PH Help

[rmcneill]

rANDY i WAS TOLD YOU CAN hEELP........

I have recently put a CA reactor on my 100 gallon bowfront and added MH lights to my tank which has about 100 lbs of rock in it. One mushroom rock. My ph 7.8 in morning and just aroun 8.o at end of day. What can I do to keep it raised? I have added buffer to get it there and
then it falls again. Yesterday I did 40% water change because I am still getting CA reactor adjusted and my CA was 672PPM. I am getting frustrated .....I have another tank that has croals but only 30 gallon and I seem to have better readings from it. I need some guidance Please..........I want to put the rest of my corals in but am afraid of losing them.... SOme of my rock is turning white and losing the purple and red's......what am I doing wrong???????


Rick

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What is the alkalinity now?

Buffers are not a good option. There is excess CO2 in the water, and the best ways to deal with it are more aeration (possibly requiring fresher air) and limewater.

This article has more details and a test to see if your home air has excess CO2:

Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

 

[rmcneill]

Excess Co2

Excess Co2

Randy

so since I got your reply I have turned on air in two power heads to full and are going to let them run....I don not have a CO2 testing kit....should I get one since I am using a reactor with CO2 , I am bubbling at about 1 bubble every 6 seconds...should I lower this...i am sure I am not using a high CA rate as I only have one mushroom coral there...but I wanted to build coraline on the live rock.....Thanks in advance for any help...

Rick

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, a CO2 test kit for the water is not useful. They way to check for excess CO2 is by pH.

If the alkalinity is too high, I'd back off on the CO2.

 

[rmcneill]

Co2

Co2

Thanks will do

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Good luck.

 

[rmcneill]

PH & Coreline growth

PH & Coreline growth

Randy

I have reduced the Co2 into the reactor and turned on the powerheads as in previous reply. PH
is coming up a little. You indicate limewater....is this a bought item ...is there a way to make this with household chem or will it require a trip to store? Will the reduction of Co2 also help stop the live rock from turing white....and restart the growth of the purple and reds coraline?

Thanks for your guidance

Rick

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Limewater is made by dissolving calcium oxide or hydroxide in fresh water. This article has more:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

 

[rmcneill]

PH and inside air

PH and inside air

Randy I am unsure about my inside air. I have access to medical grade oxygen and wondered if I connected it to the hose from a power head that this might release the excess CO2 better...your the chemist...what are your thoughts???

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Adding O2 won't usefully drive out CO2. It is the excess CO2 that lowers pH, not a lack of O2.

 

[rmcneill]

PH , ALK, DKH

PH , ALK, DKH

Randy

ALK = 3.65
DKH = 10.24
PH 8.02
Temp = 76.4

Been letting air run through powerhead all day. I also purchased inland sea's Kalkwasser Mix ( calcium Hydroxide ) have not Ca today but turned CO2 down to one bubble every 10 seconds and 20 drips per min effluent. Should I let this go a couple of days before I start migrating
from the small 30 gallon tank? How long should it take to start seeing the coraline alge restart growing on the live rock. Any advise on how to use this mix....it appears to be CA supplement and I thought I would not need to do that with a CA reactor?

Thanks in advance for your assistance and guidance. I have learned lots even in the last 24 hours.

Rick

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Any advise on how to use this mix....it appears to be CA supplement and I thought I would not need to do that with a CA reactor?

Limewater supplies calcium and alkalinity, and for many people it is all they need. But if you have a CaCO3/CO2 reactor, that is not why you want it. You want it primarily because it raises pH.

Coralline can take weeks to months to start growing significantly in a new system.

Did you try the aeration test that I recommended? (in a cup of water, not the tank)

 

[rmcneill]

scratch repair with water and fish in tank

scratch repair with water and fish in tank

Thanks for your help....will do....will continue to monitor and adjust...This is acrylic tank and I was going to use a scratch kit and it says ok to do with fish in water but says the acrylic sandings from the repairing of small scratches might pollute the fish and water. Any experiance with this? The tank has actually been up for about 2 years now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, I've never had an acrylic tank.

Does it say what is in it?

 

[rmcneill]

instructions for scratch removal

instructions for scratch removal

These abrasivess can be used on the inside of the tank with water and fish in place. Howeverco ntamination of the water by acrylic particles will occur. This contamination may not be compatiable with your fish.

I am basically using grade 1800,2400,3200,4000,6000,8000 micro mesh wet sandpaper
of a very fine grade using a magnet clearner to sand out the scrathes ( very small I might add )
my kids got some coral in the cleaner and scrathed it in a few places

Rick

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't think the acrylic particulates are a huge concern. It's the abrasive that I'd worry more about.

I know a lot of people have done this, so you might search through old threads.