PH 7.6-7.8 and cant get higher

[SeptorsReef]

Ok, so I've read a billion topics about not chasing Ph and so forth, but what about just trying to get it up from the start. My tank is four months old now and the lights have been off while I did the BRS tank cycle recommendations. I really want to be successful on this go and I've gone all out attempting to achieve this goal. I started with Dry rock and dry sand (trying not to get aptasia and other pest), with the Microbacter dry cycle kit. The lights are just now being turned on, with acclimation mode (Radion XR30 G6 x2). Filtration is fleece roller, Octo 150int skimmer, refugium with Chato just starting and the Apex Gro light. I'm running Ozone, w/ Poseidon 200 and the Avast Mutiny ozone reactor. I am set up for kalkwasser, but wasn't planning to run that until my tank gets corals and I start using up alk a little, which will then be using the Avast kalk reactor and DOS doser. I have been keeping up with 10% weekly water changes (20% instant by hand after cycle was completed), via Apex DOS. On the skimmer, I use a Co2 scrubber and on the ozone I use a Co2 scrubber, along with a desiccant air dryer. Aqua 25w UV at 500gph on left return and right return is matching at 500 gph with no UV.

My tanks Ph stays around 7.7 and only on a few occasions has it went to 8.0, using the Apex probe. I just tested Ph with my Red Sea test kit and got a 7.6 (apex reading 7.79)... I have everything in an enclosed fish room, along with the tank (built into the wall). I also have an automatic vent to keep the air moving, for heat and humidity, along with central air plumbed into the room. I mean.... what else can I do? I live in the country... open floors and kids keep the dang doors flinging, so I constantly have air flowing through here. We live in N. Louisiana. Do I start dosing kalk without any coral in the tank? I don't want to raise my Alk but maybe a point from 9.0 to 10.0 dkh. I have no idea why the Trident is reading 5.36 dkh, but I have a meeting scheduled with them on Wednesday. I'm at a loss. I just added 4 clowns, 3 pajama cardinals and a cleaner shrimp three days ago.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

120g display corner tank
Alk: 9.0 dkh (apex Trident reads 5.36, even after calibration)
Ca: 370
Mg: 1262
No3: 5.4
Po4: 0.0
No2: 0.0
Nh3/Mh4: 0.0

 

[Hemmbone20]

Unrelated to your question.. (sorry) but I can’t help but share a piece of advice I learned recently… I regret running my filter roller from the beginning while cycling my tank. Nutrients have been bottomed out and I’ve dosed a ton of PO4 to keep it up. Now I’m dealing with Dinos. Just a friendly warning to watch those phosphates!!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Try this aeration test.
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/
The Aeration Test

Some of the possible causes of low pH listed above require an effort to diagnose. Problems 3 and 4 are quite common, and here is a way to distinguish them. Remove a cup of tank water and measure its pH. Then aerate it for an hour with an airstone using outside air. Its pH should rise if it is unusually low for the measured alkalinity (Figure 2). Then repeat the same experiment on a new cup of water using inside air. If its pH also rises, then the aquarium’s pH will rise simply with more aeration because it is only the aquarium that contains excess carbon dioxide. If the pH does not rise in the cup (or rises very little) when aerating with indoor air, then that air likely contains excess CO2, and more aeration with that same air will not solve the low pH problem (although aeration with fresher air should). Be careful implementing this test if the outside aeration test results in a large temperature change (more than 5°C or 10°F), because such changes alone impact pH measurements.

 

[SeptorsReef]

Unrelated to your question.. (sorry) but I can’t help but share a piece of advice I learned recently… I regret running my filter roller from the beginning while cycling my tank. Nutrients have been bottomed out and I’ve dosed a ton of PO4 to keep it up. Now I’m dealing with Dinos. Just a friendly warning to watch those phosphates!!!

Thanks for the comment. I’ve been struggling with this debate as well. Thinking about overfeeding my tank to keep
Everyone fat and to keep my nutrients up. Just started with the heavy feeding and fish, so I’m just watching this second cycle and hoping it’s not going to be that drastic. After that, I may pull the fleece for now

 

[rishma]

Nice looking set up. Do the aeration test as Randy suggested and see where your pH gets to. If your alkalinity is 9dkh your pH may very well get over 8.3 when fully aerated.

 

[SeptorsReef]

Try this aeration test.
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/
The Aeration Test

Some of the possible causes of low pH listed above require an effort to diagnose. Problems 3 and 4 are quite common, and here is a way to distinguish them. Remove a cup of tank water and measure its pH. Then aerate it for an hour with an airstone using outside air. Its pH should rise if it is unusually low for the measured alkalinity (Figure 2). Then repeat the same experiment on a new cup of water using inside air. If its pH also rises, then the aquarium’s pH will rise simply with more aeration because it is only the aquarium that contains excess carbon dioxide. If the pH does not rise in the cup (or rises very little) when aerating with indoor air, then that air likely contains excess CO2, and more aeration with that same air will not solve the low pH problem (although aeration with fresher air should). Be careful implementing this test if the outside aeration test results in a large temperature change (more than 5°C or 10°F), because such changes alone impact pH measurements.

Wow, so simple of a test and I didn't even think about that. I will definitely perform these steps and see where it goes, thanks!

 

[Hemmbone20]

Thanks for the comment. I’ve been struggling with this debate as well. Thinking about overfeeding my tank to keep
Everyone fat and to keep my nutrients up. Just started with the heavy feeding and fish, so I’m just watching this second cycle and hoping it’s not going to be that drastic. After that, I may pull the fleece for now

I was just excited to use my new equipment, so I ran the roller mat and skimmer from the beginning, but was dosing nitrates and phosphates the whole time.
Even now, 4 cap fulls of neophos is being consumed everyday. Even overfeeding isn’t keeping up. Next tank I set up I’ll probably add the filtration stuff later on. Actually welcome the initial algae blooms and let my CUC feast on it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Even now, 4 cap fulls of neophos is being consumed everyday. Even overfeeding isn’t keeping up. Next tank I set up I’ll probably add the filtration stuff later on. Actually welcome the initial algae blooms and let my CUC feast on it.

I recommend food grade sodium phosphate for phosphate dosing. It is less expensive, can be made more concentrated, and carries a purity guarantee that the hobby product lacks.

 

[Hemmbone20]

I recommend food grade sodium phosphate for phosphate dosing. It is less expensive, can be made more concentrated, and carries a purity guarantee that the hobby product lacks.

Is trisodium phosphate the same thing? That’s all I’m seeing on Amazon

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is trisodium phosphate the same thing? That’s all I’m seeing on Amazon

Trisodium phosphate is one of several related forms that are good choices. Mono and di sodium forms are also OK.

The only common one that I'd avoid is sodium tripolyphosphate. It too may be OK, but is not well detected by kits until it breaks down.

 

[xabo]

Maybe a coincidence...........I had a couple of MP40s lying around and decided to put them on the sump to keep the detritus and fine sand particles suspended so the the skimmer could get it. I one in the compartment where the tank water dumps and one in the return pump compartment.

I've noticed that my PH stays steady from a high of 8.3 and a low of 8.0. The tank is in-wall in the same room as the furnace and washer/dryer. It's winter here so keeping the windows open is a no go.

Like I said, may just be a coincidence.