PH and Alk

snake1

snake1

Premium Member
I can't keep my PH up it ranges from 7.68 to 7.94 and when I test my alk I cant get it above The 6.4 to 7.3 ranges I use the two part solution from BRS and two 1.1 dosers controlled with a reef keeper 2 ......my question is the reef keeper 2 has only an option to turn on the pumps at 3 separate times a day and being almost 50ml at each dose total 150ml a day is not enough and the PH raises up to the high range of 7.94 and 8 hours later before the next cycle its 7.68..... So I was looking at the controller last night and it has a PH controller using the probe to turn on and off the controller outlet at a set PH if I chose this method with the alk two part to keep my PH a stable 8.1 to 8.15 will my alk adjust to a set height of like 9 dkh are they balanced .....I'm looking to keep a consistent level the calcium two part is easy to maintain my tank.......thanks
 
I have the skimmer intake tube run outside and a good size fan always running across my sump acting as chiller and help raise the ph
 
And still nothing I don't know why this tank I can't get the PH up I have never had this problem in any of my older tanks
 
I have a 90 gallon total water volume setup....its a 90 gallon display with a 40 breeder sump. Built in refugium. skimmer euro reef recirculate . full of sps and zoas / palys / mushrooms and lps no clams...I use IO reef salt and dose two part.all reverse osmosis filters are up to date . I run gfo. I was dosing across power once a week and red sea reef energy a+ b everyday for a week but now stopped because I want to fix this issue .your help and ideas are appreciated thank you.
 
Perhaps you could drip kalk, given that it has a ph of 12. Also, in my experience, I found that I've had to open up my house from time to time and aim a powerhead to the surface to blow off a lot of co2. Not ideal in 90 degree Florida heat, but my guess is your house has extremely high levels of co2. Turn your air off, fans on and open every window and door to exchange the air in your home for an hour or so.

http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/global-warming-in-my-tank-room/
 
CuzzA said:
Perhaps you could drip kalk, given that it has a ph of 12. Also, in my experience, I found that I've had to open up my house from time to time and aim a powerhead to the surface to blow off a lot of co2. Not ideal in 90 degree Florida heat, but my guess is your house has extremely high levels of co2. Turn your air off, fans on and open every window and door to exchange the air in your home for an hour or so.

http://www.mrsaltwatertank.com/global-warming-in-my-tank-room/
Click to expand...

I have tried that method and I still have a power head towards the surface of the water in the tank.....I have tried the doors open and windows with the fans on high it helped a little during the winter but sorry I work in construction I'm in the sun and heat all day long I need my 75° air when I get home there's no way I'm opening the windows in the heat.....I was recently thinking of using kalkwasser and im doing my research but there are a lotof uunanswered questions Ican't find on the internet....everyone keeps leaning towards the ato method for kalkwasser but if its not strong enough for my tank then I still have to use two part ..that's just more stuff for me to take care of and try to maintain I know some are going to say just go calcium reactor but its a little out of the budget right now unless I can find a nice used setup maybe I would consider it....
 
Have you tested dosers lately, tubing stretches after time, could you put dosers on a reg timer and dose more often, calibrate ph probe?, not sure i would trust controller based on ph.do you run your fuge oppisite of main tank, how many hours and finally how does everything look, sometimes we chase numbers too much.
 
bmullikin1 said:
Have you tested dosers lately, tubing stretches after time, could you put dosers on a reg timer and dose more often, calibrate ph probe?, not sure i would trust controller based on ph.do you run your fuge oppisite of main tank, how many hours and finally how does everything look, sometimes we chase numbers too much.
Click to expand...

I haven't tested the dosers...the probe was recently calibrated ...the fuge is built into my sump so the water always passes through it .....everything looks great just really slow growth and when the tank was up in alk the corals were growing much faster ....the only thing I have done different with this tank then any other is I have a 4" to 6" Bahama oolite sand bed in the display and the fuge has a 1" deep Bahama oolite sand bed with miracle mud and rock rubble and cheato and mangroves ....sorry for misspelled words or bad grammer I'm in an attic right now
 
My experience, don't chase pH, if everything in your tank is happy let it be. My tank used to be low pH but now I'm steadily at 8.1. My guess is everything eventually balanced out over time.

I would consider changing the method of controller, maybe put them on timers instead or possibly switch to a calcium reactor.

Use sodium carbonate for higher pH instead of sodium bicarbonate.
 
Pedro is right on. Dont chase PH. You will go crazy trying to get PH in check. Get you alk right and check your Mag. I found that I could not keep my alk up because my MAg was very low.
 
aguila88psi said:
My experience, don't chase pH, if everything in your tank is happy let it be. My tank used to be low pH but now I'm steadily at 8.1. My guess is everything eventually balanced out over time.

I would consider changing the method of controller, maybe put them on timers instead or possibly switch to a calcium reactor.

Use sodium carbonate for higher pH instead of sodium bicarbonate.
Click to expand...

I use sodium carbonate ....I do agree with just leave it if everything is happy but even if I ignore the PH the alk is still low and growth has not been very much in the last months.
 
Have you run your tank through the calculator to determine what your daily alk needs are?

It could be you just need to dose more than 150ml a day.

If you wanted to top off with kalk it would probably help, but unless you're evaporating a ton I doubt it would keep up on its own if dosing two part doesn't.
 
sirrealism said:
Pedro is right on. Dont chase PH. You will go crazy trying to get PH in check. Get you alk right and check your Mag. I found that I could not keep my alk up because my MAg was very low.
Click to expand...

My mag never changes its always around 1350 and I don't add any extra just water changes
 
anbosu said:
Have you run your tank through the calculator to determine what your daily alk needs are?

It could be you just need to dose more than 150ml a day.

If you wanted to top off with kalk it would probably help, but unless you're evaporating a ton I doubt it would keep up on its own if dosing two part doesn't.
Click to expand...

Where do I use the calculator ....I have used the BRS reef calculator
 
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