Help ( emergency)

[ReeffHusbWifey]

Hello all
Quick explaination . Went to bed last night ph normal , around 8.1, this am ph 6.5. Have a lot of family over for this holiday weekend . Didn’t realize it would drop so drastically so quick.
I have opened windows
Change out the scrubber media
Added 2 air stones to tank
Turned off the calcium reactor
All other parameters in check
Nitrate 5ppm
Phos .08
Sal 1.024
Dkh 8.8
Mag 1330
Calk 481
Please anything else I can do to get this back in line before I crash tank .
tank is 3months old with 12 fish and 30 plus corals .

 

[Rmckoy]

Not exactly sure but a ph lower at 6.5 is generally what the ph level is inside a cal reactor?

i would do the exact same as you. .
Open windows , turn off c02 and reactor and cross fingers .
Prepare for a water change if possible

 

[Onewolf]

How do you measure PH? Do you have access to an alternate PH test? What size tank?

 

[Woodyman]

Not exactly sure but a ph lower at 6.5 is generally what the ph level is inside a cal reactor?

i would do the exact same as you. .
Open windows , turn off c02 and reactor and cross fingers .
Prepare for a water change if possible

One more thing to add, if you have a protein skimmer, run the airline for it outdoors!

 

[ReeffHusbWifey]

Ph is monitored by apex

 

[redfishbluefish]

I would verify pH. A pH of 6.5 is darn near impossible without dumping in acids.

 

[Woodyman]

Ph is monitored by apex

Do you have a way to verify the apex? Another pH meter/probe would be ideal but if not have you verified the calibration on the Apex pH probe?

 

[ReeffHusbWifey]

Tank is 210 with 40 gallon sump

 

[Dj City]

You should be fine.

I would take the air stones out. They have nothing to do with raising pH but they can help introduce c02 back into the tank.

Opening your windows and letting in as much fresh air as you can will do the trick.

 

[Rmckoy]

I would verify pH. A pH of 6.5 is darn near impossible without dumping in acids.

Or c02 leaking

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ph typically drops a little at night because the biological processes of photosynthesis and respiration change, but this appears significant. Im suspecting possible false reading. If using API test kit, this may be the case.
This slso appears during the cooler months of the year as Biological behavior changes.
Lastly, you mentioned having company over. Humans can and do elevate indoor carbon dioxide levels. which has nothing to do with oxygen. People can reduce the carbon dioxide in the air that a reef tank is exposed to in several ways.

 

[ReeffHusbWifey]

Not exactly sure but a ph lower at 6.5 is generally what the ph level is inside a cal reactor?

i would do the exact same as you. .
Open windows , turn off c02 and reactor and cross fingers .
Prepare for a water change if possible

It is 6.5 in calk reactor but I cut off the seolenoid so not us g the cal reactor atm

 

[JReef3]

With a pH that low, I'd first assume a testing error; the Apex is great but everything is prone to failure eventually. It may be a good idea to verify the pH prior to making any changes to the tank itself. Do you have an old test kit of any type laying around to get a general idea if the pH is actually that low. Corals showing any sign of distress?

 

[ReeffHusbWifey]

I’m going to calibrate this probe and dig out the api I’ll get right back to you all and thanks . I’m trying not to panic here

 

[vetteguy53081]

For the apex probe- May be time to calibrate it

 

[Rmckoy]

It is 6.5 in calk reactor but I cut off the seolenoid so not us g the cal reactor atm

I agree with testing error .
The only way to lower ph that low is a large increase of c02
I don’t think having family over even in a completely closed off room would lower ph that much .

 

[Woodyman]

I agree with testing error .
The only way to lower ph that low is a large increase of c02
I don’t think having family over even in a completely closed off room would lower ph that much .

Especially when the reading was 8.1 last night and drastically lower at 6.5 this morning. You'd have to be having one heck of a rager to dump that much CO2 into the tank in that short time frame!

Let us know after you calibrate the Apex and get a new reading and what your API reads.

 

[ReeffHusbWifey]

 

[stanleo]

I would assume testing error. The lowest mine gets with the house closed up is 7.8. What does your tank look like? Are the corals open like usual? Are the fish acting normal? Test it with API and recalibrate your PH probe. I am sure it is going to be fine.

 

[Rmckoy]

Especially when the reading was 8.1 last night and drastically lower at 6.5 this morning. You'd have to be having one heck of a rager to dump that much CO2 into the tank in that short time frame!

Let us know after you calibrate the Apex and get a new reading and what your API reads.

Ph of 6.5 dissolves everything and essentially how calcium reactors work .