How to bring up PH in tank

CamKole · Jan 15, 2020

CuzzA said:
How are you testing salinity? Hydrometer or refractometer?

Peronsally, Hydrometer, the LFS is using a Refractometer and we get about the same results.

CamKole · Jan 15, 2020

Again as i stated, i myself, the LFS and my partner have tested the PH and have gotten roughly the same results.

However, as an update. I pointed my powerhead more towards the surface of the tank and i'm already seeing a higher PH level. The tank is very very new and so am i to this so i'm sorry in advance for stupid questions or concerns lol.

I appreciate everyone's help and will work very patiently on stabilizing my tank's water parameters.

Thanks guys!

Anthony35 · Jan 16, 2020

I have been suffering with low PH as well and finally gave up mine easily goes from high 7.7 to 7.4 at night (same using multiple test options) most times does not ever get above 7.8 been doing this for 8+ years and I finally said the heck with it.
I did use a scrubber back then and could get it to 8.0 or just below but was a bit costly over time.
The line outside is not an option for me because of the location of the tank the only option I have is a c02 scrubber.
But I must admit even at my extremely low PH my tank seems to thrive but I feel that if I could get it at 8.2 - 8.4 it would do much better on some of the coral types I seem to struggle with. I have start back with the scrubber and it does make a difference.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 16, 2020

Anthony35 said:
I have been suffering with low PH as well and finally gave up mine easily goes from high 7.7 to 7.4 at night (same using multiple test options) most times does not ever get above 7.8 been doing this for 8+ years and I finally said the heck with it.
I did use a scrubber back then and could get it to 8.0 or just below but was a bit costly over time.
The line outside is not an option for me because of the location of the tank the only option I have is a c02 scrubber.
But I must admit even at my extremely low PH my tank seems to thrive but I feel that if I could get it at 8.2 - 8.4 it would do much better on some of the coral types I seem to struggle with. I have start back with the scrubber and it does make a difference.

If that is accurate, it is very stressful as coral skeletons would be subject to slowly dissolving and your home air may have unhealthy levels of carbon dioxide.

Anthony35 · Jan 16, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
If that is accurate, it is very stressful as coral skeletons would be subject to slowly dissolving and your home air may have unhealthy levels of carbon dioxide.

PH does up when I open windows and doors and turn off the ac but can not do that often and not in the winter; I kinda figured that I was not good for the tank never really thought about myself to much. I have tested it with 3 different probes and a brand new one just receive a week ago all had the same reading for the most part but all tested on the low on my Apex when I look at night reading which is the worse in the 7.4-7.5 range which is what prompted me to go back to the c02 scrub to give a leveled bump which happens to be about 7.7 at night now far cry better than what it was.
Tank has always done well once the corals get use to it, I have corals in my tank that have been in there for years I just figure that since everything else stays stable the PH is not really hurting it, probably wishful thinking on my part.

Anthony35 · Jan 16, 2020

CamKole said:
Again as i stated, i myself, the LFS and my partner have tested the PH and have gotten roughly the same results.

However, as an update. I pointed my powerhead more towards the surface of the tank and i'm already seeing a higher PH level. The tank is very very new and so am i to this so i'm sorry in advance for stupid questions or concerns lol.

I appreciate everyone's help and will work very patiently on stabilizing my tank's water parameters.

Thanks guys!

I have not tried the power head option, I mean other than the power heads I already have in the tank. How did that work out?

Scrubber_steve · Jan 16, 2020

CamKole said:
My partner who is a Water Treatment Chemist is who tests my water.

What does your partner think the problem is?

CamKole · Jan 16, 2020

Scrubber_steve said:
What does your partner think the problem is?

He's out of town. He does not know reef tanks specifically and what is good and what isn't. All i asked him to do was just test it for me. Once he returns we can discuss maybe recalibrating his ph meter or using a different one idk.

Fla04gbf · Jan 17, 2020

Anthony35 said:
I have been suffering with low PH as well and finally gave up mine easily goes from high 7.7 to 7.4 at night (same using multiple test options) most times does not ever get above 7.8 been doing this for 8+ years and I finally said the heck with it.
I did use a scrubber back then and could get it to 8.0 or just below but was a bit costly over time.
The line outside is not an option for me because of the location of the tank the only option I have is a c02 scrubber.
But I must admit even at my extremely low PH my tank seems to thrive but I feel that if I could get it at 8.2 - 8.4 it would do much better on some of the coral types I seem to struggle with. I have start back with the scrubber and it does make a difference.

Couldn’t you try to up the pH at night by dosing kalk (supplementary only, the kalk alone unlikely would be enough to keep the ca level at 400 or above) under a pH controller? I am doing this at the moment and my pH has been much more stable at night staying at ~8.2. Day time it usually is at 8.25 already so no dosing at higher pH. Cheers. Happy reefing!

Anthony35 · Jan 17, 2020

Fla04gbf said:
Couldn’t you try to up the pH at night by dosing kalk (supplementary only, the kalk alone unlikely would be enough to keep the ca level at 400 or above) under a pH controller? I am doing this at the moment and my pH has been much more stable at night staying at ~8.2. Day time it usually is at 8.25 already so no dosing at higher pH. Cheers. Happy reefing!

I already dose kalk in my top off water does not help well I should say does not help much but may be what is keeping it at the 7.4-.5 level at night would be worse I suppose if I did not do that. I have not tried to maybe drip it slowly instead of doing it as topoff.

Fla04gbf · Jan 17, 2020

Anthony35 said:
PH does up when I open windows and doors and turn off the ac but can not do that often and not in the winter; I kinda figured that I was not good for the tank never really thought about myself to much. I have tested it with 3 different probes and a brand new one just receive a week ago all had the same reading for the most part but all tested on the low on my Apex when I look at night reading which is the worse in the 7.4-7.5 range which is what prompted me to go back to the c02 scrub to give a leveled bump which happens to be about 7.7 at night now far cry better than what it was.
Tank has always done well once the corals get use to it, I have corals in my tank that have been in there for years I just figure that since everything else stays stable the PH is not really hurting it, probably wishful thinking on my part.

Co2 scrubber would definitely bring up the pH. I have tried that and it worked very well. However, my concern was that during day time, if i keep my scrubber running, my pH would like raise above 8.4 so i stopped using the scrubber. Besides, it costs more than kalk powder... lol. Happy reefing !

Fla04gbf · Jan 17, 2020

Anthony35 said:
I already dose kalk in my top off water does not help well I should say does not help much but may be what is keeping it at the 7.4-.5 level at night would be worse I suppose if I did not do that. I have not tried to maybe drip it slowly instead of doing it as topoff.

Wow! I live in hong kong. And I thought in very small apartments and the high concentration of people, we should have the highest CO2 conc. in our home.... but probably not .... lol.

CamKole · Jan 17, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
you’re welcome.

Happy Reefing

GUESS WHAT MY FRIEND!!!??

My silly partner hasn't calibrated his PH Meter in a while... We calibrated it and my PH is roughly 7.85 ~ 7.9.

You were very right that it was not being measured correctly and i thank you once again for your help.
This still doesn't explain my LFS getting low PH numbers but i trust in my readings vs reading a color swatch.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 17, 2020

CamKole said:
GUESS WHAT MY FRIEND!!!??

My silly partner hasn't calibrated his PH Meter in a while... We calibrated it and my PH is roughly 7.85 ~ 7.9.

You were very right that it was not being measured correctly and i thank you once again for your help.
This still doesn't explain my LFS getting low PH numbers but i trust in my readings vs reading a color swatch.

glad it all worked out!

Happy Reefing!

jose hernandez · Jan 18, 2020

ive always had problems with ph i live on a ground floor towards the back of the building sticking a hose out the window didnt cut it for me i went with a c02 scrubber with my last tank i just upgraded so im goin with a bulkreefsupply dual jumbo c02 scrubber due to the size of my new build its a bit costly but hey this hobby isnt cheap just my opinon you can always get a smaller c02 scrubber it does help thats just my opinion