High PH help

[coley650]

I hope this is the right place for this thread!

The last week my PH has been rising from what was previously consistent between 8.2-8.3 to 8.5-8.6. I couldn’t quite work out why? My KH is 7.7 so I wouldn’t say it’s that.

The only thing that has been added to the tank that’s new is Triton ULN Bio Base. I’ve stopped dosing that in case that’s the culprit. There isn’t much human traffic in the house and the tank is located in a place that can sometimes get stuffy so I wonder what that impact is.

So far I’ve done a water change. I dosed vinegar which brought it down for all of 3hrs and now is sitting back at 8.52???

Any suggestions on how address this?

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

I'd probably just let it be unless there are any signs of distress.

Re-calibrate the pH probe?

 

[Righteous]

Do you have any windows you could try opening in the area for air exchange?

 

[JCOLE]

+1 for opening a window or get some fresh air to your skimmer. If you have a skimmer then make sure the air inlet isnt blocked.

Are you dosing Kalk or Alk? If so, make sure not too much. These will raise PH as well.

 

[BeejReef]

No idea on the ULN dosing. Opening windows, more fresh air, more air exchange and wave action and so on are generally solutions for RAISING ph.
You want your air coming from a stuffy, well-used room where your two large dogs sleep if you're trying to lower your persistently high ph. You could also reduce the intensity or duration of any macro-algae fuge or algae reactor (if you have one).

 

[AtlCPA]

No idea on the ULN dosing. Opening windows, more fresh air, more air exchange and wave action and so on are generally solutions for RAISING ph.
You want your air coming from a stuffy, well-used room where your two large dogs sleep if you're trying to lower your persistently high ph. You could also reduce the intensity or duration of any macro-algae fuge or algae reactor (if you have one).

That’s what I was thinking....fresh air makes PH higher, not lower.

I would certainly double check the calibration of the probe. Some of my biggest problems have been over misreading from equipment. Be 100% positive before you take action.....although that level of ph is probably ok.

 

[Righteous]

That’s what I was thinking....fresh air makes PH higher, not lower.

I would certainly double check the calibration of the probe. Some of my biggest problems have been over misreading from equipment. Be 100% positive before you take action.....although that level of ph is probably ok.

Depends on CO2 concentrations. If the CO2 inside the house is lower than outside, opening the windows could lower pH. If you've got a room with almost no air exchange, and a refugium, corals, plants doing photosynthesis, they could perhaps lower CO2 concentrations below the outside air levels.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I question however you're test pH.

And just to clarify and agree with some above, a closed up room causes for higher CO2, which would cause pH to go down (carbonic acid -> bicarbonate ions and hydrogen ions). Opening windows allows fresh air in and CO2 to leave, causing pH to go up.

 

[coley650]

Thanks guys, I’ll try and answer some of the points picked up.

I was alerted to it going above 8.5 via seneye. It also gives an O2 reading which is 8.3 and always has been.

I dose triton so the Alk is from that which it always has been.

I’ll collaborate a new slide and see what that says.

Skimmer is drawing air fine with no blockages either. I could consider running tube from the air intake to outside see what that does but worries it will just increase it as suggested.

 

[Righteous]

+1 on possible pH test inaccuracy. I'd try checking the seneye calibration. You can also get some pretty cheap pocket pH meters off of Amazon for like $15 to compare too.

If it truly is 8.5- 8.6 on a consistent basis, you might start getting abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate on stuff like pumps. I've had this happen in the past and it's a HUGE pain. Pumps will seize up, plus you'll struggle to keep your alkalinity and calcium levels up.

Randy has an awesome article on high pH causes. According to him, "Nearly all high pH situations encountered in reef aquaria are caused by a carbon dioxide deficiency"

A very quick test would also be to put an airstone in and try to drive some CO2 into the aquarium. It wouldn't hurt to try doing that with some outside air. If the pH goes up more, then I'd be more likely to think its a pH testing/calibration issue. If it goes down, then you know you've got a CO2 deficiency instead.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/