pH over 8.6

Aeb1419

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Hey. Used my hannah checker todya and got a blinking reading of 8.6. I usually have a reading of 8.1. I started putting kalwasser in my ATO but I put a minor amount. My ATO holds about 2.5 gallons and I put 1/4 of a teaspoon of kalkwasser. I dilted the ATO now.

Everything looks super fine. I started dosing about 4 weeks ago and this is the forst reading I did. I was worried with all my corals that cal and alk would start dropping.

Should I be concerned? Do I need to do a water change? Again everything looks fine

image.jpg
 

Garf

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Hey. Used my hannah checker todya and got a blinking reading of 8.6. I usually have a reading of 8.1. I started putting kalwasser in my ATO but I put a minor amount. My ATO holds about 2.5 gallons and I put 1/4 of a teaspoon of kalkwasser. I dilted the ATO now.

Everything looks super fine. I started dosing about 4 weeks ago and this is the forst reading I did. I was worried with all my corals that cal and alk would start dropping.

Should I be concerned? Do I need to do a water change? Again everything looks fine

image.jpg
All is good as long as your Alk hasn’t gone through the roof. Have you calibrated your meter?
 

Pistondog

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Retest with the other vial, wipe before both checks in colorimeter.
Put vial in same orientation each time using 10ml text at line
 
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Aeb1419

Aeb1419

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Read it again just now using the 2nd vial and I got 8.5. My night time blues are on so not sure if that had anything to do with it.

Is this still too high?

Gonna read Alk soon
 

Pistondog

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Read it again just now using the 2nd vial and I got 8.5. My night time blues are on so not sure if that had anything to do with it.

Is this still too high?

Gonna read Alk soon
Let us know what your alk test results
 

Reef Rhino

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I wouldn't worry about the reading you are getting. I recently bought a Hanna Checker for PH and then learned it has a +/- Accuracy of .2. I bought it for a Fish only and Frag tank that have no monitor. My Reef tank Tank PH monitor says 8.3 and Hanna checker PH tester just blinks and blinks at 8.6.

I don't think this particular Hanna checker is very accurate, although I do like their Alkalinity and ULR Phosphate checkers.
 

Miami Reef

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I jut purchased this same Hannah checker and I’m getting a blinking 8.6 PH result. Tested twice. Same thing.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I think those are most likely not real values.

Getting the pH to 8.5 or above generally only happens with dosing a lot of high pH alk additives (especially hydroxide) and/or having poor aeration.

Here is a copy and paste from one of my articles:

Considerations Prior to Solving pH Problems

The following sections provide specific advice on how to go about solving a high pH problem. The advice can also be used to adjust the pH levels closer to natural values even if they are already within the "acceptable" range described above, but are still not as low as desired. Before embarking on a pH altering strategy, however, here are some general concerns.

Make sure that there really is a pH problem. Many apparent pH problems are really measurement problems rather than real aquarium problems. This issue seems to be especially common when the aquarist is using pH test kits, rather than electronic measurement with a pH meter, but all methods can and do go wrong. Avoid turning a good situation into a bad one simply because a pH meter was not properly calibrated. Also, when not adding limewater or other high-pH additives, a pH reading above pH 8.5 is most likely an error.

Consequently, be sure to verify the pH reading before taking any but the most benign measures. Here are several articles that are worth reading on pH measurement to help ensure that the readings you are seeing are accurate
 

ceaver

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I just started getting the blinking 8.6 on my relatively new Hanna ph checker as well. Tested 3 times, all blinking 8.6. I do use kalk in my ATO, but very weak (1/2 tsp per gallon).

I mixed up some Tropic Marin pro reef salt to do a water change and tested it with the checker: 8.5. Should TM salt have a pH that high?

I'm beginning to think the reagent could go bad quickly after opening, which seems to really be a problem with their alk checker...
 

Miami Reef

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I just started getting the blinking 8.6 on my relatively new Hanna ph checker as well. Tested 3 times, all blinking 8.6. I do use kalk in my ATO, but very weak (1/2 tsp per gallon).

I mixed up some Tropic Marin pro reef salt to do a water change and tested it with the checker: 8.5. Should TM salt have a pH that high?

I'm beginning to think the reagent could go bad quickly after opening, which seems to really be a problem with their alk checker...
That PH checker is GARBAGE!

I called Hannah and the representative said a PH above 8.6 will show as a blinking 8.6 number. That is simply not true 99% of the time.

I purchased the PH pen probe (from Hannah). After a 2 point calibration I have a reading of 8.0-8.1
 

fryman

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Hey. Used my hannah checker todya and got a blinking reading of 8.6. I usually have a reading of 8.1. I started putting kalwasser in my ATO but I put a minor amount. My ATO holds about 2.5 gallons and I put 1/4 of a teaspoon of kalkwasser. I dilted the ATO now.

Everything looks super fine. I started dosing about 4 weeks ago and this is the forst reading I did. I was worried with all my corals that cal and alk would start dropping.

Should I be concerned? Do I need to do a water change? Again everything looks fine

image.jpg
I've seen the same thing. It's probably wrong.

When I cross checked using a calibrated electrode-type pH meter I get more reasonable readings around 8.3. I'm sorry to say it but I think the Hanna pH checker (the calorimeter type, HI780) is no good. I like several other hanna checkers. I think the main issue is the test method, so I just don't trust calorimeter pH testers. Hanna also has electrode-style pH meters that I expect are fine.
 
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ceaver

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As an update, I received a legit Milwaukee ph meter today (mw-122 pro+ I believe). Calibrated it and measured my pH: 8.03. Sounds believable.

Then immediately measured using the Hanna checker: 8.6. Not a blinking 8.6, just 8.6. Not believable. That's all I get anymore with the checker. At first, I got varied, believable readings with it, but now it's only 8.6

Based on these observations, I am forced to conclude that their liquid pH reagent must degrade quickly once opened, resulting in higher readings. This is a known issue with their alk reagent as well. Bummer. And heads up for everyone out there considering one...
 

Eldritch_blast

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As an update, I received a legit Milwaukee ph meter today (mw-122 pro+ I believe). Calibrated it and measured my pH: 8.03. Sounds believable.

Then immediately measured using the Hanna checker: 8.6. Not a blinking 8.6, just 8.6. Not believable. That's all I get anymore with the checker. At first, I got varied, believable readings with it, but now it's only 8.6

Based on these observations, I am forced to conclude that their liquid pH reagent must degrade quickly once opened, resulting in higher readings. This is a known issue with their alk reagent as well. Bummer. And heads up for everyone out there considering one...
I too was surprised today to see an 8.6 in my PH. I have a seneye monitor reading 8.1. My slide expires in two days, so I was wondering in my seneye was the one amiss. My reagent bottle with the Hanna checker is less than 60 days old.
Pretty disappointing I don’t really have a backup on hand at the moment to check against both of these but will probably grab something while out today.
 

ceaver

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I too was surprised today to see an 8.6 in my PH. I have a seneye monitor reading 8.1. My slide expires in two days, so I was wondering in my seneye was the one amiss. My reagent bottle with the Hanna checker is less than 60 days old.
Pretty disappointing I don’t really have a backup on hand at the moment to check against both of these but will probably grab something while out today.
My Hanna reagent seemed to go bad within in a matter of weeks, so I'd guess that's what happened for you as well.
 

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