mneville277
New member
So I have read all of the threads here, all of the linked articles - to the point my brain hurts, but I am no closer to a solution.
My pH will not come up and has been low for two weeks now. Now I know the common rule is don't worry about pH if alkalinity and calcium are good, but my pH will not come up above 7.72 (measured with API and verified with calibrated probes) and dips to 7.4 prior to the lights coming on. Alk is 12 dKH, calcium at 480ppm and have been for the same time period with no significant fluctuation.
I have not dosed since the numbers started creeping up, and have done 20% water changes every 48 hours in the hopes that it would correct itself, as the most prevalent advise goes. Alkalinity and calcium have not moved at all. Dropped an air stone in a sample to see if it comes up from excess CO2, but no change. Opened the window directly next to it in case the house has excess CO2 - solid at 7.72.
6 month old 20g long tank, SG - 1.023, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates all at 0, 78 degrees, 50x turnover with lots of surface agitation, no changes to the tank recently other than the addition of an RKL and using IO Reef salt. Tank houses softies and LPS, one birdsnest, one 6-line wrasse and a handful of dwarf ceriths. All livestock are doing really well with the exception of my leather which closed up as the numbers went wonky and hasn't opened since, but other corals are showing visible growth from day to day, no visible signs of stress from the wrasse. I do run carbon and dual Current USA Orbits (got a deal...).
So do I leave it provided alk and calcium remain high or is there a way to fix it? Don't want to chemically chase pH and invite those issues. Can anyone give a non-scientific, non- formula-heavy, explain it to me like I'm 5 kind of answer?
My pH will not come up and has been low for two weeks now. Now I know the common rule is don't worry about pH if alkalinity and calcium are good, but my pH will not come up above 7.72 (measured with API and verified with calibrated probes) and dips to 7.4 prior to the lights coming on. Alk is 12 dKH, calcium at 480ppm and have been for the same time period with no significant fluctuation.
I have not dosed since the numbers started creeping up, and have done 20% water changes every 48 hours in the hopes that it would correct itself, as the most prevalent advise goes. Alkalinity and calcium have not moved at all. Dropped an air stone in a sample to see if it comes up from excess CO2, but no change. Opened the window directly next to it in case the house has excess CO2 - solid at 7.72.
6 month old 20g long tank, SG - 1.023, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates all at 0, 78 degrees, 50x turnover with lots of surface agitation, no changes to the tank recently other than the addition of an RKL and using IO Reef salt. Tank houses softies and LPS, one birdsnest, one 6-line wrasse and a handful of dwarf ceriths. All livestock are doing really well with the exception of my leather which closed up as the numbers went wonky and hasn't opened since, but other corals are showing visible growth from day to day, no visible signs of stress from the wrasse. I do run carbon and dual Current USA Orbits (got a deal...).
So do I leave it provided alk and calcium remain high or is there a way to fix it? Don't want to chemically chase pH and invite those issues. Can anyone give a non-scientific, non- formula-heavy, explain it to me like I'm 5 kind of answer?
