Chemistry question. calc, alk, PH.

Billymetz135 · Feb 20, 2015

Hey so a few weeks ago i noticed my corals not fully extending there polyps and they looked like they were starting to brown out. so i dissided to test my water. my water was all out of whack, it turns out my dosing pump broke and dosed a 1/4 of calcium in one day. i dose three part from bulk reef supply. Heres what my perimeters were,
alk 10, calc 700, mag 1400, phosphates .03, nitrates .00, and my PH was at 7.8. so i did a immediate water change and then a week later i did other one. now three weeks later my calc is still 600, alk 9.8 mag 1300, and my PH is still down at 7.8. What would you guys recommend i do to raise my PH and and lower my calc. any input would be helpful.
Thanks Bill.

Joeganja · Feb 22, 2015

ph seems fine as long as its around 8.0 i keep mine at 7.8-8.3. for calcium do water changes but use regular marine salt not reef salt that has calcium in it

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 23, 2015

I'd dose just the alk part of the three part and hold on the other two for now. Calcium will slowly decline.

The pH is OK, but more fresh air in the house or to the tank, or switching from the three part to limewater are the best options. Next best is using a CO2 scrubber, but that can be expensive.

Billymetz135 · Feb 23, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I'd dose just the alk part of the three part and hold on the other two for now. Calcium will slowly decline.

The pH is OK, but more fresh air in the house or to the tank, or switching from the three part to limewater are the best options. Next best is using a CO2 scrubber, but that can be expensive.

What if I hooking up a air little air pump drawling air from outside to my skimmer air line so that all the bubbles that are in the skimmer are from our side. Would you think this would help add fresh oxygen to the tank and drop my pH?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 23, 2015

That can help. It depend on how much the tank top aerates relative to the skimmer, and whether the air pump can supply all the air needed.

FWIW, it is not O2 that is needed (it has no impact on pH), but reduced CO2 in the air.