pH keeps dropping to 7.6-7.8...

Congaken · Feb 29, 2016

Haven't talked in a while...I did what you told me...baked the baking soda after changing water...but it doesn't stay up...my KH is about 14 after the WC...with the bs pH went up to 8.2, but by the next day dropped back down...this happened 2X...either you or Humblefish told me that with the blackout, I probably had a bacteria bloom which ate up the rest of the O2, killing fish and scarlet cleaner...what do you suggest at this point?...

Thanks...

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 29, 2016

How are you measuring pH?

pH is determined mathematically by the CO2 level in the water, and the alkalinity.

If alkalinity is OK (or high) and pH is low, it can only be due to elevated CO2 in the water.

Anything you add to boost pH will also boost alkalinity, and since there's only so much alk you can add, additions cannot solve the problem if the excess CO2 is large enough.

Most often the elevated CO2 comes from you home air. So options can include fresher air in your home, bringing in an airline from outside to a skimmer inlet, using a CO2 scrubber (remover) on a skimmer inlet, growing organisms such as macroalgae that consume a lot of CO2, and using limewater (kalwkasser) for alk additions since it has the most possible ph boost per unit of alkalinity.

This has more:

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

sc50964 · Feb 29, 2016

How about trying out this product called "balance" by aquavitro, which by description is to raise ph when everything else is at the optimal level.

Congaken · Feb 29, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
How are you measuring pH?

pH is determined mathematically by the CO2 level in the water, and the alkalinity.

If alkalinity is OK (or high) and pH is low, it can only be due to elevated CO2 in the water.

Anything you add to boost pH will also boost alkalinity, and since there's only so much alk you can add, additions cannot solve the problem if the excess CO2 is large enough.

Most often the elevated CO2 comes from you home air. So options can include fresher air in your home, bringing in an airline from outside to a skimmer inlet, using a CO2 scrubber (remover) on a skimmer inlet, growing organisms such as macroalgae that consume a lot of CO2, and using limewater (kalwkasser) for alk additions since it has the most possible ph boost per unit of alkalinity.

This has more:

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

Randy....I read your article and began to think...I had discus for a long time and was always trying to lower pH...at that time the turbulence in the tank blew off the Co2 and raised the pH...so isn't this the same thing...I put in airstone in just now...should't that blow off the CO2 in the tank and help to keep the pH higher...let me know if you see a downside...I think that I have had inadequate flow in this 10 gal...especially after the "crash"...thinking of getting a small spray bar with its own pump to up the turbulence...waiting to hear what you think...Ken

deerhunter06 · Feb 29, 2016

unless the airstone is sucking air in from outside its not going to help. Heres something you can do. get a cup of your aquarium water, measure the ph and then take it outside with the airstone let it sit, if your ph rises after an hour or so you have too much c02 in your house.

Congaken · Feb 29, 2016

deerhunter06 said:
unless the airstone is sucking air in from outside its not going to help. Heres something you can do. get a cup of your aquarium water, measure the ph and then take it outside with the airstone let it sit, if your ph rises after an hour or so you have too much c02 in your house.

OK, but what if the CO2 is coming from the tank...eg. some dead things left in from the crash (although I did clean and look around)...I'll follow what you suggest, but first lets see if I have any improvement with the airstone as it is...OK?

Reading the article it mentions adding carbon as a possible source...I have been adding NOPOX...better known as carbon...say what...could it be the source of the CO2?

Congaken · Feb 29, 2016

Congaken said:
Randy....I read your article and began to think...I had discus for a long time and was always trying to lower pH...at that time the turbulence in the tank blew off the Co2 and raised the pH...so isn't this the same thing...I put in airstone in just now...should't that blow off the CO2 in the tank and help to keep the pH higher...let me know if you see a downside...I think that I have had inadequate flow in this 10 gal...especially after the "crash"...thinking of getting a small spray bar with its own pump to up the turbulence...waiting to hear what you think...Ken

Randy, I'm adding this...read what I said to deerhunter...I thought that I was answering you...bubbles and cut out the NOPOX ...sounds possible?...Thanks...