ph spike

[SPotter]

Not sure what happened but at about 4:00 a.m. my ph went from 8.15 to 8.7 :headwally: After looking at my kalk stirrer it looks like I am down about 1/4 gallon from the stirrer. I checked my graphs and the pumps were not turned on or left on. So far everything in the tank looks ok. So should I try lowering the ph with vinegar, water changes, do nothing and let it come back down on its own? Thoughts and words of encouragement will be greatly appreciated.

 

[HighlandReefer]

What's the pH at now?

 

[SPotter]

8.68. I recalibrated my ph probe and tested with a regular kit.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Read Randy's article before taking any further steps, "What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium?":

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.php

From Randy's Article:

"The following important points should help in dealing with a limewater overdose:

1. Don't panic! These overdoses do not usually cause a tank to crash.

2. The primary concern is pH. If the pH is 8.6 or lower, you need not do anything. If the pH is above 8.6, then reducing the pH is the priority. Direct addition of vinegar or soda water is a good way to accomplish this goal. Either one mL of distilled white vinegar, or six mL of soda water, per gallon of tank water will give an initial pH drop of about 0.3 pH units. Add either to a high flow area that is away from organisms (e.g., a sump).

3. Do not bother to measure calcium or alkalinity while the tank is cloudy. The solid calcium carbonate particles will dissolve in an alkalinity test, and all of the carbonate in them will be counted as if it were in solution and part of "alkalinity." The same may happen to some extent with calcium tests. Wait until the water clears, and at that point, alkalinity is more likely to be low than high. Calcium will likely be mostly unchanged.

4. The particles themselves will typically settle out and disappear from view over a period of 1-4 days. They do not appear to cause long term detrimental effects to tank organisms.

5. Water changes are not necessarily beneficial or needed in response to a limewater overdose."

 

[HighlandReefer]

The Nutrient Dynamics of Coral Reefs (by Chris Jury):
Part IV, The Sky Above
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/cj/index.php

From this article:

"Also, the pH on most coral reefs (especially in shallow areas such as reef flats) is usually not constant over a 24-hour period. In fact, the pH on a reef flat may vary from less than 8.0 to more than 8.6 within 24 hours with no significant deleterious effects on the animals. Sometimes it is stressed that all water parameters in a reef aquarium must be kept very stable to have success. If this were true about pH (and many other parameters), then nature would be failing miserably at growing reef organisms. Reef animals can easily tolerate a daily pH fluctuation. The reason for the fluctuation in pH on reefs, just as in reef aquariums, is that during the day the rapid consumption of CO2 by photosynthesis reduces its concentration faster than it can diffuse into the water from the atmosphere, while at night community respiration with no consumption due to photosynthesis raises the amount of CO2 in the water faster than it can diffuse out to the atmosphere. Calcification also continues at night in corals, though at about one-half to one-third its daytime rate. This is significant because calcification produces about 0.8 mol CO2 for every mol CaCO3 deposited."

 

[HighlandReefer]

FWIW you are very close to what Randy considers the safe line of 8.6 and have not had a precipitation event (snow storm). Waiting may be ok as well.

 

[SPotter]

Thanks Cliff!!!! I was actually just reading Randy's arcticle. I cant believe that I havent book marked the link on my laptop yet.

 

[HighlandReefer]

You're welcome.

I'm surprised you did not have a snow storm event. Perhas your mag level is high and this helped offset this.

 

[SPotter]

FWIW you are very close to what Randy considers the safe line of 8.6 and have not had a precipitation event (snow storm). Waiting may be ok as well.

There's a slight cloudiness to the water....I figure my total water volume to be about 50g so maybe I will put in 25ml of vinegar and see how it is at the end of the day. At the same time, I think I am going to toss the kalk reactor to the curb....its been nothing but problems for me.

 

[SPotter]

You're welcome.

I'm surprised you did not have a snow storm event. Perhas your mag level is high and this helped offset this.

I do keep my mg on the higher end around 1550 so that could definitely explain the lack of cloudiness.

I'm setting up a 280g dt with 80g frag and I am thinking it might be time to switch over to a Ca reactor. What do you use on your system cliff?

 

[HighlandReefer]

With a good skimmer, the precipitants should be removed if slight, fairly quickly. If not running a filter bag will help remove them. You may experience a slight drop in alk, but right now you can't run an alk test until the water column clears. The precipitants will dissolve in an alk test and give you a false high reading.

 

[HighlandReefer]

I run kalk water with an adjustable dosing pump like Randy. A Reef-Filler dosing pump that you can adjust your drip rate.

http://www.championlighting.com/home.php?cat=1113

 

[SPotter]

Ive never seen one of those. so you just draw from a reservoir where you have your kalk? do you also use 2 part?

Steve

 

[MHG]

Are you using an apex? I get my spike at the same time almost every day and that happens to be the same time as my ATO Reservior relay kicks open. It is interference

 

[HighlandReefer]

Yes, I mix my kalk water in a 55 gallon drum and you draw from that. The Reef-Fillers can pump quite a distance. Actually I use over saturated kalk water with vinegar. 3 teaspoons of kalk per gallon with 45 ml vinegar which maitnains my alk level. I don't have a real high demand tank. A calcium reactor works well for high demand sps tanks, but will lower your pH do to the CO2 being constantly added.

 

[HighlandReefer]

I don't use an Apex, just the adjustable dosing pump. Could be electrical interference.

 

[SPotter]

Are you using an apex? I get my spike at the same time almost every day and that happens to be the same time as my ATO Reservior relay kicks open. It is interference

I am using an apex and I have a soleniod valve on the kalk.

Steve

 

[tmz]

I'd suspect some interference and be sure before adjusting any thing dosing wise.

I use a still reservoir ,similar to Cliff's set up with a litermeter 3 peristaltic pump in lieu of the diapharam pump( Reef Filler) he and Randy use. Either pump provides a way a preset amount evenly over 24 hours . The liter meter breaks the amount of dose you set it for into 150 increments over the 24 hour period.

 

[SPotter]

Thanks for everyones help. Ph is down to 8.20. I dosed 25ml of vinegar this morning and just got home. Water is clear and corals look good...some look better than normal. I will definitely be looking at changing my dosing equipment for the 280g build Im working on right now.

Steve