lowering ph

T

the floor guy

i tried looking for this info but cant seem to find what im looking for. How do u lower the ph this is something i really have never payed much attention to mine seemed to stay around 8.4-8.5 but i have been noticing it getting up to 8.8 especially when i dose. but was reading it should be 8.0-8.4 i have tryed opening windows and using fans but dont help.

is it bad to have it high?
 
1. i would recalibrate the ph? or the age of the ph probe.

2. What is your alkalinity at?

3. aerating your tank, soda water and white vinegar will lower ph. but if everything looks well i personally would leave it

for more infor check out this link

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.php#3
 
might need to get a new ph probe...my experience mine start wandering after a year old..if generic ebay probe i have been replacing aftr 8 months as they wander sooner than name brand probes
 
ok i did water change last night my tank was 7.7 dkh and new water was 13.6dkh so i tested today and my tank is 9.0 dkh. last night and yesterday my ph has been 8.56 today it is 8.77. i just re calibrated the prob and it is reading 8.01, it took for ever for the numbers to stop moving on the low solution i actually left it for about 30 min and came back it was higher then it had been ? i also just tested ph with a api test and i think it show 8.4 what my kids say the color match's ?

so now i dont know whats right ? its a name brand prob i got with the acjr but been in use for little over year
 
When calibrating a pH probe, you want to leave it in the solution for about 20 seconds to stabilize, then click next on the controller. It doesn't have to stay parked at a specific number, especially not for 30 minutes. Then you calibrate it in the high solution (10) for 20 seconds or so. Then save.

Odds are, 8.01 is more likely than 8.8
 
Yep... 8.01 or something in that range is what i would expect with that dkh. You want to be careful with those alk swings. Going from 7.7 to 9.0 like that can cause some problems for SPS.
 
really thats prob why i am having problems then ? should the dkh get used up in my tank like that? tested on the 12th it was 10.6 on the 20th it was 7.7 then did the water change on 21 it was at 9 and i have been slowly dosing to get it back up. but now my ph is getting down to 7.91 this mourning ?
 
this is so frustrating,, i dont know if i should buy new ph prob? guess ill get one anyways. ph show 7.96/.98 during day now. and as far as alk should my tank use it up that fast? it dont use cal or mag that fast as alk. all i knew about alk was add it slow and u dont want ph to change more then 0.20 . so if my prob is right i need to raise my ph now? how do i do that? for the most part all my corals are doing good i do have 2 small pieces of sps that are starting to bleach but one fell in the sand for a day.

guess i need to start testing on at same time a day say every other day for ? month ? to see what my tank is needing and using ? and get new ph prob


so i just checked now - my dkh is 10, mag 1200, cal 480,

aslo how long is the ph prob calibrate solution good for after u open the packet?
 
You may need to read an article on this topic, as it will help you understand the chemistry better.

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

Currently, the Magnesium in your tank is too low. That is going to affect some SPS corals, like montipora sp. If Calcium is 480ppm, Mg should be 3x that amount, or 1440ppm. 1200ppm is a problem that must be corrected.

Alkalinity rises and falls as it is used up, and is part of what buffers the water as explained in that article. Yes, it must be dosed regularly, as in daily. That is why some of us use Calcium Reactors while others hook up automated dosers to add it via timers at a specified amount. Your current Alk & Ca levels are perfect.

pH will go up and down, based on photosynthesis and the amount of CO2 in your home. The less CO2, the higher the pH possible in your tank.

Each time you do a water change, it is possible that the new water may change the alk, ca, & mg of the main tank. It depends what the new saltwater has in it, either too much or too little of that particular element. That is why it is recommended you test the mixed water to make sure it matches. I discuss that in this article:
How to Change Water in Your Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-11/nftt/index.php
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top