Really high pH

[FleeVT]

Yesterday pH was at 8.65. I use a pH monitor and then tested using Hagen High Range pH test to confirm. I've been fighting the pH battle for a few weeks now. Posted a similar thread in the Newbie forum and got the advice I expected. Do a big water change, bring it down slowly using methods from Randy's article in RK. I'm at a loss for why my pH is so high. I do not dose anything; I top off with RODI.

SG 1.026
Temp 80.1
pH 8.6
ALK 2.8
Calcium 400
Ammonia 0
Trates 0
Trites 0

I change 10-15% per week. For the last week and a half I've used vinegar, seltzer water, and baking soda to keep pH under 8.6. Trying to find root cause here.

To make water I fill up a 32g Brute with RODI (tests 0 TDS). Circulate that for a few days with a big Quite One pump. Water is about 90 degrees at this point. Then I add Reef Crystals salt and mix for another day or two. Stop the pump, wait for temp to come down to 78-80 then perform the water change. pH usually goes to about 8.4 for a few days then inches back towards 8.6 and higher. Anytyhing wrong with this process? Is it possible something in my tank is driving pH high?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ReefWreak]

wow. I envy you! I wish I could bring my pH up from the high 7s... If you want to raise it a bit, try sticking an airpump and airstone on the tank just to aerate the water. The CO2 level in your house should depress the pH, effectively lowering it. I wonder how your pH even gets/stays that high....

When is the last time you calibrated your pH probe?

 

[jeffbrig]

That seems very strange....it shouldn't be possible to maintain 8.65 at that alkalinty level unless you're using a high pH additive to elevate it further. What do you currently use as supplements?

 

[FleeVT]

Resubmitted post, sent too early.

Jeff, only supplementing things to keep pH down under 8.6. Usually use seltzer, but have used vinegar and baking soda.

Eric, I plan on calibrating this weekend. But Hagen is showing really high pH as well.

I'm using Hagen ALK test, can you all suggest something better?

 

[racermike27]

That does seem strange. I would do like Eric said and check your probe.

My pH is usually around 8.2-8.3 until recently when I calibrated my probe. Now it is 8.1-8.25 or there about. So my probe was reading a bit higher. This may be the case for you as well.

HTH,

Mike

 

[jeffbrig]

How long has this tank been running? Do you have any artificial rocks? What's you water source and/or salt mix?

If you're tank hopping, I'd be happy to test your water this weekend. Just bring a small amount with you.

 

[FleeVT]

Tank has been running for a little over 2 months. Live rock was picked up from a local member so there was virtually no cycle. Come to think of it, there is one unusually shaped rock that may be artificial. I may remove that one for a while and see if things change.
Water is obtained from a Typhoon III, same age as tank, then Reef Crystals is added.
I am still trying to fit in tank hopping on Sunday. I appreciate the offer!

 

[Young Frankenstein]

Re: Really high pH

You can read some more here
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1268577For the last week and a half I've used vinegar, seltzer water, and baking soda to keep pH under
Baking soda will raise your PH

 

[gasman059]

quick question?

ALK is dkh or?

 

[Young Frankenstein]

What probe are you using ?

 

[ReefWreak]

I have to ask, but was the pH bothering anything? Fish swimming weird, breathing heavy, corals not doing well, etc?

The reason I ask is, the pH probe in my sump reads 7.9, my calcium reactor without co2 read 8.05, and they're very different readings. And I don't care. As long as everything in the tank is doing well, so what? For a calcium reactor, or a tank that has an inherant problem that you can't tie to anything but the pH, I would say you should fix it. But if that's not it, then there's no big problem, as far as I see it, with having a parameter out of line. Either it'll come down to the normal level, or something is weird with the system and it won't.

Who knows. I've always got a CO2 bottle and regulator on hand... Wonder if you can just use a regular old airstone for administering CO2?

 

[FleeVT]

Agios, thanks for the thread. Excellent read and explained a lot of what may be going on in my tank. I think I may have missed the parts in Randy's article outlining the "long term effect" of baking soda. While it definitely lowered pH initially in my tank, it may be to blame for my current levels. Probe came with a "Digital pH and Temp Meter" from "Reef Fanatic". Rogger had posted a special for it a month or so ago and I picked one up. It checked out, as I recalibrated this evening.

Gasman, ALK measure was in meq/L. I have am converting from ppm which is what the Hagen test reports in. So, I was getting reading of ~120ppm, but today was over 200ppm. I think some of the buffering agent (Baking Soda) may not have all mixed initially. Anyway, LFS said that was way to high so I performed a 40% water change this evening. I'm hoping this will solve my issues. I'm going to watch pH and ALK for the next few days and may report to you all for guidance. I'm not overly optimistic as I have done the water change thing before, but perhaps the Baking Soda was my problem...

Eric, I was/am concerned that if I just wait out this pH issue it will hit 8.7 and beyond, wrecking havoc on my meager (but cherished) start at a reef. I'm going to see how the next few days go before I consider a free-flowing CO2 regulator to maintain pH.

Funny how this stuff feels a lot like engineering...