high pH an issue?

[surfnvb7]

I've been doing saturated kalk in my auto top off water for about a year now.

And for a little bit over a year, my acros have not been happy at all (just acros). I have eliminated all possibilities of pests and other issues.

I always notice that my pH is reading around 8.55 to 8.65, sometimes even 8.7. (pH probe on my aquacontroller that has been properly calibrated)

I've almost completely lost all of my acros now, and other corals seemed to stopped growing completely.

Just wondering if that pH is too high, and could be causing things to be not so happy.

Any ideas on how to get it down, and keep it down? I was almost thinking about going back to dosing 2-part.

 

[Percula9]

What is the alkalinity of the water? I would stop dosing kalk until pH comes down a little. A pH above 8.5 is not good. What is the calcium level? Try and get pH down to 8.3 range.

 

[tmz]

When the corals are not well, they will not likely be calcifying leaving the calcium and alkalinity provided by the limewater unused contributing to higher ph. You ph numbers if correct (not testing error) would also likely lead to precipitation of calcium carbonate with accompanying ph and lakalinity swings. What are your alkalinity and calcium levels ?

Have you checked your phosphate and nitrate and are you confident of your measures? At high levels either or both of these can inhibit cacification

 

[surfnvb7]

i can't keep up my alk or calcium to tell you the truth. i try to keep the alk up to 9, but it always comes down to 7 in about a week or two.

i thought the calcium was staying up for a while around 410, but last i checked that also came down to about 330 and I had to bump that up.

but yes, I have had lots of alk swings, but i thought that was mostly due to the kalk not being able to keep up during the winter since there is less evaporation.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Which salt mix are you using for water changes? If you are using a low calcium mix, then you should supplement the calcium in your water change salt mix.

Higher pH levels would be caused by too much alk supplement (kalk or baked baking soda). With your alk & calcium levels where they are at, I would look at your pH control being affected by electrical interference. Possibly you may have a bad alk. test kit, particularly if it is over one year old (this includes the time it may have set on a stores shelf).