Hi I'm having probs keeping my ph up it keeps dropping to 7.4 I add kh buffer and it goes up but my ORP drops down the ph goes up then drops off and then ORP goes up again my alk is 10.5 cal 430 this happens all in same day how do I keep it to 8.1
Need help with ph
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Coralreefer1
Valuable Member
Hello and welcome to R2R!
Best of luck to you!
As for your question regarding pH shifts. When are you testing the pH of your water? Same time every day? The reason why I’m asking is that the pH of tank water drops once the lights go off and conversely pH rises during the day when photosynthesis is taking place.
Do you have good lighting?
What do you have in your tank and how long has it been set up? Your aragonite sand if you are using it should help maintain a stable pH around 8.0 with its buffering capability.
Best of luck to you!
As for your question regarding pH shifts. When are you testing the pH of your water? Same time every day? The reason why I’m asking is that the pH of tank water drops once the lights go off and conversely pH rises during the day when photosynthesis is taking place.
Do you have good lighting?
What do you have in your tank and how long has it been set up? Your aragonite sand if you are using it should help maintain a stable pH around 8.0 with its buffering capability.
Welcome to the forum!
Hi the tank is about 4 years old now and is 1000 litres plus sump I have 3 vega lights I have just put a apex system in which is why I have noticed the ph swings as I have a ph probe I'm going to recalibrate it and what happens
Here is my readings for last few daysHi the tank is about 4 years old now and is 1000 litres plus sump I have 3 vega lights I have just put a apex system in which is why I have noticed the ph swings as I have a ph probe I'm going to recalibrate it and what happens
Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
I’m going to ask the first question. Are you raising it for a specific goal or to combat an issue? I only ask because I was taught to not chase ph unless there was an issue. Your tank looks great and healthy. You may not need to “fix”anything. There are a lot of solutions but it is best to tailor them to match your goals.
BluTang85
2500 Club Member
Hello and welcome to reef2reef .
I would stop using buffer and recalibrate your probe, those values does seem right.
My tank use to be in the basement, so I fought ph levels. My success came with Kalkwasser. Now my ph stays between 8.2 during day at 8.1 at night. Also programming your fuge light with reverse lighting will help keep your ph levels stable at night when the lights are off. Best of luck
I would stop using buffer and recalibrate your probe, those values does seem right.
My tank use to be in the basement, so I fought ph levels. My success came with Kalkwasser. Now my ph stays between 8.2 during day at 8.1 at night. Also programming your fuge light with reverse lighting will help keep your ph levels stable at night when the lights are off. Best of luck
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TheWB
2500 Club Member
I would make sure you’re ph probe is calibrated properly before making any adjustments. I just had this same problem with low ph readings and it took three tries before I got it set up correctly. In my case the Hanna checker, a salifert test kit and the apex probe all showed different results. Once the apex was dialed in it went from bouncing around 7.4 to 7.5 and is now pretty steady at 8.0.
emilios_reeftank
Community Member
Yes be careful of bad readers. Mine said my pH was at like 6.9 or something (corals were just fine no problems with the tank). Also I would recommend not to mess around with Alk or Cal to correct pH. I did this one time to save a coral or two and I ended up messing up my whole tank. I would say raising it super slowly over a span of two to three weeks would be totally fine. But I agree with the other guys make sure you recalibrate your readers and even test with a non-electric probe with the old-school chemical test kits.
Mastiffsrule
Where ever you go, there you are, so be nice 2 you
Welcome aboard, nice tank.
There was already great questions and comments already. Agree with other, always start with ensuring testing equipment is correct. Then as mentioned don’t chase numbers, avoid start moving numbers to fast. If it has been working for you for 4 years I would not worry. Before dosing to raise ph, try to get more air into the tank with things like pumpss near surface to break surface tensior, maybe fans in the hood if you don’t have them, maybe an airline to the skimmer.
I think tank looks good
There was already great questions and comments already. Agree with other, always start with ensuring testing equipment is correct. Then as mentioned don’t chase numbers, avoid start moving numbers to fast. If it has been working for you for 4 years I would not worry. Before dosing to raise ph, try to get more air into the tank with things like pumpss near surface to break surface tensior, maybe fans in the hood if you don’t have them, maybe an airline to the skimmer.
I think tank looks good
w2inc
Active Member
My vote is the probe is out of whack. That is the normal shift I see in my tank from day to night. The chance of having a pH under 7.8 that with that DKH (even with a calcium reactor) is something I have never seen. I would pull the ORP probe and put a cheap ($30 on amazon) new calibrated pH probe in its place (or borrow one from a friend) and see if the two agree with each other after a week or so.Here is my readings for last few days
Wait... i can use another pH probe on the ORP BNC!? How did I not think of this!?
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