Out of Control...I need you Randy!!

C

commwire

New member
Hi Randy,

Hope all is well with you and yours and I hope you had a great holiday season. BTW, Your new tank is beautiful!. That is the same /canopycabinet that I was looking at at BRI...if and when the time comes. :)

Now on to the problem. I have been using the limewater for about a year now and things are getting out of control. My PH was swinging way to much. (I have a PH moniter) This is what prompted me to use the lime water in the first place. Back then without dosing the PH would get down to about 7.8 and up during the day to about 8.4. I was using the Bionic 2 part system at the time. Always's had a lighted refugium 24-7. Chaeto is going great thanks to your advice on the iron supplement. But currently, because of the limewater dosing (I only dose at night to keep the PH stable)/and the photosynthesis in the day the Ph gets way to high. By 3:00 in the afternoon it is up to 8.9. (fortunately, I haven't had any snow storms). I have to blow into the skimmer airline tubing to get it down. (I have a Deltec MCE600). Now I tested magnesium and it was only about 1100. So I have been using ESV Mag. to get it back up. Currently, it is about 1200. The alk was 6.3 dkh So I have been using ESV part 2 of the system to help get that back up. Currently, it is about 8.0 dkh. Calcium was tested an it is currently 425. Still a little low. I will start the part one of the ESV to get it back up. I am going to test the PH probe if I can find where I put the cal flu..:) BTW, Phosphate is >.03

Coral look better than ever...but I think this is do to the upgrade in the skimmer. I went from a Remora Pro to The Deltec. Big difference.

I have the skimmer and the windows on either side of the aquarium open....What should I do at this point???

TIA,

Carmen
 
A pH of 8.9 sounds suspicious. How are you measuring pH? How recently did you calibrate the pH meter? What brand fluid?

You are still dosing only at night? How much limewater? How low is the AM pH now?


These articles may help:

High pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.htm

Measuring pH with a Meter
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2004/chem.htm

A Comparison of pH Calibration Buffers
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/rhf/index.htm



Your new tank is beautiful!.

Thanks. :)
 
Hi Randy,

To answer your questions; I use a reef fanatic PH monitor and probe. And I haven't calibrated it in awhile. I will do that next week. I had been using the Pinpoint brand but I will read the article to see what fluids are best.

Yes, I still only dose at night. I use a 5 gallon bucket with 5 tablespoons of Kalk. (Mrs. Wages pickling lime). I make it fresh every 4 or 5 days. (I have two buckets. I for the day with fresh RO-DI water and I with the Kalk which is used at night)

It about 6:00AM (just got up) here as I write this and the PH is 8:07. But I didn't drip last night. I just used the Part 1 and 2 of the Bionic before I went to sleep last night to see what happened. If I had of dripped last night the PH would have been about 8.2. Just so you know the PH meter at about 4:00PM yesterday was reading 8.72. I useda little carbonated water to get it that low.

I am going to read all of the articles and then calibrate the probe/meter. I will let you know the outcome.

Thanks so much!! Don't know what we'd do without you!! :)


Carmen
 
The Pinpoint brand of calibration fluid should be fine.

More aeration will help reduce the dailiy pH swing, as will higher alkalinity. :)

Good luck. :)
 
Randy I have got a good skimmer (Deltec) with the venturi. No top on the aquarium. It is open with power heads pointed up. There is lots of surface movement. Windows near tank open all the time. The only additional thing I can do is add another airstone/ or venturi pump to the to the sump.

Now that we have discuessed it I think the problem is the probe.. We'll see after I test it.

C
 
I would look at the proble. My wife called me at work one time (I'm often away from home for a week or more) telling me that the PH was 8.9 and above. No way I thought, just can't see it. When I got home, I cleaned the probe (Vineger) and calibrated - 8.3. Check the probe.
 
With perfect aeration (and no timed addition of additives), there will be little to no pH swing day to night. So almost by definition, if there is a big pH swing, there is not enough aeration. The only caveat is that if the CO2 level in your home changes substantially day to night (by being around breathing), that may drive a pH change.
 
Update!!!

Update!!!

Well heres an update...I found my calibration fluid (Pinpoint 4 and 7 and after calibration the PH on my tank is holding steady at 8.44. Now thats much better. I started a slow limewater drip and will drip 24/7 to try to avoid the swing.

Thanks Randy!!

Carmen
 
Glad to be of help.

When it comes time to purchase new calibration flud, I would use the 10 as opposed to the 4. It will give a more accurate reading on the high end. The 4 is more for fresh stuff.
 
Hi Bandshaw,

Well I am glad you told me. I just placed an order with marine depot. for the 4/7. So I will have to call them. Ph. went really low last night 7.77. I dosed the Kalk all through the night. I probably need to add more Kalk to the solution. All this chemisty stuff is working my last nerve :). And when I was in college I thougt I would never ever use this stuff and look at me now :). Who would have thought!

Carmen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Alkalinity/Calcium Balance
Replies
1
Views
285
griss
griss
griss
pH - Thought I'd Share This
Replies
4
Views
440
Dustin07
D
J
Calcium very elevated
Replies
3
Views
640
jcarlilesiu
J
BuckeyeFish
24g mixed reef dosing
Replies
3
Views
582
CHSUB
CHSUB
griss
High pH / Low Alk
Replies
6
Views
627
griss
griss
Back
Top