PH Problems

[jbrunken]

Hey all,

I'm having a serious problem keeping the PH up in my tank. No ammount of buffer seems to have any lasting effect at all, and my PH seems to swing between 7.8 at night and 8.1 in the day.

Everything I've read says that my PH should be around 8.2 - 8.4 and nothing I do gets it close to that for more than a day.

I have calibrated my PH probe several times and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

My dkH is about 8 and my calcium is at about 400.

Any suggestions?

I've got the makings for a DIY calcium reactor but I'm hesitant to start using in for fear that it will lower my PH even further.

-JB

 

[got2lb]

do you dose kalk at all? That should def. raise your ph

 

[jbrunken]

No, I've been kinda scared to dose Kalk as I've heard a few horror stories about it. Is it fairly fool proof?

Maybe I should try and turn my DIY Calcium Reactor into a Kalk reactor instead...

-JB

 

[jtesdall]

I was having a similar problem and dosing Kalk and Randy's two part fixed it for me. I have a small load currently, grow coral groww! I haven't had any problems for over three months. I added it very slowly over about two weeks to get it fixed. Now I stay about 8.4 day and 8.2 at night.

 

[jbrunken]

So what is the trick to adding it without a reactor? My total system volume is around 200G. How much should I add on a regular basis.

I've been using Randy's two part for my Calc/Alk too and it works like a champ. I still need to find some MagFlake though for the magnesium part...

-JB

 

[leeweber85]

Probably just a CO2 build up from running the air conditioning. 7.8 is perfectly fine, it would be best to stabalize it, but I don't think you have to worry about that small of a swing.

Do you light your sump/fuge on a reverse photo period? Also, bumping your Alk up to about 10dkh may help too.

Lee

 

[jbrunken]

Yep, My fuge lights come on when my halides go off.

-JB

 

[jtesdall]

I just let some settle in a gallon jar for a day or so and then dose to my sump. About 60 ml's a day if I remember right for about 80 gallons then. I was going to setup my system to replace evaporation with Kalk, but I don't have a high enough load yet. Then I am going to use a small rubbermaid, pump and float.

 

[waverz]

I agree with Lee, having your house closed up definitely causes low PH from the CO2 buildup. I think as long as it doesn't swing too drastically over a short period of time anything over 7.6 is adequate.

Ill even quote Bob Rolling on this one.
"I stopped chasing my PH years ago"

 

[Coralfreak]

Personally, I wouldnt get to concerned over it, its not a huge swing and shouldnt cause any problems, mine runs about the same. Dripping some limewater in at night would definitely help.

 

[got2lb]

Here you go JB, this is exactly how I do mine. Except the only difference is I use gallon milk jugs instead of the little aquafina water bottles.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/nftt/index.php

 

[waverz]

You really do this every night? Man thats dedication.....

 

[got2lb]

Hadn't been for a while, just started keeping on top of it again the last week or so. Really only takes about 2 min. I have 4 jugs premixed. I grab the one that's been sitting there the longest and use that to drip that night, and I mix up another one and move it to the back of the line of jugs. I hook the oldest one up to the tubing and BAM done!

 

[lllosingit]

If it's possible run your air intake from your skimmer to an outside air source.
Haven't tried it myself but have read many times that others have seen positive results.

 

[leeweber85]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10315547#post10315547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lllosingit
If it's possible run your air intake from your skimmer to an outside air source.
Haven't tried it myself but have read many times that others have seen positive results.

I thought about doing that. I bought 50ft of hose and tried blowing air thru it.... it took everything I had just to push air thru it. I don't think it would draw enough air for a skimmer unless you hooked it up to some sort of pump.