PH AND Alkalinity

[Peacocksm]

this may be the wrong place to ask this but im just throwing it out there. Im fairly new to salt water aquariums and I've been working on my 220 gal reef aquarium and having issues with a balance Ph to alkalinity issue. my alkalinity is very high and im only at 8 for my Ph. can you point me in the right direction. thanks

 

[fishguy242]

hi can you post all parameters,and a little more details on ph?? 8 is fine?

 

[vetteguy53081]

When using very high pH additives, such as lime or kalkwasser, assure that the pH does not get above about 8.55. At higher values, the precipitation of calcium carbonate on pumps and such can become excessive. Every 0.3 pH unit rise in pH is equivalent to about a doubling of the calcium or alkalinity value in terms of the likelihood of precipitation of calcium carbonate because bicarbonate turns into carbonate as the pH rises, driving precipitation.
Tanks may often get to a pH that is high enough to double the precipitation rate due to elevated pH, but one does not often see aquariaum with calcium or alkalinity that is double the normal value, making high pH a big driver of precipitation.
Sodium bicarbonate should elevate the alk and ph at a slower rate to balance it.
Type of salt mix will have an effect also as some salts are high in alk

 

[Strad12]

Sounds like excess CO2 is your problem. Check out the BRS pH video for some tips on how to eliminate CO2 and raise pH in your tank. You might want to consider installing a refugium or upgrading your refugium light, putting Kalk in your ATO, running your skimmer air intake outside, or installing a CO2 scrubber on your skimmer.

 

[Mical]

this may be the wrong place to ask this but im just throwing it out there. Im fairly new to salt water aquariums and I've been working on my 220 gal reef aquarium and having issues with a balance Ph to alkalinity issue. my alkalinity is very high and im only at 8 for my Ph. can you point me in the right direction. thanks

How new is this set-up? CO2 is a possibility but other questions I have are: What salt are you using? Are you using any other additives? Skimmer?

 

[Peacocksm]

Thank you. Im trying to stay away from chemicals so working on the CO2 is a direction I'm going to start with. I see a lot of people run the intake outside. I'll let you know more as I try thank you

 

[C. Eymann]

Here is a great video where the speaker simplfies the relationship between alkalinity and pH in an easy to grasp explanation.

 

[Peacocksm]

How new is this set-up? CO2 is a possibility but other questions I have are: What salt are you using? Are you using any other additives? Skimmer?

Tropic marin bio active salt. Im right at a year old tank so fairly new. Red octopus skimmer 300. Heavy bio load magnesium, calcium, zoo plankton, reef roids, trace elements.
2 bio churn and 2 gfo media reactors

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Aside from test error, the only possibility is elevated CO2 in the water. Carbonate alkalinity, pH, and CO2 are mathematically related, and knowing two will give the third.

That said, pH 8.0 is fine.

 

[Garf]

Is this pH tested with a calibrated meter, or a test strip, or liquid colour change testing thingy?

 

[Peacocksm]

Is this pH tested with a calibrated meter, or a test strip, or liquid colour change testing thingy?

Hanna alkalinity tester

 

[Garf]

Hanna alkalinity tester

That tests DKH, not pH.

 

[Peacocksm]

That tests DKH, not pH.

Right. I have a Ph probe and a dKH which the readings are. 8 on the Ph PROBE AND 15.1 dKh. I should be around 10 dKh

 

[Garf]

Right. I have a Ph probe and a dKH which the readings are. 8 on the Ph PROBE AND 15.1 dKh. I should be around 10 dKh

Have you been using a pH buffer to increase your pH? Is your pH meter calibrated (recently) and clean? Don’t use stuff like “pH UP” or whatever they call it these days.

 

[Angeleyes reefraf]

Here is a great video where the speaker simplfies the relationship between alkalinity and pH in an easy to grasp explanation.

Hmmm easy to understand

 

[Peacocksm]

Have you been using a pH buffer to increase your pH? Is your pH meter calibrated (recently) and clean? Don’t use stuff like “pH UP” or whatever they call it these days.

I added crushed coral to the tank as well as in my sump. I was trying to avoid using any buffer since I read it can go south really quick.

 

[Garf]

I added crushed coral to the tank as well as in my sump. I was trying to avoid using any buffer since I read it can go south really quick.

So what have you put in to increase the Alkalinity? pH is ok but I would try to get the Alk below 11, depending on what occupants you have in the tank.

 

[Peacocksm]

So what have you put in to increase the Alkalinity? pH is ok but I would try to get the Alk below 11, depending on what occupants you have in the tank.

Reef fusion 2 part. Since the high alkalinity i stopped the 2 part.

 

[Garf]

Reef fusion 2 part. Since the high alkalinity i stopped the 2 part.

Have you got anything that uses Alk, ie. corals or coralline algae?

 

[Peacocksm]

Have you got anything that uses Alk, ie. corals or coralline algae?

I have coral in my tank yes.