sep 8, 2015

At a low of 7.8 is nothing to worry about. What does it climb to during the day when you don't use a buffer?

Mine swings from about 8-8.4
I'm using 2 part and also drip limewater. Before I dosed it would swing from 7.8 - 8.1
Everything was just fine before I had to start dosing

DeniseAndy · Sep 8, 2015

Consistency is key with most parameters. I had a low pH and eventually had to run my protein skimmer airline from outside to get better stability and raise a bit. Here is how I tested it: Take two cups of tank water. 1 cup with an airline next to your tank run for 1 hour, measure pH. 1cup with airline set outside the house, measure pH. If the pH comes up, you have a CO2 imbalance inside the house and an outside line will help.

I am considering using the co2 scrubber method in the future to avoid contaminates from neighbors lawns and such.

Also, I am not a fan of dosing without first knowing all the initial levels and variations. You need to know the full chemistry because not just Ca or not just Alk effects pH, CO2, O2,Na, lots of ions in the system and the balance of those ions make the pH vary.

Also, what are you measuring with? Is it calibrated correctly?

kth132 · Sep 8, 2015

Yes I know consistency is a key. And I've always added buffer and calcium consistently. I don't believe in adding a bunch of other stuff either without knowing what the problem is. I've been in the hobby for about 10 years so I got somewhat of a grasp on things. And I have a reef keeper elite that runs my temp salinity pH. It usually stays around 7.9 after I added some buffer it will go to about 8.2 and then back down the 7.9 I need to test my alkalinity though you are correct. Going to do a decent water change on it in the next few days. I definitely don't have any way to run an airline outside but I do have a way to run one into my basement which may help a lot. I will try that before messing with an airstone. And I just recalibrated my pH probe the other day just to make sure my readings were correct

DeniseAndy · Sep 9, 2015

Is this pH problem new then? When did it start? Have you changed salts or gotten a new heater or ac in the house? Added any other major co2 factories in the house? Just spit balling ideas since you are seasoned at reef keeping and this is a new swing?

Oh, how old is your probe? I have an apex system and thought things were wonky and ended up my pH probe was just old and needed replacing. It lasted about 3 years maybe? Found out they should be replaced at least every 18 months. Oops.

beaslbob · Sep 9, 2015

1) always measure pH just before lights out.
2) if still low then add macro algae to consume the co2. You will probably have to protect the macro algae with some kind of refugium which can just be a simple partition.

One you get the tank balanced out with macros the ph will rise and rise rapidly.

my .02

kth132 · Sep 9, 2015

Micro algae is already in my sump. I have to pull piles of it out every month it grows so fast. Probe is new. And I never messed with checking my pH till I got the reefkeeper and noticed it never wanted to hold over 8.0 in my tank.

DeniseAndy · Sep 10, 2015

Any issues with the animals in the system? If not, don't worry about it too much. I have seen even seasoned reef keepers put too much stake on a reading from a new gadget expecting something different and then changing things in the system only to have them suddenly go wrong. Just monitor and watch the animals. JMO

beaslbob · Sep 10, 2015

kth132 said:
Micro algae is already in my sump. I have to pull piles of it out every month it grows so fast. Probe is new. And I never messed with checking my pH till I got the reefkeeper and noticed it never wanted to hold over 8.0 in my tank.

have you checked/calibrated your testing kit/gear?

ls2ttgto · Sep 10, 2015

Recalibrate your probe. Then let it run for a few days. Don't chase PH. It will go up and down, I have always observed this and it has never been a problem for me. Typically Ph for me is 8.0-8.3, max swing per days is around 2.2-2.5.

Paul B · Sep 10, 2015

I have fish since about 1952 and so far have never changed or messed with my pH. No problems so far, but tomorrow is another day.

kth132 · Sep 10, 2015

For those telling me to recalibrate I have already done that. And I'll just leave it the way it is. It may not be 8.3 but it doesn't fluctuate much at all it stays at 7.90 to 7.95. Everything looks happy so assuming there's no point to mess with it