Daily PH swing/cycle way too high

[blackthunda77]

I tested my ph last night before going to bed and it was almost off the chart, around 9.0, the solution turned purple. this was around 11 pm after the daily light cycle. well this morning i wanted to see what was up so i checked again and it went down to around 8.2-8.3. I dose B-Ionic 2 part but i have trouble getting the alk above 2.5 meq/l when its suposed to be around 5 from what ive read. the calc stays pretty stable at 420-440. the corals and fish are all looking fine, although the sps dont grow much and they are a tad brown. anyone know what i can do to bring the ph lower and keep it more stable, or what might be causing this?

 

[plyr58]

That is weird. Normally, the pH drops at night (I believe) because the Co2 level in the tank increases, which drops pH. Therefore, if your pH was low at night I would suggest a refugium on an opposite light cycle from your DT. I dunno though, I am at a loss. Are your sure your pH test was correct?

 

[Snowboarda42]

What kind of test kit are you using? You might consider buying a pH monitor, and make sure you keep it calibrated.

Also, if you get your alk up, your swings will be minimized since it is a buffer. Don't try to control your pH, its pointless. The only real thing you can do for it would be to open a window, but thats only if its low. Just make sure you've got plenty of surface agitation and use a good brand of test kit to check your pH, or better, buy a meter like I said earlier.

Good luck!

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12393139#post12393139 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Snowboarda42
What kind of test kit are you using? You might consider buying a pH monitor, and make sure you keep it calibrated.

Also, if you get your alk up, your swings will be minimized since it is a buffer. Don't try to control your pH, its pointless. The only real thing you can do for it would be to open a window, but thats only if its low. Just make sure you've got plenty of surface agitation and use a good brand of test kit to check your pH, or better, buy a meter like I said earlier.

Good luck!

i agree especially about trying to control PH is pointless.

also your Alk reading of 2.5meq/l isn't that bad. that converts to 7 dkh which is right at seawater level. 5meq/l is too high IMO (14dkh) if you want to raise your Alk i wouldn't go much above 4meq/l (just over 11dkh)

try this to help you raise your Alk next time http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

 

[blackthunda77]

Ok thanks guys. Maybe i should elaborate. The PH was at its highest when i checked it last night beacuse i checked it at around 11 and my lights go out at about 10:30 so the night cycle just barely began in my tank so the ph didnt drop yet. Also i have a refuge and i run it on reverse light cycle at night. Like i said, this morning the pH was right on the mark around 8.3. Ill check it again today around 6 when i get home, not so late. So shoul di still try to raise the alk to buffer the water to stabilize the PH, did i read that right?

 

[mbbuna]

you can try raising the Alk some and see how the PH responds but i wouldn't worry much about PH (i haven't tested PH in years) try raising the Alk to around 3meq/l or 3.5meq/l

 

[blackthunda77]

Ok, ill test for both today after work, and ill try to raise the alk. Another thing i read was that high pH inhibits the ability to raise alk. is that true?

 

[jimwat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12393401#post12393401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mbbuna
i agree especially about trying to control PH is pointless.

I control my pH. I dose kalk based on the pH being in a certain range, so my pH is always 8.1 +/- .05.

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12393636#post12393636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blackthunda77
Ok, ill test for both today after work, and ill try to raise the alk. Another thing i read was that high pH inhibits the ability to raise alk. is that true?

i havent heard that

 

[ConsultantERP]

I have had high PH issues before. In the Chemistry forum I am ALWAYS told the High PH is likely a testing error, and they ended up being correct . If you are dosing Kalk then you may have added too much. Buffer is a waste, control Ca, Alk, and Mag, and you PH will stay inline. It will lower at night slightly, but a refugium on an opposite light cycle from you main tank can help that. My tank ranges between about 8.12 - 8.32. Thats about 0.2 change, without a refugium, but correct Alk, and Ca levels.

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12393745#post12393745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimwat
I control my pH. I dose kalk based on the pH being in a certain range, so my pH is always 8.1 +/- .05.

what im talking about (and i assume snowboarder also) is people using PH buffers to try and target an ideal PH. all these PH buffers are sodium carbonate and some have borate. the sodium carbonate just displaces CO2 in the water but right after you add it the water try to get back into equilibrium with the surrounding air and your Ph is right back where you started only now your Alk is higher and if your not tracking Alk before long it will be very high.

what your doing with kalk is pretty much the same thing but kalk doesnt add all that much Alk to the tank so you wont have this problem.

you can control PH but your not going to do it with a titration test kit and a jar of PH up.

 

[blackthunda77]

Ok, thanks.....well heres the web page i got some of my info from

http://coralscaping.com/waterparameters.html

and heres the quote towards the bottom of the page

Troubleshooting Tips for Water

1) If you are experiencing trouble maintaining pH check your alkalinity.

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12393636#post12393636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blackthunda77
Another thing i read was that high pH inhibits the ability to raise alk. is that true?

1) If you are experiencing trouble maintaining pH check your alkalinity.

that doesn't say that at all.

a lower Alk will allow the PH to swing more is what the quote above is saying.

give these a read

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

this links all come from here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605

 

[miwoodar]

Don't try to control your pH, its pointless.

+1...my morning pH is often in the 7.6 to 7.7 range and I have even seen it as low as 7.5 a few times. It's running 8.1 to 8.2 at lights out in the evenings. I'm running a calcium reactor and dosing full strength kalk 24/7. The low pH used to freak me out but these days I don't even worry about it. As long as my calc, alk, and mag are fine and my corals look happy and are growing --- everything is fine IMO.


Mbbuna's links are must reads.

 

[hyperfocal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12393745#post12393745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimwat
I control my pH. I dose kalk based on the pH being in a certain range, so my pH is always 8.1 +/- .05.

Interesting. Is your kalk dosing equal to your daily evaporation?

 

[blackthunda77]

ok guys thanks for all the info and help. I guess i interpreted that quote wrong. ill try to raise up my alk alil.

 

[jimwat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12393852#post12393852 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mbbuna
what im talking about (and i assume snowboarder also) is people using PH buffers to try and target an ideal PH.

Ah. No I'm not doing that.

 

[jimwat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12394146#post12394146 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hyperfocal
Interesting. Is your kalk dosing equal to your daily evaporation?

My tank gets around 2 gallons of top-off a day, and my kalk dose accounts for 1 - 1.5 gallons of that.

BTW - By having my kalk tied to my pH, increasing or decreasing the target pH will increase or decrease the amount kalk dosed daily.

 

[Toshas79]

how about your bio load ? Is it high?

 

[blackthunda77]

i have a pair of perculas, a sixline, small cherub angel and two small anthias, oh and a watchman goby, thats all, besides the coral of course......