PH Question

[jordan3548]

My PH is constantly at 8.4-8.5 and cant get it down is that bad or okay to have it that high? My Alk is 11 if that matters

 

[skinz78]

Your Alk seems a bit high too, how do you dose it?

 

[jordan3548]

I dose the 2 part Bionic whats crazy is the directions say dose 30ml everyday for a 120 gallon well I only dose it maybe 3 times a week. I am getting my readings from a digital PH Meter mafe by Milwaukee so I am pretty sure its accurate. My Alk reading is coming just a regular color match thing. All my corals are doing fine but I have lost 2 fish due to unknown reasons all were healthy swimming at night woke up in the morning and they were dead on 2 seperate occasions maybe this could be the cause? Maybe its time for a water change? I due them quarterly every 3 months its not due yet but maybe that will lower it some you think?

 

[skinz78]

I would get a good Alk test kit "I use Salifert" the strips aren't that accurate. I don't worry about PH as much as I do the Alk, they work in similar ways so if your Alk is high your PH is most likely high too.

You don't need to follow the directions on the box of the 2 part, just add what your system demands. The directions are basically just a starting point.

 

[Murfman]

When is the last time you calibrated the pH probe? You should calibrate monthly with 7 and 10 cal fluid. Alk is in the acceptable limits but on the high end. What is your Ca reading?

 

[dakotasreef]

You should figure out your systems consumption of calcium and alk on a daily or weekly basis and dose from there. It is a bit of trial and error, but you will get it. What salt do you use, how many cal/alk demanding creatures do you have in your system?

If you only have sofites and some fish, you might not need to dose. When my system was newer, my alk ran high for a few months.

 

[jordan3548]

My system has been running 2 years. I have a mixture of things in my tank Mainly Zoas and LPS. I use IO salt and have been for 2 years never switched around. My Calcium is 400 and my Mag is 1260. My PH meter is brand new Ive had it a couple weeks. I am in the process of settiing up my Calcium Monitor just bought it its a Pinpoint 2 Monitor so that will help me monitor that on a daily basis. I am just confused because sometimes I read stories where people no matter what they do cant get there PH to 8.0 and here I am at 8.4 with the lights on and 8.5 with them off

 

[cparka23]

It's possible that you're seeing a lack of oxygenation. I'd open a window and vent the room with some fresh air, then check the pH in a few hours to see if there's any effect. If you're running a skimmer under a stand, opening up the doors could help.

EDIT: Actually, I got it backwards. Opening a window to get fresh air in the house will increase aquarium pH when there's a lack of O2 in the room. Sorry for the mistake.

 

[jordan3548]

Could be I have a chiller in my stand and it produces some heat and my AC been broke over the holiday weekend I have someone coming out in a couple hours so Ill let you know what happens tonight when the air is flowing lol

 

[Paul_N]

It's possible that you're seeing a lack of oxygenation. I'd open a window and vent the room with some fresh air, then check the pH in a few hours to see if there's any effect. If you're running a skimmer under a stand, opening up the doors could help.

I always thought when you had a lack of fresh air in your room then the ph drops. That is the issue I always have in the winter.

 

[cparka23]

hmm... I'll have to double check that now. It's likely that I got it backwards, since I've done that a few times.

EDIT: Yep, thanks Paul. Increasing oxygen in the room will increase pH.

CO2 + H2O <--> H+ + HCO3-
Increasing aeration helps remove CO2, which shifts the reaction to the left. [H+] drops, meaning pH increases. The sad thing is that I thought the reaction through and still put it into words incorrectly. :squigglemouth:

 

[jordan3548]

Okay so now I am getting a bit concerned my PH is now 8.7 and the alarm is going off on the unit. Is there anything that could be raising my PH that Im not aware of like food or something??

 

[dakotasreef]

I am in no way trying to insult you , but did you calibrate your ph meter? What is the ph of your top off water? I was just reading an article where someones top off water ph was 8.7 and caused their tank ph to be like yours.

 

[jordan3548]

Yes I calibrated my meter exactly how the instructions say to do it. Havent checked the PH of my Top Off water good point I am gonna check that next time I top off. I am thinking about recalibrating the meter just incase

 

[skinz78]

Have you gotten a good Alk kit yet?

 

[jordan3548]

Not yet wasnt able to get out today my wife worked and I was home alone with the kids 1,3, and 4 not a good idea to take them there by myself lol maybe tomorrow. I have a brand new API test kit I just bought a month ago so it should be pretty accurate (I think) Its the same kit most of our LFS use around here

 

[skinz78]

Ok LOL I hear ya on that one, when I am home with the kids I don't take them out to public places. I don't know how my wife does it, I would go nuts!

I am more worried about your Alk than PH, they work with each other. I never check my ph, just monitor my Alk.

 

[jordan3548]

I am about to test all my parameters right now and see what they say. I am trying to get all digital monitors because its hard to tell what somethings are because all the colors look the same to me now I guess I am getting old

 

[jordan3548]

Salt is a little lower than expected its .1022 I normally run it at .1026 it most have slowly went down during top offs. My Alk is 10 PH is 8.7 but I am gonna recalibrate this thing and see what happens Nitrates,Nitrates,Ammo all=0 Phos do have some but nothing to panic about i have always had slight traces for some reason. Mag is 1280 Calcium is 400

 

[skinz78]

Yeah I would stop adding the Alk for a bit and keep an eye on it till it go's down.