5th day of Cycling, extremely low PH (7.2) help

[dtdream]

Hi guys,

Some background:

On the 5th day of cycling. I'm pre-cycling my Caribsea Moani rocks (~60lb) in a 30 gallon black tub as my tank has not arrived yet.

Salinity: 1.026 (used a refractometer, calibrated) (Red Sea Salt and RO/DI water(TDS 0) used)
KH: 7.6 (Salifert Test Kit)
Temperature: 25.1C (77.2F)
PH: Showing 7.14 on Seneye reef, 7.2 on Milwaukee pH600
Ammonia: 0.113ppm on Seneye reef at above data points. (I found that as pH increases, Nh3 increases as well in tandem.)
Circulation/Aeration: 2 Jebao SLW-30 wavemakers at 50% intensity each

I used Dr Tim's Ammonium chloride for my ammonia source, and Microbacter7 as bacteria source, dosing according to instructions on bottle.

Btw, I only started using the Seneye reef on the 3rd day (needed to soak slides), so the first data point I had for pH was 7.44. Has been declining since then. I tried to open windows to get in more fresh air, but that seemed to help a little only before declining again.

Basically my question is if 7.14-7.2 pH is normal? I was extremely surprised to see 7.14 on my Seneye reef, thought it was a calibration issue, so went and bought a Milwaukee pH600, and it showed 7.2 which left me really puzzled.

Can anyone advise what is happening and what I should do?

 

[ReefRusty]

Don't do anything just wait it out for 10 days assess where your ammonia and nitrates are if still showing some Ammonia wait till day 15 and will be ready, don't worry about PH for now it will rise. Ammo and nitrates are your only things you need to Messure.

Just be patient and let the bacteria go to work

 

[Jekyl]

Have a powerhead circulating the water? Aim it toward the surface for agitation.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

the main issue during the cycle is ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. PH is not important at this point, although its good to practice using the tests.

 

[anthonygf]

What is your alkalinity reading? It may be lowering your ph. If it is low you may want to add buffer to it to get it to raise ph and alk to match tank parameters. That is what I would do, if anything just for peace of mind.

 

[brandon429]

Your seneye has to be trimmed initially they aren’t accurate out of the box. Slide prep soaks for 48 hours all that lines up and then when it’s tuned you’ll have a great meter for watching ammonia control plotting. The way you know it’s trimmed for nh3 ammonia is run it on a sample of reef tank water from a known cycled reef and it should be in between .002-.009

outside that on a known reef tank, it’s not trimmed. That’s what they all run at. It’s going to be very hard to benchmark it on the cycling tank.

 

[dtdream]

Don't do anything just wait it out for 10 days assess where your ammonia and nitrates are if still showing some Ammonia wait till day 15 and will be ready, don't worry about PH for now it will rise. Ammo and nitrates are your only things you need to Messure.

Just be patient and let the bacteria go to work

Ok will try, just that getting such low pH readings seems really strange to me.

Have a powerhead circulating the water? Aim it toward the surface for agitation.

Yea have 2 Jebao SLW-30 wavemakers at 50% intensity each. I've positioned it fairly high up the surface of the water and imo is providing fair agitation..

What is your alkalinity reading? It may be lowering your ph. If it is low you may want to add buffer to it to get it to raise ph and alk to match tank parameters. That is what I would do, if anything just for peace of mind.

Alkalinity is at 7.6 dKH using a Salifert Test Kit. I guess it maybe slightly low, but I don't think its low enough to cause such pH readings?

 

[dtdream]

Your seneye has to be trimmed initially they aren’t accurate out of the box. Slide prep soaks for 48 hours all that lines up and then when it’s tuned you’ll have a great meter for watching ammonia control plotting. The way you know it’s trimmed for nh3 ammonia is run it on a sample of reef tank water from a known cycled reef and it should be in between .002-.009

outside that on a known reef tank, it’s not trimmed. That’s what they all run at. It’s going to be very hard to benchmark it on the cycling tank.

Yea the Seneye not being calibrated accurately was my initial reaction as well (even though I did soak for 48 hours beforehand). So I went and bought another pH meter (Milwaukee pH600) which on the box says it has been calibrated and certified by their technician. That pH meter read 7.2 as well. So Seneye reads 7.14 and Milwaukee pH600 meter read 7.2, its not exactly the same but both readings are low, quite unlikely that both are wrong?

 

[anthonygf]

Ok will try, just that getting such low pH readings seems really strange to me.


Yea have 2 Jebao SLW-30 wavemakers at 50% intensity each. I've positioned it fairly high up the surface of the water and imo is providing fair agitation..


Alkalinity is at 7.6 dKH using a Salifert Test Kit. I guess it maybe slightly low, but I don't think its low enough to cause such pH readings?

Try raising the dKH anyway to see if it changes. As others here have said it most likely is okay, but for me I would experiment with it now instead of in your tank. That is just what I would do, not that you have to or is a problem. I don't know. If the ph is low now how would it be any different once the tank is set up?

 

[Azedenkae]

Basically my question is if 7.14-7.2 pH is normal? I was extremely surprised to see 7.14 on my Seneye reef, thought it was a calibration issue, so went and bought a Milwaukee pH600, and it showed 7.2 which left me really puzzled.

Can anyone advise what is happening and what I should do?

Yeah that should not be an issue, the pH could be higher but that is fine. Just keep going at it for now and follow the instructions. Seems like your cycle is trudgling along. Have you measured nitrite and nitrate? If dosing correctly snd your ammonia has decreased, then you should see some nitrite and/or nitrate by now.

 

[dtdream]

Try raising the dKH anyway to see if it changes. As others here have said it most likely is okay, but for me I would experiment with it now instead of in your tank. That is just what I would do, not that you have to or is a problem. I don't know. If the ph is low now how would it be any different once the tank is set up?

Hi Anthony, yea I did think of that but figured since only on my 5th (now 6th) day of pre-cycling, I just let it be and see how it goes. Was just really puzzled by the low pH. Did not occur to me that pH can even go that low lol.

Yeah that should not be an issue, the pH could be higher but that is fine. Just keep going at it for now and follow the instructions. Seems like your cycle is trudgling along. Have you measured nitrite and nitrate? If dosing correctly snd your ammonia has decreased, then you should see some nitrite and/or nitrate by now.

Hi Azendenkae, I didn't buy the nitrite test kit after reading the forums and there were suggestions that we should skip it. But yes great idea on testing nitrate, I didn't think we would see nitrate so early. But yea I did so today on the Salifert test kit and it seems to be showing some Nitrate! I guess you're right, the cycle is trudgling along..


Some pics for all to see the set up, and maybe we can find some explanation of why pH is so low?!

 

[Azedenkae]

Hi Azendenkae, I didn't buy the nitrite test kit after reading the forums and there were suggestions that we should skip it. But yes great idea on testing nitrate, I didn't think we would see nitrate so early. But yea I did so today on the Salifert test kit and it seems to be showing some Nitrate! I guess you're right, the cycle is trudgling along..

That's great to hear. Yeah so people generally suggest not bothering testing nitrite because nitrite needs to be at very high levels probably to affect marine fish. I still test it because I want to know what is happening in the cycle. Force of habit I guess, wanting to know more during the process.

 

[davidcalgary29]

I cycled an Evo last December and started to fret and panic as my pH went into freefall. I bought a Hanna pH checker...I bought a CO2 scrubber...I frantically searched threads here...

and then my cycle completed and my pH went up to 8.1.

 

[dtdream]

I cycled an Evo last December and started to fret and panic as my pH went into freefall. I bought a Hanna pH checker...I bought a CO2 scrubber...I frantically searched threads here...

and then my cycle completed and my pH went up to 8.1.

Hahaha that sounds like me. I guess my cycle will cycle when it cycles.

 

[dtdream]

Btw guys just to update, I really couldn't stand seeing my pH so low, it was even at a low of 7.1.

I think probably more for my mental and psychological health, I dosed a little kalkwasser today, literally half a teaspoon or so. It buffed my pH to 7.6, which is still a little low, but a level that I can be at peace with.

I'll update again in a few days if anything happens.

Thanks for all the help so far guys! This forum is great, the response times are unreal!

 

[anthonygf]

Btw guys just to update, I really couldn't stand seeing my pH so low, it was even at a low of 7.1.

I think probably more for my mental and psychological health, I dosed a little kalkwasser today, literally half a teaspoon or so. It buffed my pH to 7.6, which is still a little low, but a level that I can be at peace with.

I'll update again in a few days if anything happens.

Thanks for all the help so far guys! This forum is great, the response times are unreal!

You are welcome. I think some people have just as much passion in helping others as they do in Reefing. Hope you have great success with yours.

Here is my 46 bowfront I had for five years until I upgraded to 75 gallon in Dec. Can't wait for all my new frags get mounted and grow.

 

[dtdream]

You are welcome. I think some people have just as much passion in helping others as they do in Reefing. Hope you have great success with yours.

Here is my 46 bowfront I had for five years until I upgraded to 75 gallon in Dec. Can't wait for all my new frags get mounted and grow.

It sure looks good! Looks healthy and stable with all the coralline algae too!

 

[anthonygf]

It sure looks good! Looks healthy and stable with all the coralline algae too!

Thanks. Transferring everything to the 75 set me back a little.

 

[anthonygf]

I am not going to let the coralline algae grow on the back and sides this time, it uses too much calcium, alk. I will let a little grow here and there.

 

[Mono]

Hi guys,

Some background:

On the 5th day of cycling. I'm pre-cycling my Caribsea Moani rocks (~60lb) in a 30 gallon black tub as my tank has not arrived yet.

Salinity: 1.026 (used a refractometer, calibrated) (Red Sea Salt and RO/DI water(TDS 0) used)
KH: 7.6 (Salifert Test Kit)
Temperature: 25.1C (77.2F)
PH: Showing 7.14 on Seneye reef, 7.2 on Milwaukee pH600
Ammonia: 0.113ppm on Seneye reef at above data points. (I found that as pH increases, Nh3 increases as well in tandem.)
Circulation/Aeration: 2 Jebao SLW-30 wavemakers at 50% intensity each

I used Dr Tim's Ammonium chloride for my ammonia source, and Microbacter7 as bacteria source, dosing according to instructions on bottle.

Btw, I only started using the Seneye reef on the 3rd day (needed to soak slides), so the first data point I had for pH was 7.44. Has been declining since then. I tried to open windows to get in more fresh air, but that seemed to help a little only before declining again.

Basically my question is if 7.14-7.2 pH is normal? I was extremely surprised to see 7.14 on my Seneye reef, thought it was a calibration issue, so went and bought a Milwaukee pH600, and it showed 7.2 which left me really puzzled.

Can anyone advise what is happening and what I should do?

FWIW when using new test equipment it's always good idea to have some standard pH solutions with known values around to test you (user error) and your new equipment. Of course, it's great you have two different pH meters but it's good to have standard solutions.