Low PH, High ALK

L

Lizard333

Premium Member
I have a newly set up NanoCube 24 DX that has now been set up for 4 days. I used marine pro reef salt, and distilled water for the initial setup. I have 22 pounds of Fiji live rock and a 4 inch deep sand bed of agranit ( don't think I spelled that right, but you know what I mean), I plan on having jawfish. The PH has been 7.8 and the ALK was high. I tried the Kent Marine super buffer on Sunday, and my readings on the PH are still at 7.8 after the buffer, and looks as though the ALK has gone even higher!!!!!!

What should I be doing. I do not know what I am doing wrong. Is there something I can use to lower my ALK but increase my PH to where it should be. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.:)
 
I am using the salifiert test kit for ALK. Using the kit correctly I guess. When I added the two drops to the 4 mil of water, it took 2 1/2 syringe full of the dosing liquid, the clear stuff, to get the blue tint to change to orange. And Yes, I did do it about 2-3 drops at a time. I don't know what to do.......
 
I tried the Kent Marine super buffer on Sunday, and my readings on the PH are still at 7.8 after the buffer, and looks as though the ALK has gone even higher!!!!!!

And that is exactly what is expected. Buffers are never a suitable way to raise pH when the alkalinity is normal. All they do is boost alkalinity.

The pH is low because of excess CO2 in the tank. That may be due to excess CO2 in your home air, or just the tank. The best ways to raise ph are to provide more aeration with fresh air, or use limewater.

This article has more info:

Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
 
So What should I do in the meanwhile?? Should I dose with limewater or just let my tank continue with it's cycle? This is my first saltwater tank and I am a little more worried than I would probably normally be. Thanks.
 
The article describes the options. :)

I personally choose to dose limewater to supply the tank with calcium and alkalinity, and if you also will do so, then starting it now is perfect. :)
 
I used to have problems with my pH being around 7.8-7.9, until I started only using my protein skimmer once a week (every Sunday). I haven't had any problems at all, everything is great, not a speck of algae, pH is 8.2 with additions of kalkwasser every night.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6912991#post6912991 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by VaderWS6
I used to have problems with my pH being around 7.8-7.9, until I started only using my protein skimmer once a week (every Sunday).
Click to expand...

How did using the skimmer once a week instead of constantly change the PH? How was using your skimmer every day keeping your PH low?
 
Can I use the picking product to dose with or do I have to buy the expensive products out there. I only have a 24 gallon nanocube dx and do not think that i will be using a skimmer. The fission skimmer does not look like a viable solution at this time. If someone knows of a better skimmer, than maybey I will look into skimming.
 
Dosing with the limewater product, was what I meant to say. I would like some advise on how much of the limewater I should dose. I do not want to screw this up. Thanks again.
 
Thank you for the links. I wish I had a way to save those links so I could reference them later. I have read your article once before a couple of months ago, while I was in the planning stages, but I could not find the article again. I new that I could use the pickling lime, I just didn't know how much. Thank you for all of your help. You are saving me a lot of money buy not going out and trying to buy the expensive remedies. I have found a DIY kalk doser that involves an air pump and a couple of hoses so I am going to try that out tonight. Thanks again for all of your help. I am sure that I am going to be needing your help again in the future.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6915348#post6915348 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
I do not know if it is the case here, but if he has excess CO2 in his home air, less aeration can actually raise the pH.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't that be considered a very extreme case? What is the probability of that being the case? Honest question not trying to nit pick because I'm having a low PH problem in one of my tanks and am searching for answers.
 
Thank you for all of your help

You're welcome. :)

Thank you for the links. I wish I had a way to save those links so I could reference them later.

This thread with the links will stay here for as long as RC is around, and all my articles are listed here:

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

Wouldn't that be considered a very extreme case? What is the probability of that being the case?

I don't think so. There are two sorts of issues here.

One is like mine, where the tank runs high in pH due to limewater. If I reduce aeration, the pH rises.

The second set are folks with significantly elevated CO2 in their home air. A not insignificant percentage (half, maybe) of people with low pH that do my aeration test with indoor air actually find the pH drops during aeration with a cup of tank water. The same would presumably happen with the whole tank.

however, i do not recommend cutting back on aeration to raise pH. Removing the excess CO2 in otehr ways (open windows, limewater, etc) are much better, IMO.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6916976#post6916976 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Thank you for all of your help

I don't think so. There are two sorts of issues here.

One is like mine, where the tank runs high in pH due to limewater. If I reduce aeration, the pH rises.

The second set are folks with significantly elevated CO2 in their home air. A not insignificant percentage (half, maybe) of people with low pH that do my aeration test with indoor air actually find the pH drops during aeration with a cup of tank water. The same would presumably happen with the whole tank.
Click to expand...

I'm dripping saturated kalk in a 75 at about 1gal/day in a lightly loaded SPS tank, about 18 frags and 5 small colonies. My PH rises to about 8 without any additions during the day and falls to around 7.7 at night. I've tried the indoor and outdoor aeration tests with no change in PH. My ALK drops like a rock and I add baked baking soda every day to maintain it around 10 and it also raises my PH to around 8.3 but it falls continuously during the day until it reaches 8-8.1. I do not run a calk reactor but have been trying two part ESV to bring my alk and calk back on line, calk runs between 340 and 380 and I can't get it higher. I used an entire 947ml bottle of the calc part ESV in a week and a half and never got higher than 380 and it didn't stay there long. I find it hard to believe that with the two part in large amounts and the kalk that I can't keep up with the calc and alk demands of the tank and that the PH stays so low. Highs here have been in the mid 70's for about a month so my windows stay open all day with ceiling fans running in every room so it appears co2 is not the problem. Multiple problems here that may be connected and very little hair left to pull out but I'm steady pulling.:D Please include the miracle pill that solves all my problems in your 40,001 post.
 
I've tried the indoor and outdoor aeration tests with no change in PH.

If the pH is 7.7 and the alkalinity normal or higher, and you do an outdoor aeration test with adequate aeration, the pH will rise. If it does not, then there is either an alkalinity or pH measurement error.
 
All right, your advice about the possibility of two much CO2 in my house is a correct guess. I aerated the water with a stone for about 2 hours and the PH went up to 8.2 like it was supposed too. With that, I put an airstone in the tank and added some cheato to help remove the CO2 as well. I left the light on the fuge all night. First thing this morning the PH was at 8.2 like it was supposed to. My question is what should I do to keep this from happening??? Will dosing with the limewater be sufficient enough to keep my PH where it should be?? If so, how will this effect my ALK? I have not check it today, but as of yesterday it was off the charts. Will the increase in PH lower my ALK to safe levels so that I can start dosing with limewater and have everybody be happy??? Thank you so much for all of your help.
 
Limewater is a very good way to soak up excess CO2. You can't know if it is a sufficient treatment without trying it, but it always helps and frequently is adequate. Limewater will not typically push alkalinity and calcium too high unless it is too high to start with. Demand rises as pH rises, so that offsets the additions.

I'd start it, even with alkalinity high now, and see what happens over a week or so.
 
Allright, I will trust you. My LFS last night had me try this method, they did not want me start dosing with kalk with my ALK so high. They new who are and trusted any advice that you give. Is any brand of kalk that is better than others?? I can not get a hold of lime at the grocery store. I think the LFS have banded together to stop grocery stores out here from carying it. Thanks
 
I do not have a preferred brand of lime. Any food grade lime is probably OK. The article above describes different grades and what some brands claim to meet. :)
 
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