Ph is now reaching 8.7 at peak

[GARRIGA]

Wish I had this problem. Tried Kalk to raise my 7.6 and my dkh went from 9 to 14 with ph topping out at 7.8. Saw similar issues in the 90s last I played with Kalk. Not same numbers but disproportionate increase in alkalinity vs functional rise in ph and back then I didn’t have such low ph.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wish I had this problem. Tried Kalk to raise my 7.6 and my dkh went from 9 to 14 with ph topping out at 7.8. Saw similar issues in the 90s last I played with Kalk. Not same numbers but disproportionate increase in alkalinity vs functional rise in ph and back then I didn’t have such low ph.

Tank pH that is low due to inadequate aeration only has to have the kalkwasser deal with CO2 in the tank, so will give a bigger pH rise than the case below.

pH that is low due to high aeration with high indoor CO2 levels can be far less effective since it is fighting all the CO2 in the room air.

 

[GARRIGA]

Tank pH that is low due to inadequate aeration only has to have the kalkwasser deal with CO2 in the tank, so will give a bigger pH rise than the case below.

pH that is low due to high aeration with high indoor CO2 levels can be far less effective since it is fighting all the CO2 in the room air.

I'm the latter. Too much CO2 due to an air tight enclosure with people and pets. When I have less people my ph goes to 8.1. I'll reduce the surface aeration and see if that raises my ph and perhaps try Kalk again.

However, first I'm going to experiment with a refugium. Worked when I did it in FW with various plants including phyto but then lack of CO2 resulted in my alkalinity bottoming out until I introduced more fish. Plants apparently drew the carbonates from the alkalinity as I understand it. My night ph would drop due to no buffer or photosynthesis and solved that with running lights 24/7 on fish-less tanks.

 

[lubeck]

I will wait till tonight and test it again. To clarify my alk is not elevated either. Keep it below 7.75 with great results.

 

[lubeck]

Well I did the outside aeration test for 30 minutes and it went from 8.7 to 8.62.
Is it fair to say my probe has an error?

Should the TC be enabled on the apex?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Outside aeration went from 8.35 to 8.40. Not sure what t

Well I did the outside aeration test for 30 minutes and it went from 8.7 to 8.62.
Is it fair to say my probe has an error?

How old is the probe?

An old probe can still read new buffers correctly , but be innacurate with a solution that is not strongly buffered.

 

[lubeck]

How old is the probe?

An old probe can still read new buffers correctly , but be innacurate with a solution that is not strongly buffered.

The apex is about a year and half old. It does read the buffers accurately.