Raise pH without Raising Alkalinity

[twentyleagues]

How? Magic?

I thought I read that claim is bunk somewhere too. But was unsure as I am not a chemist, nor do I pretend to be.

 

[coralboi56]

I think your meter is playing games with you. You not got a crappy API pH liquid test kit?

The only reason I think it’s accurate is because

A. I calibrated it, and after calibration (just using it normally), it reads the calibration solutions fairly accurately

B. Corals that should be growing fast haven’t grown at all or EXTREMELY slowly in the past 4 months (my Stylophora hasn’t grown or shown indication of a single new branch and red cap Monti barely has visible growth from when I got him for example). And the rest of my parameters are perfect. It’s a logical reason that my corals wouldn’t be growing (besides something like copper or arsenic in the tank)

 

[Garf]

I thought I read that claim is bunk somewhere too. But was unsure as I am not a chemist, nor do I pretend to be.

They all increase Alkalinity. Probably not the best idea as the OPs is already north of 11.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Update: RODI reads around 9 ish, but freshly mixed salt water reads at 6.4

Ro/di cannot be correctly read with a pH meter, and the pH 6.4 is 100% test error.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The only reason I think it’s accurate is because

A. I calibrated it, and after calibration (just using it normally), it reads the calibration solutions fairly accurately

B. Corals that should be growing fast haven’t grown at all or EXTREMELY slowly in the past 4 months (my Stylophora hasn’t grown or shown indication of a single new branch and red cap Monti barely has visible growth from when I got him for example). And the rest of my parameters are perfect. It’s a logical reason that my corals wouldn’t be growing (besides something like copper or arsenic in the tank)

Rock, coral skeletons and sand would all dissolve at pH 6.4.

 

[coralboi56]

Rock, coral skeletons and sand would all dissolve at pH 6.4.

Do you have a pH meter you prefer?

 

[Manpeckz]

Hanna checkers are on sale a lot of places right now

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you have a pH meter you prefer?

Nope. Most are ok with proper calibration.differences relate mostly to think like how often you need to recalibrate, etc.