PH how high is too high?

[Davisc1293]

I recently moved and during my move i found my 3 way ball valve i use on my skimmer/co2 scubber was very corroded so skipped it during setting things up. This ball valve used to hold my ph verry tight between 8.3 and 8.4 now without it and my skimmer just constantly running through my co2 scubber the ph has risen alot and seems to still be increasing. In the past week ive used some bacteria products which did temporarily bring the ph back down. My question is how high is to high? Should i let the ph continue to get above 8.5 should i take the c02 scubber off line should i risk using the ball valve again?

 

[Fishology]

It’s fine your ph should be high it’s saltwater it should be around 8.5- 8.2 at the lowest.

 

[IL-Reef-A4]

Do you have a lot more airflow in the new location? If there isn't a lot of people breathing/putting out CO2 then the scrubber might be overkill.

I agree with Fishology that pH 8.5 is OK but it is hitting the upper edge of the "safe" range. I think the growing consensus is that corals grow best at a pH closer to 8.3. So that is one more thing to consider.

 

[Thor2j]

Do you have a lot more airflow in the new location? If there isn't a lot of people breathing/putting out CO2 then the scrubber might be overkill.

I agree with Fishology that pH 8.5 is OK but it is hitting the upper edge of the "safe" range. I think the growing consensus is that corals grow best at a pH closer to 8.3. So that is one more thing to consider.

I beg to differ. Nothing at all wrong with 8.5 and from testing ive seen sps grows more in this environment.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Highest I've heard is 8.8:

I do not think we have good info on how high the pH can get because logistically, precipitation of calcium carbonate becomes a problem as pH rises much above 8.5 and makes controlling other factors like alkalinity tricky. I've never seen a single controlled study of that.

I know Chummingham's Reef was running happily at 8.8 or so. As far as how low….I don’t think many have entered those waters. I’ve personally had pH dip as low as 7.5 and nothing died.

 

[dr_marval]

I have a similar problem.

Refractory high pH, do I need to worry? What can be done?

pH 8.65-8.7, dKH 7.5.
(calibrated the probe)

I use the Red Sea coral pro salt, exchanging 20%-25% every 2 weeks.

260 Gl systems (210Gl display, 50Gl sump). Display in a large open space (1st floor), sump in the basement, large area. The house is very well-ventilated. I run a central ERV unit (energy recovery ventilation); all used air is constantly exchanged with new outside air, probably no or minimal CO2 indoors.

Do I need to be concerned? Some scolys and acans are not very happy, euphylias doing very well, and I do not have SPS.

I was thinking of running some CO2 in the water from a CO2 cylinder hooked to an air stone (in the sump). I heard people are adding seltzer directly to water…
is this necessary?

…Any thoughts?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have a similar problem.

Refractory high pH, do I need to worry? What can be done?

pH 8.65-8.7, dKH 7.5.
(calibrated the probe)

I use the Red Sea coral pro salt, exchanging 20%-25% every 2 weeks.

260 Gl systems (210Gl display, 50Gl sump). Display in a large open space (1st floor), sump in the basement, large area. The house is very well-ventilated. I run a central ERV unit (energy recovery ventilation); all used air is constantly exchanged with new outside air, probably no or minimal CO2 indoors.

Do I need to be concerned? Some scolys and acans are not very happy, euphylias doing very well, and I do not have SPS.

I was thinking of running some CO2 in the water from a CO2 cylinder hooked to an air stone (in the sump). I heard people are adding seltzer directly to water…
is this necessary?

…Any thoughts?

I expect it is test error. I have read many thousands of pH threads over the past 30 years, and pH just doesn't get that high in the absence of very high pH alk additives, unless you have almost no aeration, and then it is only high during the day and low at night.

Lots and lots of threads start like this one and end in, OH, yes, the pH wasn't really that high.

If by some freak chance, the ph is that high, simple aeration will lower it. if it doe snot, the pH isn't really that high.

Try aerating a cup of tank water for an hour and see what happens.