pH level help asap
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Sabellafella
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You have ammonia in ur tank and its impossible for your ph to be that low unless ur injecting c02 into your tank
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Test kit, or a DIY, but I'd suggest kit since you do not have a pH meter, which is needed for the DIY.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Still looks like a possible ammonia concern to me, but I recognize that some folks see ammonia with the API kit and sometimes it cannot properly read 0. So perhaps it is not as urgent as I first worried about.
Same here, I think there may be some ammonia.
I might have missed it, but do you have rock in the tank, or just sand perhaps? How about a picture of the tank, and/or the whole system, filters and all.
I might have missed it, but do you have rock in the tank, or just sand perhaps? How about a picture of the tank, and/or the whole system, filters and all.
Looks fine to me, API is not the most accurate on ammonia. Even in a RODI test that very very slight green sometimes shows up. That being said, if it can misread low it can misread high. Better safe than sorry. I use a seachem ammonia alert badge also lol.
I only have Redsea test kit for calc mag KH, but as the rest of my API gets used up I plan to migrate those tests over to redsea also. It much easier to read for my eyes.
I only have Redsea test kit for calc mag KH, but as the rest of my API gets used up I plan to migrate those tests over to redsea also. It much easier to read for my eyes.
Is there rock?
Some things might help to explain the test results.
One observation; I wonder if that single power head gives sufficient water movement for gas exchange, and, without a skimmer that's all the less gas exchange common to most reef set ups and a higher pH.
We'll see what the experts say.
We'll see what the experts say.
When was the last time you cleaned the pre-filter in your canister filter? You should clean it every two weeks. You should also inspect the matrix, or bio ball chamber for large pieces of deitrus(decaying stuff) and remove it if you run those. Make sure you change carbon every 3-6 weeks, and other filter media you may use like purigen or phosguard when they become discolored.
Well, at this point, I'd wait a bit more for a consensus before you spend the money.
All I know is that the number one way to increase pH is to reduce CO2, either by increasing gas exchange (water movement), and/or, decreasing nutrients/decay.
@Randy Holmes-Farley?
rmcaum
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Open a window, add a skimmer, more water surface movement, spend less time in the room, running a Refugium with algae (preferably on an opposite light schedule.). All of these things tend to add greater gas exchange or decreased CO2. Your ph should be highest right at the end of your primary light cycle. My lights come on at 8 am and off at 7 pm. My pH is 7.9 at 8 am and is 8.3 at 7 pm. That is the basic information you need to have about pH. Also, calcium carbonate (limestone) sand and rock act as a natural buffer. When I asked if your rocks were melting, I mean that the sand and rock should help keep your saltwater above the lowest reading on that API test kit. I think it is pretty clear at this point that it was an inaccurate test and that we and this board are telling you minor things to change pH levels on a minimal scale. Most suggest not to chase pH or make quick changes. Your tank will find its healthy range once it is established. You were right to be concerned with a pH of 7, but that result was almost impossible if you have properly mixed saltwater, calcium carbonate substrate and less than toxic CO2 levels in your room. The one piece to this puzzle that I left out is the alkalinity. No need to chase that yet either because you don't have any hard corals. Many forms of adding alkalinity will raise your pH. Part 2 of two part or kalkwasser will raise your alk and in turn big immediate and smaller long term rise to pH levels. Once your tank finds it 7.8-8.2ish range, you can start worrying about hard corals and alkalinity. Last thing, someone asked about a calcium reactor. Most of these are used in heavily stocked tanks to replace calcium and alkalinity, and most use a a CO2 source to lower pH to dissolve the media. Until you have a heavily stocked sps/lps tank you will want to keep as much CO2 out of your tank as possible. To replace opening a window or buying a skimmer, you can run an airline outside to fresh air and an air stone in the tank through a cheap air pump. You could point the power head you do have more towards the surface for greater agitation. Other than that, be patient and don't stress. Measure twice (or three times and with different kits) when you get results that seem fishy, pun intended.
