A
Anonymous
Guest
you better keep up with maintenance then 
New And Confused..Help
- Thread starter OakRaid
- Start date
I think X is on the right track here - you might be getting crazy pH values...
Have you calibrated the pH probe? If not, you should try that. Make sure the calibration solution is not past the useable date.
You might also try using a test kit or taking a sample to your LFS to see if you get similar values...
Your alk level was fine to begin with and now it's on the high side. Low alk is not your problem - stop adding buffer!
Have you calibrated the pH probe? If not, you should try that. Make sure the calibration solution is not past the useable date.
You might also try using a test kit or taking a sample to your LFS to see if you get similar values...
Your alk level was fine to begin with and now it's on the high side. Low alk is not your problem - stop adding buffer!
I have calibrated the probe twice now .. and is fine (using pinPoint individual packets) So I think I am pretty safe in saying it is accurate.
I really don't want to be adding anything, would think the salt mix would bring up the PH by itself. Could there be something in the water, that is getting past the RP/DI that is driving down the PH??
So anyway .. Yes I agree NO MORE buffer. What should I add to bring the PH up without raising the Alk??
Thanks!!
I really don't want to be adding anything, would think the salt mix would bring up the PH by itself. Could there be something in the water, that is getting past the RP/DI that is driving down the PH??
So anyway .. Yes I agree NO MORE buffer. What should I add to bring the PH up without raising the Alk??
Thanks!!
I may have missed it, but have you tried putting some water from the tank in a small container (a glass is fine), placing an airstone in it and putting it outside. I understand that the garage may be getting some "fresh air", but I really think you need to try it under open sky (if you haven't already) before discounting excessive CO2 in your house. I, personally, am at a loss otherwise. Although low alkalinity can be related to low PH, I don't believe that a Ca/Alk imbalance is related (I don't know that for sure). Kalk is a good way to force excess CO2 out of the water, but I am curious why your PH is so low. It sounds like you're doing everything correct. Be careful with that buffer by the way. I'm not sure what the exact effects of high alkalinity are, but I don't think it's good.
Hi IslandCrow ... Yes I tried the air stone in a small amount of tap water, It did move up from .1 but when I tried running two air stones in the tank, it dropped the PH from 7.8 to 7.6.
Also this is a issue with fresh made water .. Which I mix and airorate out in the garage (with plenty of ventalation) When first mixed it will read 8.0 but after a few hours it is 7.8 .... So is an issue before it even goes into the tank. Yes I am not going to put anymore buffer in. my Alk is to high now. I guess if I can't find any answer to why it is this way, I will start adding kalk to the top off water and when I do water changes.
Not really sure how to do that yet?? But don't really want to drip kalk, because the tank is in the living room, So don't really want some drip system sitting over the tank.
Also this is a issue with fresh made water .. Which I mix and airorate out in the garage (with plenty of ventalation) When first mixed it will read 8.0 but after a few hours it is 7.8 .... So is an issue before it even goes into the tank. Yes I am not going to put anymore buffer in. my Alk is to high now. I guess if I can't find any answer to why it is this way, I will start adding kalk to the top off water and when I do water changes.
Not really sure how to do that yet?? But don't really want to drip kalk, because the tank is in the living room, So don't really want some drip system sitting over the tank.
Your pH is not that all that low, so IMO there's no need for you to setup a kalk drip. You could just add a bit of kalk to your topoff water - it doesn't take much to raise the pH the small amount you're looking for.
How do you currently topoff evaporation?
How do you currently topoff evaporation?
for top off water, which isn't to much .. I am just dumping in straight RO/DI water (nothing added)
So you don't think 7.8 some times 7.7 isn't to low??
That is quit drop from the recommended 8.4
If I just add some kalk to my top off .. how long will it maintain the PH .. I know you don't want it to jump around. How much should I add at one time?
So you don't think 7.8 some times 7.7 isn't to low??
That is quit drop from the recommended 8.4
If I just add some kalk to my top off .. how long will it maintain the PH .. I know you don't want it to jump around. How much should I add at one time?
- Location
- Merritt Island, FL
Could some of the municipal water system phosphate buffers be getting through the RO/DI unit and dropping the pH of the salt mix buffer point? I guess if you measured the alkalinity or phosphates straight out of the RO/DI, it would rule that out...
The range we generally shoot for is 8.0 to 8.4 (natural seawater is ~8.2), so 7.8 isn't all that low. You'll have to find the doseage that works for your tank, but as a starting point, try adding maybe 1/2 teaspoon of pickling lime/kalk mix per gallon of RO/DI and use that when you topoff. Monitor the effect on system pH and vary the concentration as needed to get the desire results.OakRaid":2ird9kui said:
Provided you're not raising the pH by more than about 0.2 when you do this you shouldn't have any problems. You can split up the additions (say half in the AM, half in the PM for example) if you want to lessen the pH fluctuation throughout the day. I've done this for years on some of my tanks with no ill effects.
If you want something more automated that keeps pH fluctuations even smaller, a small dosing pump on a digital appliance timer that gives your tank a little shot of kalkwasser periodically throughout the day works nicely too.
HTH
Thanks Chris ... That will give me a starting point, Wasn't sure where to begin. Appreciate it!!
And Kaskiles ... I have no idea if the water companies buffers are getting through? Or if that would cause the problem. But an interesting thought, I will measure the Alk on my RO water and see what it says. I do have an Seachem phosphate test kit, but I think it is to old to really be acurate.
But will give it a try. It would kind of all make sense if there was something getting through. It is a new membrane and filters, but a little does get through, because my TDS reads about 13, but a lot better than almost 400 on the tap water.
And Kaskiles ... I have no idea if the water companies buffers are getting through? Or if that would cause the problem. But an interesting thought, I will measure the Alk on my RO water and see what it says. I do have an Seachem phosphate test kit, but I think it is to old to really be acurate.
But will give it a try. It would kind of all make sense if there was something getting through. It is a new membrane and filters, but a little does get through, because my TDS reads about 13, but a lot better than almost 400 on the tap water.
not sure if it works in salt water as it does in fresh water but when ever I needed a higher pH in one of my fresh tanks I'd add a couple of sea shells (sterilized of course) and it would help pick my pH right up but u may already have tried that or it may be irrelevent in SW tanks
Not much should be getting through a correctly functioning RO/DI unit except pure water, so I don't think there's much of an issue there.
As for the seashells, this will aid in buffering freshwater because of the lower pH associated with those systems (typically ~7.0) whereas at the pH values that are typical in seawater (~8.2) they will not help. Even if they could buffer saltwater, in this case alk is not low (ie. lack of buffering is not the problem).
HTH
As for the seashells, this will aid in buffering freshwater because of the lower pH associated with those systems (typically ~7.0) whereas at the pH values that are typical in seawater (~8.2) they will not help. Even if they could buffer saltwater, in this case alk is not low (ie. lack of buffering is not the problem).
HTH
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
