Ph is dangerously low please help!

EXOTICAQUATIX · Dec 13, 2013

So my daughter (18 month old) turned my co2 way up on my calcium reactor a couple of weeks ago. I caught it somewhere around 24 hours and turned the co2 completely off. I just recalibtated my ph probes by they were reading 8.5 and now after calibration my ph is 7.8. What is the most efficient way to raise my ph and maintain it?

tektite · Dec 13, 2013

If nothing is reacting badly, best course of action is not to overreact. Let it rise back on its own. Shouldn't take long, especially if you have a good skimmer.

Joni · Dec 13, 2013

Also if you have a light in your sump leave it on it will help raising your ph as it also tends to get lower when lights are off.

aileen · Dec 13, 2013

Ph can exist anywhere from 7.6 to 8.3 generally in a reef tank. There is always a swing between night and day as well. My ph goes down to 7.6 sometimes in the winter in my basement. I can get it up to 8.3 in the summer with the windows open on a breezy day. No biggie.

EXOTICAQUATIX · Dec 13, 2013

I have a good skimmer but the house is closed up. The only thing that is reacting badly is my acans aren't opening and a green nepthea leather. I'm thinking of running the airline on the skimmer out of a window behind the tank.

Reefing Madness · Dec 14, 2013

Raise your powerheads towards the surface. Get good water ripple going on. That'll help ya out. It will correct itself.

socal619 · Dec 14, 2013

open the windows, let some fresh air into the room.

EXOTICAQUATIX · Dec 14, 2013

Ok I have a power head on top doing work and ran the airline to skimmer outside. Things are lookin better. My calcium is at 420 and my kh is 8 should I dose some of my two part to raise the alkalinity?

tektite · Dec 14, 2013

Did you take the reactor offline? Drops in calcium and most especially alkalinity will do far more damage to your reef than low pH. pH really isn't too critical in saltwater unless its way off (lower than what you were at).

Reefing Madness · Dec 14, 2013

8dKH is a good number. 7 is Ocean number. You could add a bit if you wished, won't hurt. But don't go makin it to high tryin to get the PH up. It will come up by itself.

Reef Pets · Dec 14, 2013

7.8 certainly is not dangerously low. Mine stays 7.8-7.9 all winter because its too cold to open the shop for long periods of time due to the cold weather.

Eienna · Dec 14, 2013

My instant ocean salt mixes up at 8.5, but always drops to 7.8 after a while. Nothing to worry about - just make sure to watch how big of a water change you do at any one time.

EXOTICAQUATIX · Dec 14, 2013

Ok I was thinking it was low bc a lot of my corals are having calcification issues but I'm thinking this is a alk problem

Eienna · Dec 14, 2013

EXOTICAQUATIX said:
Ok I was thinking it was low bc a lot of my corals are having calcification issues but I'm thinking this is a alk problem

Problems with calcification can be from alk, but it can also be from calcium, alk, magnesium, or phosphate levels, just off the top of my head.

Stability is more important than tight precision. As far as the numbers you mentioned, they're fine.

Check nitrate and phosphate.
Feeding corals at night can also help them calcify, as well (whereas feeding during the day, I recently found out, puts more toward fleshy growth than skeletal growth.)