pH became low again...

[Congaken]

Randy...its been a while since I whined at you...got my tank together...as I was dripping the new Chucky.2 , I checked the pH and it was down again to 7.6...than I checked the DT...the same...I remember what you said about indoor air, but I only recently had the drop and I'm not sure what to do about it anyhow...for now, can I check it daily and put in the baked baking soda as needed?...I changed a lot of water, the pH of the replacement water is 8.0...not terribly high but it doesn't seem like that is the answer...I used store-bought distilled water for everything and there was no problems until that crash...as far as dead things are concerned, most everything is alive (snails, hermits, corals, etc.) and I have a huge spawn of pods that just recently appeared and threr was nothing to die in the QT...Please advise, meanwhile I'll keep checking and keep using a bit of bs unless you say otherwise...Thank you...Ken

 

[Congaken]

Randy...its been a while since I whined at you...got my tank together...as I was dripping the new Chucky.2 , I checked the pH and it was down again to 7.6...than I checked the DT...the same...I remember what you said about indoor air, but I only recently had the drop and I'm not sure what to do about it anyhow...for now, can I check it daily and put in the baked baking soda as needed?...I changed a lot of water, the pH of the replacement water is 8.0...not terribly high but it doesn't seem like that is the answer...I used store-bought distilled water for everything and there was no problems until that crash...as far as dead things are concerned, most everything is alive (snails, hermits, corals, etc.) and I have a huge spawn of pods that just recently appeared and threr was nothing to die in the QT...Please advise, meanwhile I'll keep checking and keep using a bit of bs unless you say otherwise...Thank you...Ken

 

[Tori]

I saw just how much indoor air can affect pH when I had out-laws in town last month. My girls brother and his family were in town from London so gave them our bedroom, where my little 20g tank is of course. My pH ranges from 7.9 to 8.14 normally but I watched it drop as low as 7.5 every night for over a week while they were here. Total nightmare. I guess that's what happens you put two adults, a four year old and a two year old in one bedroom with a tank and close all the windows and door.

 

[Congaken]

I saw just how much indoor air can affect pH when I had out-laws in town last month. My girls brother and his family were in town from London so gave them our bedroom, where my little 20g tank is of course. My pH ranges from 7.9 to 8.14 normally but I watched it drop as low as 7.5 every night for over a week while they were here. Total nightmare. I guess that's what happens you put two adults, a four year old and a two year old in one bedroom with a tank and close all the windows and door.

Yeah, but our 10 gal is not in a closed-in bedroom...its in a large, drafty living room in a very rural area of NY State...I seriously think there must be something else at work here...its only me and my wife and 2 dogs...and not in that room much except for the evenings...Thanks for the help...waiting for Randy...

 

[TheEngineer]

You're still in the acceptable range. It isn't advisable to chase pH, but rather keep it stable. If 7.5 is stable for you, no need to take any action. You'll drive yourself nuts trying to keep it steady. Things like running the heat more will have an affect on the pH too. I don't see a mention of how you are testing. Most pH tests are really unreliable.

 

[Congaken]

You're still in the acceptable range. It isn't advisable to chase pH, but rather keep it stable. If 7.5 is stable for you, no need to take any action. You'll drive yourself nuts trying to keep it steady. Things like running the heat more will have an affect on the pH too. I don't see a mention of how you are testing. Most pH tests are really unreliable.

I' m using an API test right now, but I have a Martini electronic tester, but I'm waiting for the higher end fluid to regulate it...are you saying that pH 7.5 is ok for all amimals motile and sesile and fish as long as it stays steady?...this sounds like good news...Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I' m using an API test right now, but I have a Martini electronic tester, but I'm waiting for the higher end fluid to regulate it...are you saying that pH 7.5 is ok for all amimals motile and sesile and fish as long as it stays steady?...this sounds like good news...Thanks

I would not agree that pH 7.5 is OK for a reef, but I also would not be sure it is accurate until measured with a newly calibrated pH meter.

 

[Tori]

My tank was not happy when it was dropping into the 7.5 range. I was using a lab grade pH probe along with API test kit. I only lost one hermit and one snail through the ordeal though so it wasn't that bad I guess.

 

[Congaken]

My tank was not happy when it was dropping into the 7.5 range. I was using a lab grade pH probe along with API test kit. I only lost one hermit and one snail through the ordeal though so it wasn't that bad I guess.

Did it stay around 7.5?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, low pH at normal alkalinity can only be caused by excess CO2 in the water.

Have you tried the aeration tests I describe here?

HH And The Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/

from it:

The Aeration Test

Some of the possible causes of low pH listed above require an effort to diagnose. Problems 3 and 4 are quite common, and here is a way to distinguish them. Remove a cup of tank water and measure its pH. Then aerate it for an hour with an airstone using outside air. Its pH should rise if it is unusually low for the measured alkalinity (Figure 2). Then repeat the same experiment on a new cup of water using inside air. If its pH also rises, then the aquarium’s pH will rise simply with more aeration because it is only the aquarium that contains excess carbon dioxide. If the pH does not rise in the cup (or rises very little) when aerating with indoor air, then that air likely contains excess CO2, and more aeration with that same air will not solve the low pH problem (although aeration with fresher air should). Be careful implementing this test if the outside aeration test results in a large temperature change (more than 5°C or 10°F), because such changes alone impact pH measurements.

 

[TheEngineer]

I would not agree that pH 7.5 is OK for a reef, but I also would not be sure it is accurate until measured with a newly calibrated pH meter.

OK, so brevity on an iPhone was a bad choice here from me. My intended message was "I doubt the test is accurate, I'd assume it is actually higher than that. Is it stable there, if so are you noticing any problems? If not, I'd just leave it be. <Insert stuff about the desired pH range, opening a window, CO2 level in water, etc etc.>"

 

[Tori]

Did it stay around 7.5?

No. It would start going back up in the morning once they were out of the room. It was the wide swings that had me really worried. 7.50 to 8.14 seemed like a lot to me. Now it's back to its normal 7.90 to 8.14 range. Although I do wish it was a little higher but everything seems happy.

 

[Congaken]

Randy...enough is enough...pH looks better but I just ordered a Salifert pH kit...my Martini unit would cost $35 to fix...the Salifert is considered accurate...right?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy...enough is enough...pH looks better but I just ordered a Salifert pH kit...my Martini unit would cost $35 to fix...the Salifert is considered accurate...right?

I usually prefer meters since you can check them with calibration fluids, but the Salifert is likely adequate.

 

[Congaken]

Well, I got the Salifert pH kit this morning...pH between 7.8 and 7.9...should I leave it alone or go for some chemical fix?...if there is one...some of my softees are not opening too well and the pistol shrimp is having a long and hard molt...don't know if this is related...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If the pH is 7.8 or above, I would not bother to address it except by the most gentle of treatments, such as more fresh air in the home.

 

[Congaken]

If the pH is 7.8 or above, I would not bother to address it except by the most gentle of treatments, such as more fresh air in the home.

OKdokey...