Need help with PH

dreamer1221 · Feb 3, 2020

Hello All,

I am new to the hobby and need help with my tank. I have a Red Sea Reefer 250. It is a little over two months old. I have been unable to get my to 8.0. The highest I have been able to go is 7.9, yesterday is dropped to 7.45 (see attached picture)!!!. I do weekly water changes between 15% - 25%. I tried using a buffer, the PH rises quickly and drops just as fast. Also, made my dkh rise to 13 so I stopped.

Here are my parameters:

dKH: 11
Ca: 450
Mg: 1300
Amonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20 ppm (This is recently, it has been around 2)
Phosphate: .25

I dose two part Tropic Marin at the recommended dosage. I run carbon and GFO. Eshoppes S-120 skimmer. I run a refugium with chateo, sea lettuce, and red ogo; running the light at night to try and raise PH. I have am mixed reef (SPS, LPS, Sofites) and most coral seem happy. Growing coraline really fast.

Livestock:
(All fish 1.5-2 or less)
3 clowns
1 chromis
2 damsels
2 firefish
cleaner wrasse
1 lawnmower blenny
1 coral banded shrimp
2 cleaner shrimp
1 fire shrimp
1 sand shifting sea star
some snails, crabs.

I originally thought my Apex probe wasn't calibrated correctly given my coral is opening up and growing. Any advice, recommendations, and help is much appreciated.

Spare time · Feb 3, 2020

Try keeping the refugium on 24/7 and see how that helps

dreamer1221 · Feb 10, 2020

I tried keeping the light on, with little to no change. I am thinking it is a oxgen level issue. I am thinking of installing a Co2 scrubber. Can anyone provide any advice or potential pitfalls I should be aware of before doing this?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2020

Stop using buffers. They are never a good option unless alk is low.

I do not believe 7.45 is accurate, and recommend you stop doing things to raise it Aside from possibly more fresh air in your home.

Spare time · Feb 10, 2020

Have you tried increasing surface agitation? That should help if you point some waver makers slightly upwards. However I am guessing you already tried this

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2020

This article shows how to diagnose pH issues, and if real, how to correct them:

pH and the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION

by Randy Holmes-Farley For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This article will Read more here...

www.reefedition.com

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2020

dreamer1221 said:
I tried keeping the light on, with little to no change. I am thinking it is a oxgen level issue. I am thinking of installing a Co2 scrubber. Can anyone provide any advice or potential pitfalls I should be aware of before doing this?

Try the aeration experiments described in the article first.

Spare time · Feb 10, 2020

Do you know if tropic marin 2 part uses carbonate or bicarbonate? From what I understand, using carbonate to raise alk should help with ph .

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2020

Spare time said:
Do you know if tropic marin 2 part uses carbonate or bicarbonate? From what I understand, using carbonate to raise alk should help with ph .

Do you mean their Balling product? It is a mixture of carbonate and bicarbonate.

Spare time · Feb 10, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Do you mean their Balling product? It is a mixture of carbonate and bicarbonate.

I am not too familiar with their products but was refering to bulk reef's recommendation for when to use their bicarbonate vs carbonate mix for alk

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2020

Spare time said:
I am not too familiar with their products but was refering to bulk reef's recommendation for when to use their bicarbonate vs carbonate mix for alk

Ok, yes, regardless of brand, the pH raising effect of alk additives is hydroxide is best, carbonate is half as good, mixtures of carbonate and bicarbonate are even lower, and bicarbonate alone has a very small pH lowering effect.

dreamer1221 · Feb 10, 2020

@Randy Holmes-Farley I really appreciate the information! The day my Apex shows that PH went down to 7.46 was the day I hosted a large Super Bowl party with the windows closed due to the cold. I am going to open the windows more and try the CO2 scrubber. I am also going to re-calibrate my probe.

Again, I appreciate the info.