Everybody but I has perfect PH

[Mark Novack]

Reading through posts where folks are giving numbers, it's PH 8.2 to 8.4. I'm lucky to hold 8.1, more 7.9 to 8.0.

My aquariums start at 8.3 but that lasts about 3 or 4 months and then it settles in a touch low. On my SPS/LPS with desk taco, er, destaco CA reactor, 7.8 was the average. It was a decent tank too.

7.8 to 8.0 PH tank. KH 11 to 14.

So, here is the question.

HOW? How are you keeping those PH levels so perfect? Share the secret. Its the one parameter I flunk out on every tank.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[redfishbluefish]

7.8 and above are still acceptable pH values.

Are you in a relatively new home that was built very tight....that is, no air exchange? The lower pH is most likely from carbon dioxide. If you can run the air pickup to you skimmer outside, it most likely will result in higher pH. The other option, if you have a refugium, is to run the lights of the refugium opposite to your DT lights. Photosynthesis consumes carbon dioxide. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[TheGreatWave]

Your tank looks really healthy and probably why your pH gets a little low.

Admittedly I don't know much about the calc reactor but could you accomplish the same thing with Kalk? That way you would have the extra boost you need.

 

[Auquanut]

Yeah. I guess it's a decent tank if you're into corals and fish and that sort of thing.;Jawdrop If that's the kind of result you can achieve with low PH, I wouldn't mess with it. The tank apparently doesn't mind at all. It's just an AMAZING display!

 

[artieg1]

Yeah, I gotta say, if that is your tank, then the answer to "why is X so low/high", is "IGNORE X"!!!

 

[Mark Novack]

Sounds good to me. I did run kalkwasser too which helped. I will buy a CO2 absorbing cartridge for the skimmer air intake. My house is tight but open for aeration and humidity.

I'm just wondering why I seem to be so low. Or maybe lots of people have test kits that only read one color... 8.3! I'm not color adept so Hanna meter for me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Your tank looks really healthy and probably why your pH gets a little low.

Why does it follow that pH gets low in a healthy tank?

 

[W1ngz]

I'd be less concerned with what the pH is, and just keep an eye on what it does throughout the day. Using a controller or meter to monitor it continuously would give you far more information than one number.
If you want to know your peak pH then test it right around the end of your photoperiod when the lights go out, that's when it will be at it's highest. You could also test first thing in the morning before the lights on, which will give you your low.

For example, I know my pH will range from about 8.1 overnight to 8.2 during the day, on days when I run the AC with all the windows shut and I'm at work (aka not breathing and expelling CO2). On a weekend when I'm home I might not make it higher than 8.15. On nice days when the windows are all open, I typically see 8.15 to 8.3+ in my daily cycle. I don't worry about it because I know what the variables are, and the normal value ranges. If I were to suddenly see an 8.0 or lower, then I would take that as a sign that something is wrong, such as alk being too low.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sounds good to me. I did run kalkwasser too which helped. I will buy a CO2 absorbing cartridge for the skimmer air intake. My house is tight but open for aeration and humidity.

I'm just wondering why I seem to be so low. Or maybe lots of people have test kits that only read one color... 8.3! I'm not color adept so Hanna meter for me.

pH is determined solely by the CO2 in the water and the carbonate alkalinity. Most often, low pH is from high CO2 in your home air that drives CO2 into the water, lowering pH.

I agree with others that unless the ph drops below pH 7.8, it is not a serious issue. Hard corals may grow faster at higher pH, but you can have a great tank at pH 7.8.

This article of mine has lots more on pH and how to alter it:

pH And The Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium

 

[TheGreatWave]

Why does it follow that pH gets low in a healthy tank?

I assumed because it is consuming a lot of alk due to the pattern described with the small amount of info given.

The pH drops in his tanks at around the point his tank starts to really take off. It's possible they started the tanks at the same time per year, it is common for people to set up tanks in the fall, thereby potentially seeing a co2 issue in the winter. Due to the health of the tank and the evidence of a device that relies on c02 to function, I made the suggesting of kalk, if appropriate due to lack of a co2 tank and it's ability to slightly elevate pH seemed like a good candidate for this issue, if it is an issue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I assumed because it is consuming a lot of alk due to the pattern described with the small amount of info given.
.

Fair enough. But he does say the alk is plenty high: "KH 11 to 14."

 

[Mark Novack]

I just did a series of post treatment water changes, , 10%, 30%, 50%, 50% in the last ten days and just measured the new PH. 8.2! Alk sunk. I'm bringing that back up but not to 11 or 14 with that good PH. I'll shoot for 8 or 9. Now I'll see how long it stays there. I don't plan another change for ten days. Also, the door and windows have been open for a couple of weeks now. The current tank is just soft corals, anemones, shrooms, and some fungia herpolith action on the sand. Started as a FOWLR. Heavy stockage, no CA Reactor.
Have some dinoflagellates sprouting but I managed to remove, rinse and replace the offending arch piece without toppling the display, whew.

I think a opposing light cycle refugium is a great idea. PH and diversity advantages plus a copopod home because my fish decimated the pod population.

Thanks, I'll definitely place a CO2 filter on the skimmer intake. I'll look into the feasibility of a fuge, always wanted one anyway.

Mark

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just did a series of post treatment water changes, , 10%, 30%, 50%, 50% in the last ten days and just measured the new PH. 8.2! Alk sunk.

FWIW, water changes rarely are a good way to deal with pH issues. If there is any effect, other than an alkalinity change, it is very temporary.

 

[Mark Novack]

The water change was after treating ich/amyloodinium plus routine nitrate control, another parameter where I fail, but I like fish in the tank, lots of big dirty fish.

 

[Mark Novack]

FWIW, water changes rarely are a good way to deal with pH issues. If there is any effect, other than an alkalinity change, it is very temporary.

Just wanted to say I've read lots of your articles. Learned very very much. Read most of your PH articles, mg articles, all those interactions, great info.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just wanted to say I've read lots of your articles. Learned very very much. Read most of your PH articles, mg articles, all those interactions, great info.

Thanks, I'm glad you found them useful.

Happy Reefing.

 

[TheGreatWave]

Fair enough. But he does say the alk is plenty high: "KH 11 to 14."

Oops I see that now to the bottom left of the picture. My apologies.