Newb Ph question

[Fernster]

Hello...long time lurker, first time poster.. this is a great site.
I have a small tank (25G) with just some star polyps and shrooms that I've had for several months without any problems... I'm thinking about putting in some more coral, possibly some frogspawns and more polyps, but I'd like to get my Ph levels at an optimal level first. Right now Ph is at 8, calcium is only about 300 mg/L...(is it mg/L?) and other levels are normal..what can I do to increase my Ph? Is this Kalkwassa thing the way to go?

tnks

 

[jimrawr]

randys two part I think would solve both your problems. The ALK part with baked baking soda will raise your pH, and the calcium part will raise your calcium

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#3

Recipe #1 is for use in reef aquaria whose pH is normal to low. In practice, more reef aquarists end up choosing this recipe than Recipe #2. It will tend to raise pH due to its alkalinity part's elevated pH, as do most of the commercial two-part additives. The increase in pH depends on the aquarium's alkalinity and, of course, on how much is added. Adding on the order of 0.5 meq/L of alkalinity increases the pH by about 0.3 pH units immediately upon its addition (and even higher, locally, before it has a chance to mix throughout the aquarium).

 

[Fernster]

thanks ... will give it a try..!

 

[ionredline0260]

I use seachem PH buffer. Sets my PH to 8.3 with out issues.

 

[drummereef]

I would stay away from buffers for pH. pH of 8 isn't bad. 7.9-8.5 are safe. You will see a fluxuation of pH from day to night. Depressed pH is due to high co2 levels. To raise pH open a window or aerate the water with more flow. I would be more concerned with keeping your alkalinity and calcium up to proper levels and in balance. I use Randy's 2-part additive and it works great. Also adds a little boost in pH when added. Target 400 for calcium and 7-11dkh for alkalinity.

Read these -
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

More great articles here -
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605

 

[zoomfish1]

Why stay away from buffers? They are not beneficial to maintain pH?

 

[JohnnyM2]

Don't focus on buffers because alkalinity and calcium are linked. To maintain proper pH, your system needs to be at equilibrium with both sufficent calcium and carbonate to maintain the equilibrium. pH buffers add carbonate but not calcium and if your tank is deprived of the needed calcium to replace what is being used (by corals-even soft corals, inverts, calcarious (purple) algae, etc. your pH will keep getting out of whack. Instead add a two part calcium/alkalinity additive or dose kalkwasser (or get a calcium reactor) to raise and maintain both calcium and carbonate to the levels recommended by drummereef.

 

[bertoni]

Buffers are just high-pH alkalinity supplements, so adding them to control pH usually leads to too much alkalinity. The SeaChem Marine Buffer is actually a borate alkalinity supplement, and is detrimental to reefs since the borate alkalinity cannot be used by corals for their skeletons, and makes carbonate alkalinity hard to determine.

 

[Fernster]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I think I will give randy's two part thing a try first. Currently I'm not testing for alkalinity but I guess I will have to. Just your standard test kit will do???

 

[WaterKeeper]

Hi Fernster
[welcome]
Your getting some good advise here and making your own buffers will save dollars over time. Another option, explained in Randy's article How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme (also linked above) is the use of KW, lime water. It is simple to make and add. It also costs very little and adds both calcium and alkalinity back into the tank's water. For a small tank one can manually mix it into the top-off water. See What Your Grandmother Never
Told You About Lime for the complete story on its makeup and use.

 

[bertoni]

I've used the Salifert and FasTest alkalinity kits. They both are fine, although I thought the Salifert was easier to use.