pH level help asap
- Thread starter Dunnman39
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Don't panic. Make sure you're getting plenty of water surface agitation; i.e. Plenty of gas exchange. Also, you might open the house up for fresh air. Do you run a calcium reactor by chance?
What are your nitrates and phosphates at?
Organics and/or CO2 are what drive pH down.
What are your nitrates and phosphates at?
Organics and/or CO2 are what drive pH down.
Like said earlier don't panic. Please post a picture of the test kit brand you are using and it's color chart. We can troubleshoot from there.
Also
1. What brand salt.
2. How often do you test, what where your last test results if you remember, or is this first time.
3. Do you have a powerhead? What about a air pump for a protein skimmer?
4. What have you put inside your tank since your last PH test, or if this first time testing have you added anything besides saltwater and food to your tank in last 2 weeks?
5. How long has tank been running. Any corals? Any fish?
6. What kind of water do you use? RODI or tap.
Also
1. What brand salt.
2. How often do you test, what where your last test results if you remember, or is this first time.
3. Do you have a powerhead? What about a air pump for a protein skimmer?
4. What have you put inside your tank since your last PH test, or if this first time testing have you added anything besides saltwater and food to your tank in last 2 weeks?
5. How long has tank been running. Any corals? Any fish?
6. What kind of water do you use? RODI or tap.
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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I expect pH 7.4 is not accurate. pH test kits are often inaccurate. What time of day did you measure it?
That said, the first thing to do is measure alkalinity. It can be depleted during cycling, and the two things that determine the pH are alkalinity and the carbon dioxide level.
Once we know the alkalinity, we can advise on how to proceed. The tank might need more alkalinity, or more aeration, or more fresh air in your home air.
This has more:
Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
That said, the first thing to do is measure alkalinity. It can be depleted during cycling, and the two things that determine the pH are alkalinity and the carbon dioxide level.
Once we know the alkalinity, we can advise on how to proceed. The tank might need more alkalinity, or more aeration, or more fresh air in your home air.
This has more:
Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Looking at your tubes, ammonia is a far bigger concern than is the pH. The tanks looks to have not finished cycling and the fish is in danger. I'd remove the fish, or at least get an ammonia binding product such as Prime or Amquel.
Well from my knowledge it has been completed. I tested ammonia the day before these results and it was 0. I tested it before I picked up the clown and it was 0. Can it be this high because the new load?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Adding the fish will boost ammonia if there is not a sufficient number of nitrifying bacteria present. Or it might be a test error.
How did you cycle it?
How did you cycle it?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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For how long?
In any case, I'd get an ammonia binder if the test shows ammonia today.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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The Seachem Prime or Amquel that I mentioned. 
This... I just ran a test. I tested with acidic solutions of lemon juice and vinger. I couldn't get a yellow, just a pale orange, that is below 7.4 with an API test.
I don't think yellow is a possibility for that test...If it is it is an extreme well below 7.0 and your fish would be dead.
Test kit bad, or user error.
