My Ph is dropping, how to fix?

[flyhigh123]

My Ph has been in the 8-8.2 range for the past few months. In the last week or two, my ph has started dropping.

The only thing i've done is a water change with older salt. I wonder if that can cause it?

The PH drops down to about 7.8, which is terribly low, but lower than i would like.

I dont have my water chemistry tests, which i should do, but in the meantime any thoughts?

Does the colder weather have anything to do with it?

 

[fjpod]

Chances are your alkalinity is down. You should really check it and possibly fix it with a water change or using an alkalinity additive or baking soda.

 

[flyhigh123]

Chances are your alkalinity is down. You should really check it and possibly fix it with a water change or using an alkalinity additive or baking soda.

that can be true.... i think the salt i used was about 2 years old and was red sea salt.

I will raise it and do another water change this weekend.

 

[vamaro]

+1 alk is off. I use Brightwell's buffer. Works well.

 

[flyhigh123]

should i use a buffer, which i have, or should i use the baking soda?

 

[Lurking]

should i use a buffer, which i have, or should i use the baking soda?

I like using the baking soda

 

[Cymaster007]

You can also use Kalkwasser to raise PH

 

[alanbates12]

How are you testing for it?

 

[flyhigh123]

i have an alk test kit so i will get a good reading from that.

I think the bad salt may have been very low on alk.

 

[aimmia]

I was having the same issue and my LFS recommended open a window or door near the tank would help. Sure enough it did. The LFS said that carbon dioxide builds up in the house from being closed up all the and sucks the ph out of the water. My wife was leaving the house closed up and now with the window near the tank opened for about 4-5 hrs ph is more stable than ever. If not near a window then I would use the buffers.

 

[EllieSuz]

You can also run a piece of tubing from the air intake on your skimmer to outdoor air. Of course, this depends on how close your tank is to an outside wall and other considerations. I'd have to drill through brick to do it, so I haven't tried, but I know it works. In cold climates, it sure beats opening a window.

 

[bullitr]

Soda ash or kalkwasser raise PH and alkalinity

But Check your alkalinity first though

 

[flyhigh123]

just checked my rodi and its reading 100+ yikes.... i've only had the membrane for less then 6 months... is it possible to fail that fast?

i'm topping off about 2 gallons a day, so only could have been 400+ gallons used on my 75gph membrane...

so just ordered a new membrane and a inline tds meter as well. Put a new DI in so its back in check but my RO water is 150+ so looks like the membrane is failing (filmtec)

 

[pciscott]

If your membrane is letting that much TDS through I would suspect that the housing has a crack or it is not seated proper. With TDS this high you are wasting any DI you throw at it and should pick up some RODI at the LFS.

With that said are you measuring the TDS on fresh water as it comes out of the last stage of your filter before it hits your container? Any salt trace from your mixing bin will show super high TDS like 150.

Good luck and if your TDS is that high you should have a Algae Bloom from hell.

 

[flyhigh123]

luckily i have a ATS, so it's been keeping my algae at bay. Is there a special way to seat the ro membrane in the housing? those instructions are never great.

 

[pciscott]

The double O rings seat in the inner middle socket at the inside end, if they are forced in too fast the housing can split on the inside as these are mass produced parts and a new housing is like 4 to 6 bucks. Where were you reading your TDS? Not in your mixing container?

 

[flyhigh123]

Back on the ph, my ph is now 7.6 which is really low. It stabilized at 8 and then dropped quickly in a matter of days.

My dkh is 11.5, alk is 4.11.

Isn't my alk suppose to be low if my ph is low or are they inverted?


Thanks!

 

[bullitr]

Do you use calcium reactor ?
Did you calibrate your probe?
If your alkalinity is that high your ph should be around 8.4!

 

[flyhigh123]

I have another probe. I'm gonna try that and see. It could be the test kit. It's brand new kit unopened, but a few years old.

 

[flyhigh123]

I fixed the PH problem. I found out that my PH probe was sitting in my fuge in a dead zone where the water moved very slowly. I've since moved my ph probe to a high flow area and is now reading 8.11!

OK, so here is a problem. Since i've been adding baking soda the past 2 weeks trying to raise my alk/ph, my alk is now a bit high.

Should I just let the tank run its course with normal water changes?

Thanks!