pH drop after adding eco balance

[CourtNjoeZreef]

I have a 91 gallon red sea reefer upgraded about 3 weeks ago. pH has been fluctuating between 7.8- 8.16 (approximately based on apex pH meter will post screen shot of graph)

I had been using seachem stability as my bacteria (also have a bright well bio brick from my previous setup so imo cycled but ????)

So since I am starting to get a brown film that grows like string but disperses when it is touched and I had recently been researching if the stability actually works and how can it be fresh and marine all in one I came across a talk by DR. Tim from 2019. In that talk he basically proved my thoughts true that the marine components in that bottle are not likely to replicate in this system.

So like a good aquarist I went ahead and got me a bottle of eco balance from DR. Tim over night the pH did it's usual up into the 8's then fell .2 lower then usual to below 7.8

So I'm guessing that there is absolutely something different in this bottle then the other one.

Having said alllll that. I am also having issue with my kallwasser solution being dosed reliably. I just made a new schedule for that to dose every hour. 23ml per hour for 24hr period. (This needs to be adjusted to offset the rise and falls but I need it to actually go into the tank first)

Did the Bacteria cause the pH drop and is this a step towards solving my "problems"

Lightly stocked 8fish 2 urchin 2 conch & 12 coral frags (which have grown more in 3 weeks then the 9months in their previous setup)

I didn't want to upgrade this soon but I had an issue with a stand in another tank and the old salt tank had a siphon overflow that liked to not work. So push shove here I am!

Thanks in advance!

 

[CourtNjoeZreef]

Ps. The little drop & peak was me adding 50ml soda ash in the AM instead of 100ml all at once in the evening.

 

[ssdawood]

This is observation.
I used Tim's Nitrifying bacteria all the time. So I purchases ecobalance too.

Thinking it's a bacteria like nitrifting bacteria I does regular amount without reading. I know my fault.
But I didn't think bacteria can be harmful one especially sold by name Eco balance.

Within 6 hours all my fishes in quarantine tank were sitting on floor gasping for air. With 18hrs there was white slimy thread like stuff all over the tank.

Mind you the tank was cycled 4 weeks. Only things saved me was airstone running. Since this was quarantine tank. I didn't loose any fishes. Some big water changes and back to normal.

I am not saying it's a bad product. It was my fault for not reading. But I won't be using it again.
I like to add beneficial bacteria that even overdosed should cause no harm.

This one almost killed my fishes. Also after dosing I had ammonia spike, then nitrite.
No nitrates. So it even killed nitrifying bacteria in my tank.

These are my observation. I am no scientist. I know lot of people use it successfully.
But why would I add bacteria called eco balance that if over dosed will wipe out beneficial bacteria.

 

[ssdawood]

Just to add. I still use Dr tims nitrifying bacteria and fritz turbo start all the time.

 

[a.t.t.r]

This is observation.
I used Tim's Nitrifying bacteria all the time. So I purchases ecobalance too.

Thinking it's a bacteria like nitrifting bacteria I does regular amount without reading. I know my fault.
But I didn't think bacteria can be harmful one especially sold by name Eco balance.

Within 6 hours all my fishes in quarantine tank were sitting on floor gasping for air. With 18hrs there was white slimy thread like stuff all over the tank.

Mind you the tank was cycled 4 weeks. Only things saved me was airstone running. Since this was quarantine tank. I didn't loose any fishes. Some big water changes and back to normal.

I am not saying it's a bad product. It was my fault for not reading. But I won't be using it again.
I like to add beneficial bacteria that even overdosed should cause no harm.

This one almost killed my fishes. Also after dosing I had ammonia spike, then nitrite.
No nitrates. So it even killed nitrifying bacteria in my tank.

These are my observation. I am no scientist. I know lot of people use it successfully.
But why would I add bacteria called eco balance that if over dosed will wipe out beneficial bacteria.

Nitrifying bacteria tend to be surface dwelling iirc. A lot of Tim’s other products are water dwelling and can easily reproduce rapidly and consume oxygen. If you saw any sort of white haze this is most likely what caused it.

always start with 1/4 dose or less on any additive and be prepared to skim heavy if needed.

 

[ssdawood]

Nitrifying bacteria tend to be surface dwelling iirc. A lot of Tim’s other products are water dwelling and can easily reproduce rapidly and consume oxygen. If you saw any sort of white haze this is most likely what caused it.

always start with 1/4 dose or less on any additive and be prepared to skim heavy if needed.

Lesson Learned.
Just posted here for newbies. Just name Eco Balance doesn't come of as killer of bacteria. Good bacteria nonetheless

 

[CourtNjoeZreef]

This is observation.
I used Tim's Nitrifying bacteria all the time. So I purchases ecobalance too.

Thinking it's a bacteria like nitrifting bacteria I does regular amount without reading. I know my fault.
But I didn't think bacteria can be harmful one especially sold by name Eco balance.

Within 6 hours all my fishes in quarantine tank were sitting on floor gasping for air. With 18hrs there was white slimy thread like stuff all over the tank.

Mind you the tank was cycled 4 weeks. Only things saved me was airstone running. Since this was quarantine tank. I didn't loose any fishes. Some big water changes and back to normal.

I am not saying it's a bad product. It was my fault for not reading. But I won't be using it again.
I like to add beneficial bacteria that even overdosed should cause no harm.

This one almost killed my fishes. Also after dosing I had ammonia spike, then nitrite.
No nitrates. So it even killed nitrifying bacteria in my tank.

These are my observation. I am no scientist. I know lot of people use it successfully.
But why would I add bacteria called eco balance that if over dosed will wipe out beneficial bacteria.

Interesting. I am also monitoring my ORP (ty apex idk what this is but its fun to watch it react to things) the ORP recovered from this with less of a drop then adding the soda ash or kalk. I wish i was a scientist! with a lab!