High alk low ph?

mityoak

New member
Hi Randy and everyone else.
I have a problem ,my ph has dropped to an average of 8.14 with my cal at410 and alk 12.4dkh.I have stopped my alk additives to allow the alk to drop to a better range,but the Ph is my main concern.Randy I have read your article and done the co test but the Ph only slightly shifted to 8.2 .I have arriated the water more and recalibrated my monitor but no help .Also have been using lime water which gives me a temporary raise but then falls again.What am I missing?thanks Jim
 
8.14 is not a bad pH at all.

However:
To drive CO2 out of tank, first make sure that room gets fresh air from ouside, remove tank's cover (if any), and increase water surface agitation by pointing powerhead slightly upward.

Addition of lime helps to drive CO2 levels down, so dripping it to replace evaporated water would work nicely.

Grow some macro algae with 24/7 fuge lighting or on a reverse schedule from your main tank.

Cheers,

hth
 
I wouldn't do anything with a pH around 8.1. That seems fine to me. The action point, IMO, is about pH 8.0 or below, and especially for pH 7.8 or below. :)
 
Thanks Guys,Iwas concerned for my Xenia who look a little short and the polyp hands are uneven some long some short,I read that they do better in higher ph.The rest of the tank looks great.
I do have a fuge with lots of macro ,thanks again Jim
 
I do not know if that common Xenia statement is really true, but you can raise the pH if you want to using limewater every day. :)
 
continueing low ph problem

continueing low ph problem

Ok the search was off so I could not continue my previous thread.My ph is now at 8.0 over night and only rising to 8.09 during the day .I am pumping outside air into the sump as well as into the skimmers I have a fan circulating the air in the room ,calcium is 400 and alk is 10dkh(down from 12)I have been using outside air for two days now .I have two ph monitors running and both are low but the color test kits read in the proper range of 8.2-8.3.I have re calibrated both meters and check the fluid as well .I have read Randys article from top to bottom and just cant figure this out,HELP please .very frustrating ,Jim
 
I'll attach it to your previous thread. :)

A range of 8.0 to 8.1 is fine, IMO.

As you begin to need alkalinity supplements going forward, if you use limewater (best bet) or a high ph two part system (like B-ionic or my DIY Recipe #1), those will boost pH further. :)
 
thanks Randy ,I have been dosing kalc and befor that was using Bionic but as I mentioned it was rasing my alk high and I guess im afraid of being on this rollercoaster of add then dont add,or is that normal?It just seemed funny because as I read your article everything seemed to coralate with the AC being turned on .my ph values were always 8.2-8.3 with a minimal night to day shift.So the co2 thing seemed to make sense although I do have a large refugium with a hord of macro growth.
Also as I would add the B-ionic my leather coral would close then re-open the next day ,is that normal for leathers and high alk levels?thanks again Jim
 
Were you adding the material near the leather? Did it happen every tome, or just a few times? leathers frequently close up for short periods, and it is often hard to know why.
 
yes partially near the leather but in a heavy flow area.I generally dont dump it in the same spot ,rather a little in each of the returns.I did dose last night and sure enough my PH rose to 8.15 but the leather is closed,I do have several leathers the one mentioned is the large one in the pic.reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/1188591newjpg
 
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