Ok I have about had it with my PH problems

[jordan3548]

Since I bought a Ph meter a couple weeks ago at night its 8.5 when the lights are on its 8.7 I bought the meter because Ive been concerned lately because Ive noticed im losing some zoas and stuff here and there and I never have. Now 1 of my SPS is receding quite quickly and I think its in direct relation with my PH being so high. I tried adding a little lemon juice and it lowered to 8.4 but it went right back up and I dont want to keep doing that and shock everything in my tank due to PH swings. My questions are:

If I buy a doser is there something I can dose to maintain a proper PH?

Is there another piece of equipment built specificaly for this?

My tank parameters are all ok except this but I will list them below

Salinity .1024
Ammo,Nitrate,Nitrate=0
Mag-1280
PH 8.7
Alk.10-11
Calcium 400
Phos-0

Please help me on this I have lost some pretty killer zoas here lately and its #%$$&^% me off lol:sad:

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

You could bubble CO2 into your tank. An Aquariumplants.com regulator and a tank would do the trick and it would be just a few hundred dollars. CO2 fillups are relatively cheap once you have the equiptment. You can always get a cheaper regulator but I recommend that one because its digital and is totally set and forget. CO2 will form carbonic acid in your water which will lower your pH. Add as much as you need :) You could start adding a small amount of CO2 and gradually increase until it keeps your ph consistently where you want it.

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

Oh and def calibrate you pH monitor regularly if you don't already using the two calibrations solutions, one high one low

 

[jordan3548]

Mine only came with the PH7.01 do I need a different kind of fluid also?

 

[jordan3548]

Holy crap the Co2 setup looks incredibly complicated shoudl I buy just a complete set up ready to go or part my own system together? Or do I just need the regulator and tank?

 

[Bandomo]

Try lowering you ALK to 8-9, I'm sure that would help bring your PH to around the 8.2 range

 

[jordan3548]

How do I go about lowering my Alk? I have a 125 gallon tank and just did a 25 gallon water change and it did nothing lol. I hate to sound like a newbie because I am not I am just not use to having these particular probelms so I've never done much research on them.

 

[jcom]

Try lowering you ALK to 8-9, I'm sure that would help bring your PH to around the 8.2 range

+1

What are you dosing to keep your Alk at 10 - 11? Just slowly back of that a hair.

 

[jordan3548]

Well I was dosing B Ionic 2 part but have stopped for about a week and a half now

 

[jcom]

Wow, what was your Alk at before you stopped dosing?

 

[jordan3548]

It was pretty close to the same 11

 

[thewackyreefer]

Wow, what salt are you using?

 

[jordan3548]

Regular IO for the last 5 years I am about to switch to Reef Crystals

 

[Alpha Aquaculture]

Does your tank have a lid that is tightly closed? Is your sump and under area completely sealed in a cabinet? Do you run a protien skimmer? Have you tried to aerate your water with an air pump and airstone? You should have enough CO2 in your house air to drive your pH lower but you need to aerate your water to absorb more of this CO2. I would get two calibration solutions for your pH monitor. Check your local or online reef retailer for these products. For CO2 dosing you need is a tank, regulator, and some 1/4" airline tubing.

You can read more here:
High pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[nixer]

how much surface agitation do you have?
also if your alk is high it will be harder to lower your ph, which is what you saw with the lemon juice.

 

[Murfman]

Mine only came with the PH7.01 do I need a different kind of fluid also?

I calibrate mine with 7 and 10 solution. On my Ca reactor, I use 7 and 4. You can buy single use pkts or bottles of the stuff.

 

[jordan3548]

Does your tank have a lid that is tightly closed? Is your sump and under area completely sealed in a cabinet? Do you run a protien skimmer? Have you tried to aerate your water with an air pump and airstone? You should have enough CO2 in your house air to drive your pH lower but you need to aerate your water to absorb more of this CO2. I would get two calibration solutions for your pH monitor. Check your local or online reef retailer for these products. For CO2 dosing you need is a tank, regulator, and some 1/4" airline tubing.

You can read more here:
High pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

My tank is pretty open on the top the stand is open in the back but I have a chiller in there to could that be the problem? As far as water agitation I have 2 koralia 4's that are sorta pointed slightly up but thats probably not enough I will go buy a air pump for that. For some reason ever since I added the chiller I have noticed problems is it possible the that the heat generated from it could be causing an issue within the stand with my sump? Sorry for all the questions this one just has me sorta stumped lol. But I am definetely buying the Co2 setup that should help me alot

 

[jordan3548]

By the way thanks for the link that was a great read and I definetely understand PH alot better now lol

 

[nixer]

My tank is pretty open on the top the stand is open in the back but I have a chiller in there to could that be the problem? As far as water agitation I have 2 koralia 4's that are sorta pointed slightly up but thats probably not enough I will go buy a air pump for that. For some reason ever since I added the chiller I have noticed problems is it possible the that the heat generated from it could be causing an issue within the stand with my sump? Sorry for all the questions this one just has me sorta stumped lol. But I am definetely buying the Co2 setup that should help me alot

the warmer the air the less dense oxygen in that air.

 

[MaLi]

... before you go and invest in CO2 equipment try lowering your Alk to around 8 dKH and see what your pH does (assuming you trust calibration).

... also check Alk for freshly made saltwater. You may have a batch of salt conditioned too much.

cheers,
MaLi