Extremely high pH

[2dawghouse]

Maybe someone can help me here. My pH is round 9.0-9.2, and yes thats accurate by my (recalibrated) pH probe, pH test kit and LFS. I put a kalk reactor online 2 WEEKS ago and the first day my pH went nuts. I took it offline that day and continued with my 2 part dosing regeim (but not currently dosing alk). My cal is 420 and alk is 10dkh. But my pH wont come down. I have done major water changes over the two week period and the pH comes back to normal for bout 6 hours then goes right back into the 9's. Im guessing there is a chemical reaction happening in my tank somewhere. So Im running carbon but to no avail. Everything is alive and doing ok, not happy but ok. I dont know what to do or why its so high?

 

[rwb500]

a good read:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.php#7

 

[MagicReefer]

Well if your LFS says its high and liquid tests say its high then I wouldnt think your probe was wrong. My first thought was stray current but that would only effect your probe. Liquid kits would prove that theory wrong. So, since you know for sure your PH is high and water changes are not helping, I would stop dosing any alkaline chemicals as they will raise your PH. Your two part dosing might be the problem. I would start with letting it run with no dosing for a few days after a water change to see if it drops.

How are the rest of the water parameters?

 

[disc1]

Which 2-part alk recipe are you using? The Sodium Carbonate or Sodium Bicarbonate? (Recipe 1 or 2?)

 

[mroccoralman]

Its a wild try but some people say that letting your stand air out releases co2 and can make your ph go down its worth a shot.

 

[disc1]

Releasing CO2 makes pH go up. This thread we're going the other way I think.

 

[Crypsis]

How long has the tank been running? Are you using homemade rock or added a bunch of frag plugs recently? How much water have you changed out since the problem started? Are you using RODI for water changes?

 

[polywise]

disc1 -- thinking you are way off on the co2 comment. It is used tp lower PH in reaction chamber of calcium reactors.

 

[Crypsis]

I have to agree with disc1. mroccoralman has it backwards. We're not talking about ca reactors, we're trying to figure out why the tanks ph won't come down.

 

[hello_there]

Have you tried dosing vinegar?
[edit: sorry I didn't notice the last post was from 2 days ago]

Also: releasing CO2 makes PH go up, however keeping it dissolved in the system makes it go down.

*Amateur Advice Warning* Dosing Iron could also help. It's also benefits respiration in corals and bacteria, which can help raise your CO2 levels. (also CO2 is different from pure Carbonate (CO3+) in that it doesn't bind to other ions like Calcium, Magnesium, and Strontium as easily)

 

[hello_there]

ignore the part about iron actually that was most likely misinformation

 

[mic209]

Is your tank cloudy? Wouldn't PH that high precipitate CA out of solution.