PH Crash Emergency Help Please

[BillyOz]

I've crashed my PH in a Gal total volume of tank. I think I need to restore this very slowly in order to save whats left. Hopeful of not losing everything. I'm correcting the problem with sodium Bicarbonate. Does any one know what the correct daily dose could be. Is there another convent way to restore this problem. Tank has been stable for over 1yr. If there is another method of doing this please let me know. Thanks Billy

 

[chaderic26]

What are you testing your ph with?What's your alkalinity at?

 

[BillyOz]

meter was never replaced. this was an accidental vinegar dose. Using an aquarium systems Ph test. Individual powder packets dkh is 12. I've stopped my Kalk drip. Should I continue or not??? Really at a loss HELP!!!!!!

 

[chaderic26]

I would stop dosing anything and do water changes until every thing got back in line. With one gallon of water it shouldn't take you long. lol.

 

[BillyOz]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Ph had dropped off the scale I've been working on it a couple of days and finally achieved 7.9. Shouldn't be long now. Hope I haven't lost much

 

[Lytehouse]

I would stop dosing anything and do water changes until every thing got back in line. With one gallon of water it shouldn't take you long. lol.

Sure sounds like solid advise to me. How often are you doing the water changes and how much are they?

 

[chaderic26]

It's not that I don't have confidence in your reefing skills. That's what I would do in that situation. You can't always add chemicals to fix problems. Sometimes you have to fix it the old fashioned way. Carrying buckets.

 

[BillyOz]

Thanks for the reply. I'm only doing 7 Gal water changes. There is approximately 80 Gal volume.
I think I should increase to maybe 15 to 20 gal or do you think this would be to sudden???

 

[chaderic26]

In a 80 gallon tank you should probably do a larger water change if something is really screwed up in your chemistry. I would bump it up to 20 gallons to make a difference.

You might invest is some quality test kits to keep tabs on your parameters too.
Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium

 

[BillyOz]

The problem is being over come slowly. Yes water changes with the Ph bumped up a little. It cleared last night and it appears I haven't lost any thing yet.(hate to lose any)

I've had a continued low Ph problem with this aquarium. I'm finding it hard to maintain a Ph any higher than 7.9. The system usually runs a CA of 450 + and a dKH 10-12 MG is 1350-1500.
NO3 0. What would be a good choice for raising the Ph to the upper end of the range around 8.2??

System has been running 16 months +. Has approx. 160-180 lbs live rock.

Fish 2-damsels small
1-1 1/2" clown Maroon
1-Large Rose LTA
3-emerald crabs med (if they survived)
3-Chromis med to small
2-Dove Snails
Misc blue leg crabs and Snails
Corals I've lost track of See the pic. Soft, LPS, SPS(total Mix)
That is a very old pic I'll have to update

Lighting 4x54 T5's
sump 15 gal

25 lbs live sand

I'm dripping Kalk 2 Gal mix w/3 ml distilled vinegar 2 tbs kalk
Evaporation is approx 1/2 gal +- Daily

Hope this helps you suggestion would be appriciated

 

[chaderic26]

Opening a window now and then will help raise your ph by lowering co2 levels in the room the tank is in. We can't do that all the time with the cold weather so I dose kalk in the winter to keep it up.

 

[chaderic26]

Read up before you dose it though. It is very caustic and can cause ph to swing if you dose too much.

 

[BillyOz]

You mentioned that Ph will raise with kalk dose. I've been dripping kalk to maintain CA and KH. I just cant seem to get the Ph right. (always Low) I read something about crushed coral helping to stabilize although my last experience with that was not pleasant. That's been a few years back but I didn't have the PH problem either is this a possible solution??

 

[soonerpuffer]

may be the vinegar is contributing the PH drop. Try to do Kalk without vinegar

 

[BillyOz]

That's a consideration I'll think about. I thought the kalk solution would be enough to off set the slight concentration of vinegar???

 

[chaderic26]

How much vinegar are you putting with your kalk?

 

[BillyOz]

CA consumption down from month prior?

CA consumption down from month prior?

I dose 3 ml vinegar in 2 gal of water and add 6 tsp of kalk. From a discussion with the lfs and a water test it was found that my CA is 500+. I didn't think this would be to high. I've stopped the kalk drip until I get the water back within parameters. I'm thinking. Water changes have resolved the issue. Along with the addition of super buffer. I couldn't find a new Ph test kit today and after pricing meters I think I'll see about replacing the batteries in the one I have.
With my CA getting that high I'll cut the vinegar all together and resume with the standard 2 tsp to a gal of water. Why would my CA consumption go Down??

 

[chaderic26]

I would get a magnesium test kit. Dosing a lot of kalk has a tendency to drop your magnesium when you dose it regularly. At least in my experience.

This can cause problems with chemistry. Get your mag straightend out and stop dosing kalk until your calcium drops down where you want it. Any kind of "super buffer" is unnecessary. Plain baking soda or baked baking soda is fine.

Once your calcium alk and mag are all in line you can work out your consumption again.

Good Luck.

 

[BillyOz]

Everything appears to be headed the right way. Slowly but it's moving. Certainly agree with you chaderic the lfs recommended the "super buffer" and I happened to have some of the old stuff setting around. I also have a gallon of sodium bicarbonate from bulkreefsuply. And by the way I do check my Mag every month or so. Thanks for everyones input. Any other thoughts and comments are welcome