Water Problem

Mike628 · Aug 22, 2016

120reefkeeper said:
No it shouldn't . Good aggressive surface agitation should help some. It might not be the cure all, but it should help. Give it some time . Also get in the habit of checking your PH at the same time of day. It will fluctuate between day and night , early morning and late afternoon. .

Ok. Im going Wednesday to pick up a fish as long as it gets here on time, and to get my water tested. Will pH hurt the fish? I wouldn't think it would...it's only off by a few points...

120reefkeeper · Aug 22, 2016

Mike628 said:
Ok. Im going Wednesday to pick up a fish as long as it gets here on time, and to get my water tested. Will pH hurt the fish? I wouldn't think it would...it's only off by a few points...

It's best not to push PH to the lower end of the spectrum due to instability . As PH lowers it can allow things to precipitate out of the water. Ideally PH should be 7.8 to 8.5 . I've seen systems run around the lower end without trouble but they were stable.

Mike628 · Aug 22, 2016

120reefkeeper said:
It's best not to push PH to the lower end of the spectrum due to instability . As PH lowers it can allow things to precipitate out of the water. Ideally PH should be 7.8 to 8.5 . I've seen systems run around the lower end without trouble but they were stable.

As long as I break the watter surface and dose should I be ok? Also will I have some results by Wednesday?

120reefkeeper · Aug 22, 2016

Mike628 said:
As long as I break the watter surface and dose should I be ok? Also will I have some results by Wednesday?

Yes aggressive surface agitation , dose your parameters back in line . Test your PH tomorrow at the same time as you did today. Test it each day at the same time. You can also move forward with any of the other things we talked about. They will all help. [emoji16]

Mike628 · Aug 22, 2016

120reefkeeper said:
Yes aggressive surface agitation , dose your parameters back in line . Test your PH tomorrow at the same time as you did today. Test it each day at the same time. You can also move forward with any of the other things we talked about. They will all help. [emoji16]

The thing is that I have school. Last time my water was tested was on Saturday...I've been dosing and tonight I pointed the return nozzle up like you said. On Wednesday is when I can auctually get an accurate test from my lfs. The times vary when I get it tested and I wish they didnt. I just dont have control over the situation/time...

120reefkeeper · Aug 22, 2016

Hmmmmm my man you need to get yourself some test kits . [emoji41] you can't keep dosing and guessing. That's verryyyyy dangerous. [emoji6]

Mike628 · Aug 22, 2016

120reefkeeper said:
Hmmmmm my man you need to get yourself some test kits . [emoji41] you can't keep dosing and guessing. That's verryyyyy dangerous. [emoji6]

Well I have an API kit for Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, and pH. I also have a Red Sea Calcium, Magnesium, and Dkh test kit...

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2016

120reefkeeper said:
It's best not to push PH to the lower end of the spectrum due to instability . As PH lowers it can allow things to precipitate out of the water. Ideally PH should be 7.8 to 8.5 . I've seen systems run around the lower end without trouble but they were stable.

High pH contributes to the precipitation of calcium carbonate, but I do not know of any issues relating to precipitation at lower pH.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2016

120reefkeeper said:
Actually no. It inhibits oxygen saturation in the water . 7.8 isn't bad... What you don't want is huge swings in the PH. Stability is key. You'll see your system swing .2 to .3 between day and night . This is normal .[emoji51]

CO2 and pH do not themselves impact O2 saturation or solubility.

You do not want excessively low pH because it makes it harder for corals that are depositing calcium carbanate skeletons, and at pH values below 7.7 or so, skeletons can very slowly dissolve. That is a big part of the concern for natural reefs as atmospheric CO2 rises and seawater pH falls.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2016

Frop said:
I'm new to reef tanks. Would CO2 help coral growth like it would in a fresh water tank for plants? My pH usually always reverts back to 7.8

No, it makes it worse.

120reefkeeper · Aug 23, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
High pH contributes to the precipitation of calcium carbonate, but I do not know of any issues relating to precipitation at lower pH.

Well then I have a question. My understanding is you need to have a proper ph of 7.8 ish to 8.5 ish in order to maintain proper calcium , mag etc.... So what happens if you have cal and mag at a proper saturation point for a normal ph of 8.3 and then your ph drops drastically.

For theory sake let's say you have a runaway calcium reactor and your ph crashes?? Do you not precipitate calcium mag etc??

120reefkeeper · Aug 23, 2016

Granted you would have corals melt or dissolve etc .... But what happens to the calcium in the water, the mag?? Does it not precipitate out of the solution??

Frop · Aug 23, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
No, it makes it worse.

Thanks that's good to know. So I should add a protein skimmer just to get more air in my tank.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2016

Frop said:
Thanks that's good to know. So I should add a protein skimmer just to get more air in my tank.

Maybe. It might actually lower pH if the air has more CO2 than the water.

Frop · Aug 23, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Maybe. It might actually lower pH if the air has more CO2 than the water.

Would chaeto help? In that case I'd need a bigger refugium?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2016

Frop said:
Would chaeto help? In that case I'd need a bigger refugium?

It helps if pH is low. It hurts if pH is high.

Mike628 · Sep 6, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
It helps if pH is low. It hurts if pH is high.

Now im having an issue of my alk not going up, and calcium being low.
My parameters are the following

Calcium 340
Dkh below 5
Nitrate 5
Salinity 1.025
Ph 8.4
Phosphates 0
Magnesium 1300

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 6, 2016

Mike628 said:
Now im having an issue of my alk not going up, and calcium being low.
My parameters are the following

Calcium 340
Dkh below 5
Nitrate 5
Salinity 1.025
Ph 8.4
Phosphates 0
Magnesium 1300

Are you dosing anything?

Mike628 · Sep 6, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Are you dosing anything?

I dosed magnesium, calcium, and alk all last night

ganzy77 · Sep 13, 2016

Mike628 said:
Ph and dkh have been the same for two weeks even while dosing. My water parameters are the following...

pH: 7.7
Dkh: 7
Magnesium: 1380
Calcium: 380
Nitrates: 20
Salinity: 1.026

I have the entire aqua vitro line and I dose 8.4 and calcification. I also have seachem reef builder and reef buffer.

FWIW, I'd try dosing RHF 3 part (with relatively inexpensive supplies of soda ash, calcium chloride and if necessary Magnesium salts from BRS) rather than aqua vitro, reef builder and buffer. Might save you some $ and make it easier to hit golden numbers on alk, calc, & mag.

just my 2 cents,