Low PH

[lnevo]

So of course while everything is doing great, some things have to happen to shake things up...

Over the past week, my ph has been slowly dropping. It's now in the 7.5-7.6 range. Usually I'm at 7.9-8.1. Alk is at 8.4 and Calcium is at 410.

I've tried opening windows, my skimmer intake is now running outside, I've turned up my pumps a bit to get more surface agitation. I did a water change last night, the make up water was at 8. No difference..

Everything in my tank is looking ok, except my sunset monti which has gotten pretty pale especially on the sides almost bleached but not quite.

I know my son's been home from school and no one has been leaving the house so i'm sure there is more CO2 in the house than usual.

The only changes I've made was skipping my dosage of prodibio last week and fragging some corals. I wasn't sure if the prodibio will help or hurt so I still have added. Trying to take it slow and not do anything panic'd.

Any other suggestions? Should I just leave it alone? Thanks.

 

[Dk638]

Have you cleaned your probe? I had the same thing, cleaned my probe and recalibrated, now reading 8.1

 

[lnevo]

I did not clean the probe, but visual inspection the sensor was ok and I did a verification with my API kit and it matched.

The probe was my first suspect as I've had a probe go bad and it starts with declining values and the need to recalibrate.

 

[Dk638]

Just checking I figured you checked it but sometimes the simplest things we overlook. Plus I never really trust the API tests, is it old? I was actually thinking of adding a co2 scrubber to my skimmer intake I was getting worried myself.

 

[lnevo]

The API kit is from when i started up the tank in July 2012...so it could be expired...but seems to close to be that. I'll see if I can verify it later.

 

[lnevo]

Assuming the measurement is real...at what point would I start seeing damage to coral or stress in fish?

My controller is reporting 7.47 now!! Really testing my self control here

 

[Boomer]

I do not think that is real at all. Make a fresh batch of seawater and check it. You can not get a pH that low unless something is dead. Take some of that water and aerate the crap out if and retest and/ or it take sample to LFS for a test.

 

[lnevo]

I did test fresh SW and it was 8.0 on the API. A very marked difference between the fresh SW and my tank with the API test. I did not try the fresh sw with the probe.. I just mixed up a fresh batch so i can try that later tonight.

I don't have an air pump that i can use. i may stop and pick one up tonight.

So your saying if this ph were real, I'd be seeing death? Aside from that sunset monti the tank was looking really nice last night

 

[Boomer]

Either something dying or very high room air CO2. You said skimmer air is from outside and you opened the windows. How long were these windows open ? You need to al least crack 2 open for a couple of hrs. Put some fresh seawater in a glass and let it sit for a few hrs to see what the pH is. If the pH in the glass drops it is high room air CO2. Once we know what it is and if it is room air CO2 then start to drip Kalk.

I can tell you right now you have crap loads of CO2 in the water.

pH = 7.47

Alk = 8.4 dKH

Your pH should be = 8.3

CO2 = 4.25 ppm and should be 0.50 ppm


Outdoor CO2 is ~ 390 uAtm and a house can get to as high as 2,000 uAtm. A level of 2,000 uAtm your pH would be close to your pH level.

And I find it very, very difficult to swallow you have that much room CO2 in your house.

I do not care what that meter or API says. Go get a different brand or borrow a friends or take some water out and put it in a seal jar and take to LFS for them to test it.

 

[lnevo]

Ok, it looks to have been a false alarm. I stopped at Petco, bought the air pump and stone (forgot a new pH kit...)

Anyway, I did two things, first was re-test everything. I also took tank water in a cup and put the ph probe in. The pH went up to 7.81 in the cup. Here is the picture of the re-tested tank water. What # would you call it?

So probably have a but of stray voltage in the tank and will see what happens after I recalibrate. Sorry for the false alarm, next time will re-check 2x! I swear the first result was almost the yellow.

I do however have a question on what you said below. How do you get the 8.3 and where do 4.25ppm and what does the .50ppm represetb?

II can tell you right now you have crap loads of CO2 in the water.

pH = 7.47

Alk = 8.4 dKH

Your pH should be = 8.3

CO2 = 4.25 ppm and should be 0.50 ppm


Outdoor CO2 is ~ 390 uAtm and a house can get to as high as 2,000 uAtm. A level of 2,000 uAtm your pH would be close to your pH level.

And I find it very, very difficult to swallow you have that much room CO2 in your house.

I do not care what that meter or API says. Go get a different brand or borrow a friends or take some water out and put it in a seal jar and take to LFS for them to test it.

 

[Boomer]

About 8.2 or so.

How do you get the 8.3 and where do 4.25ppm and what does the .50ppm represetb?

I have a friend with a Ph.D in Math/ computer Science who is in this hobby name Muhammad. We put tougher some calculators. I gave him that data / formulas. Go back to my main page and at the top click on Aquarium Calculators. There is like 30 of them...:lol:

Look for the 2 that say Equalibrium pH and Marine CO2.

 

[lnevo]

Thanks. That helped a little bit I think I follow the logic now based on the calculators.

Thanks for talking me off the ledge...

 

[Mattl22]

I guess I better get my ph controller set up !!