pH ⬇ Help !!

Lockridge49 · Jul 18, 2015

Ph problems !!! I have a 60G tank with a 30G sump, the pH is stuck at 7.8 during the day and at night drops to around 7.73, we have tried kalk, running an airline outside... recalibrated the probe.
Still can't raise it, got a CO2 scrubber, still nothing
the parameters are stable. Except for the pH please any suggestions would be great

Nanoreef523 · Jul 18, 2015

Lockridge49 said:
Ph problems !!! I have a 60G tank with a 30G sump, the pH is stuck at 7.8 during the day and at night drops to around 7.73, we have tried kalk, running an airline outside... recalibrated the probe.
Still can't raise it, got a CO2 scrubber, still nothing
the parameters are stable. Except for the pH please any suggestions would be great

Try API ph up. My tank is about a week into cycling and my ph is also low, around 7.9. I'm going to order some of it soon to raise it.

Lockridge49 · Jul 18, 2015

I looked the API pH up I didn't see anything for use in saltwater and it also does not show ingredients.

Chris Adams · Jul 18, 2015

Have you tested it with a kit? I know you said you calibrated the probe but I would still check it because Kalk should have an effect.
What is you alk, and cal?
Did you try increasing the kalk solution or have it dose more often. Or were you afraid ALK and Cal would go to high?

Kalk is ph 12.4 so there really is not way you would not see a jump in PH. Generally I see a quick .4 spike when my kalk reactor tops off.

Do you have refugium with chaeto? With fuge light on at night chaeto (if enough) should help keep the PH a bit higher.

Lockridge49 · Jul 18, 2015

I may go get a kit today to see confirm the probe, I'll also try more kalk I am a little worried about cal and alk our calcium has been steady at 430 and alk is at 9.8 dkh so it would be Ok to dose some more kalk as along as cal doesn't spike to much? I need to look in to getting a reactor maybe.

Chris Adams said:
Have you tested it with a kit? I know you said you calibrated the probe but I would still check it because Kalk should have an effect.
What is you alk, and cal?
Did you try increasing the kalk solution or have it dose more often. Or were you afraid ALK and Cal would go to high?

Kalk is ph 12.4 so there really is not way you would not see a jump in PH. Generally I see a quick .4 spike when my kalk reactor tops off.

Do you have refugium with chaeto? With fuge light on at night chaeto (if enough) should help keep the PH a bit higher.

Lockridge49 · Jul 18, 2015

Oh and I forgot to put in the reply I do have some chaeto in the sump with a light I run for around 8 hrs a day I may run out and get some more

Chris Adams said:
Have you tested it with a kit? I know you said you calibrated the probe but I would still check it because Kalk should have an effect.
What is you alk, and cal?
Did you try increasing the kalk solution or have it dose more often. Or were you afraid ALK and Cal would go to high?

Kalk is ph 12.4 so there really is not way you would not see a jump in PH. Generally I see a quick .4 spike when my kalk reactor tops off.

Do you have refugium with chaeto? With fuge light on at night chaeto (if enough) should help keep the PH a bit higher.

Downbeach · Jul 18, 2015

I'd be suspicious of the probe/metering device.

Lockridge49 · Jul 18, 2015

Copy that I'm going to get a test today and see what's up

Downbeach said:
I'd be suspicious of the probe/metering device.

Lockridge49 · Jul 18, 2015

Downbeach said:
I'd be suspicious of the probe/metering device.

I tested the pH with a test kit , unfortunately the probe it right it's still at 7.8

Chris Adams · Jul 18, 2015

humm well you are in a little predicament. Be very very careful with the kalk. It will drive up the alk and cal also and your Cal is good and alk 9.8 (both those #'s match mine)

I also have low ph issues and utilize a two little fishes kalk stirrer tied into my ato for top off. I use 1 tbsp every 5 days which generally runs about 4gal top off.
My PH without kalk would be lucky to hit 7.9 and night 7.6 or lower.
I to have tried most recommendations without significant results
However with the kalk I am stable 8.0 night and 8.20 8.25 range during day
That is why I do not understand how your PH is not going up with kalk.

Whatever you do half what you were thinking to add. If I add 1tbsp a day to early I get a big spike and hit 8.30 but alk does climb with that which I do not want it higher than 10 tops for me. If I add it a day to late my ph will drop that next night down to 7.8 again. So I try to maintain a very strict 5 day 1 tbsp schedule.

Also if I add 1.5TBSP thinking oh I can get another day if I do it this way well no no no it will drive my alk to high and burnt tips will be noticed on garf(temperamental little guy).

So how are you adding kalk?
How much are you using?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 18, 2015

Adding 1.25 % of the total water volume of the tank in saturated limewater (kalkwasser) will instantly boost the pH by about 0.7 pH units. It will then drop over time as the tank pulls in CO2.

This may be helpful:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

GainesvilleReef · Jul 18, 2015

How much kalk are you dosing and how are you doing it?

Lockridge49 · Jul 18, 2015

Chris Adams said:
humm well you are in a little predicament. Be very very careful with the kalk. It will drive up the alk and cal also and your Cal is good and alk 9.8 (both those #'s match mine)

I also have low ph issues and utilize a two little fishes kalk stirrer tied into my ato for top off. I use 1 tbsp every 5 days which generally runs about 4gal top off.
My PH without kalk would be lucky to hit 7.9 and night 7.6 or lower.
I to have tried most recommendations without significant results
However with the kalk I am stable 8.0 night and 8.20 8.25 range during day
That is why I do not understand how your PH is not going up with kalk.

Whatever you do half what you were thinking to add. If I add 1tbsp a day to early I get a big spike and hit 8.30 but alk does climb with that which I do not want it higher than 10 tops for me. If I add it a day to late my ph will drop that next night down to 7.8 again. So I try to maintain a very strict 5 day 1 tbsp schedule.

Also if I add 1.5TBSP thinking oh I can get another day if I do it this way well no no no it will drive my alk to high and burnt tips will be noticed on garf(temperamental little guy).

So how are you adding kalk?
How much are you using?

I am using a dosing pump with a mixture of 1 tsp per gallon
the alk is stable I am OK with it going to 10 also but I really want to keep it where it's at I want to make sure the alk doesn't swing
the pH went up to 7.9 and has been holding....

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 19, 2015

Lockridge49 said:
I am using a dosing pump with a mixture of 1 tsp per gallon
the alk is stable I am OK with it going to 10 also but I really want to keep it where it's at I want to make sure the alk doesn't swing
the pH went up to 7.9 and has been holding....

That sounds fine.

GainesvilleReef · Jul 19, 2015

Lockridge49 said:
I am using a dosing pump with a mixture of 1 tsp per gallon
the alk is stable I am OK with it going to 10 also but I really want to keep it where it's at I want to make sure the alk doesn't swing
the pH went up to 7.9 and has been holding....

As your tank matures and consumes more alk and you increase kalk dosage it will improve your pH. It's really the rate that kalk is added that effects pH. It has to consume CO2 at a higher rate than the rate it is being added to the tank from the surroundings in order to raise pH. Raising you alk level will only create a temporary increase in ph for this reason. I have basement tanks and switching from 2-part to kalk got me from 7.9 to 8.1. The only thing I would recommend because you are already using a dosing pump, is to dose a saturated kalk solution and dose half or even less than what you are now. It won't have an effect on your pH, but you won't have to refill the container as often and your pumps will last longer. It is also a technically more accurate way of dosing in that it reduces batch to batch variation. I am not sure that it maters that much though.

Lockridge49 · Jul 19, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
That sounds fine.

Thank you Were just working on adjusting to the tank needs , and trying hard to not radically increase or decrease anything

Lockridge49 · Jul 19, 2015

GainesvilleReef said:
As your tank matures and consumes more alk and you increase kalk dosage it will improve your pH. It's really the rate that kalk is added that effects pH. It has to consume CO2 at a higher rate than the rate it is being added to the tank from the surroundings in order to raise pH. Raising you alk level will only create a temporary increase in ph for this reason. I have basement tanks and switching from 2-part to kalk got me from 7.9 to 8.1. The only thing I would recommend because you are already using a dosing pump, is to dose a saturated kalk solution and dose half or even less than what you are now. It won't have an effect on your pH, but you won't have to refill the container as often and your pumps will last longer. It is also a technically more accurate way of dosing in that it reduces batch to batch variation. I am not sure that it maters that much though.

As soon as the kalk I have mixed now is finished I may make a more concentrated mix like you said! And dose less

ken77 · Jul 19, 2015

I had a same probblem for years. Ph stayed between 7.8 and 7.6. Then the 7.6 became 7.5 and I really started to worry. I had tried everything alternating light cycle, buffers, co2 absorbers, aquarium air pump to skimmer, drilled a hole in ceiling and ran 3/8 inch hose from vent to skimmer intake. All made little or no difference. On July 3, I finally solved the problem. I got a coral life luft pump from my lfs. I attached the out put to my skimmer intake and the air pump intake to my to that hose that I had ran through my ceiling to the attic vent. I had to throttle it down so it didn't blow all the water out of my skimmer. The change was dramatic. Since that day my ph has not dipped below 8 and stays between 8.1 and 8.25 most of the time. I knew my problem was that my canopy was built into the wall and had poor ventalion. This solved the problem for me maybe it will help you

Lockridge49 · Jul 19, 2015

ken77 said:
I had a same probblem for years. Ph stayed between 7.8 and 7.6. Then the 7.6 became 7.5 and I really started to worry. I had tried everything alternating light cycle, buffers, co2 absorbers, aquarium air pump to skimmer, drilled a hole in ceiling and ran 3/8 inch hose from vent to skimmer intake. All made little or no difference. On July 3, I finally solved the problem. I got a coral life luft pump from my lfs. I attached the out put to my skimmer intake and the air pump intake to my to that hose that I had ran through my ceiling to the attic vent. I had to throttle it down so it didn't blow all the water out of my skimmer. The change was dramatic. Since that day my ph has not dipped below 8 and stays between 8.1 and 8.25 most of the time. I knew my problem was that my canopy was built into the wall and had poor ventalion. This solved the problem for me maybe it will help you

I have something similar going on but I'll definitely look into something like that, we rent so it sucks when we want to do cool stuff lol