Serious PH problems-HELP!

ItsMee

ItsMee

Premium Member
Premium Member
I am using a just calibrated Hannah PH pen to test my PH:

after a steady kalk drip of about 1 and a half drips per second (2 tsps kalk per gallon) at night, the drip was still going steadily this morning when I checked my PH. My PH is 7.6-7.7! What the?!?! Its now 11:15 (i left the kalk dripping) and the PH is still the same. How can this be and what can I do about it? I thought that it was supposed to keep my ph in line? (75 gallon tank w/ 20 sump.)
 
I would stop the kalk drip and get another tester to make sure before restarting. A drip rate of 1.5 per sec. should be spiking your ph pretty good. Have you checked the KH, alk, nitrate? Post all of the params, it will make helping much easier. A 1 drop per sec. rate is usually on the fast end to keep from spiking the ph, so either the tester is wrong, or you have something else out of wack.
 
well we have had condensation on all our windows to the point of causing a constant battle with mold. The house is so air-tight that our heaters barely even come on in the winter (gets really cold here). The PH pen is brand new and corectly calibrated. Im going to crack all the windows, turn up the heat and see if it kills two birds with one-one being mold, the other being low PH.
 
Have you LFS test your pH. Saturated Kalk's pH is around 12, by all means your pH should be raising. My first guess would be (as previously stated ) bad tester.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6506915#post6506915 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TekCat
Have you LFS test your pH. Saturated Kalk's pH is around 12, by all means your pH should be raising. My first guess would be (as previously stated ) bad tester.
Click to expand...


My liquid test kit states 7.8
 
How long does a gallon take to drip at a rate of a drop per second?

Also...last kalk mix only settled 8 hours instead of the usual 24....could this have something to do with it?
 
I can't remember which thread I read it in, but...

People have noticed Ph issues in the winter time with "tight" houses. For the life of me I can't remember all the details, but I know getting some fresh air into the house help.
 
It's probably a stupid question, but I have to ask it.

You are taking the PH readings during the daylight period of the tank right? Lights have been on for a couple of hours?

It's just that your readings are very consistant with what I would get from my tank when the lights have been off.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6508886#post6508886 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lamorak

It's just that your readings are very consistant with what I would get from my tank when the lights have been off.
Click to expand...

this morning when I checked my PH. My PH is 7.6-7.7! What the?!?! Its now 11:15 (i left the kalk dripping) and the PH is still the same.
Click to expand...
 
I asked the lighting question because I reverse light my tank. So if I were telling folks that I took measurements in the morning, my tank would be dark. I just needed to clarify for my backwards self :)


I'm assuming that all the PH readings were taken during your normal tank lighting period. It's pretty weird that your PH hasn't moved at all with the increase in ALK. It makes me lean toward the excessive CO2 issue. I'm no expert on CO2 characteristics, but if CO2 is one of those things that tend to drop to the lowest physical location, I guess it would all eventually make its way to the basement.
 
Ok, test valid.. it's out of the way! CO2 theory is most likely. Do you have lid on your tank? If so, remove it. Open windows, to bring fresh air, but go easy on the heater... If you have gas heater (which is most likely), it burns propane and one of the end results is CO2 gas. I am not an expert on heaters, but could there be a leak of CO2 from it?
 
Itsmee,

My tank has been 7.9 or lower every time I have tested it. Being low is not necessarily bad. Mine ranges between 7.75 to 7.9. The change in pH is what you do not want. If your Alk is at 9.8 dKH then I would not worry about it as long as the pH is steady and your critters appear to be happy.

I freaked out the first time I checked my pH with a pinpoint pH monitor because it was 7.8 and everyone said it should be around 8.2. I spent weeks trying to figure out how get it up with no luck. No CO2 problems no alk problems etc..

Then I talked to different people and found out that some tanks have a chronic low pH problem and that it is not necessarily a bad thing.

The one thing I do is be extra careful about acclimating anything that goes into my tank.

I do not think 1.5 drops per second would spike the pH at all in a system your size. Kalk wasser is not a "Balanced" additive that some would like you to believe. When I am broke and can't afford anything but pickling lime and baking soda I drip Kalk wasser. I always have to add baking soda a few times a week to maintain alkalinity over 8 dKH.

Thanks,

Scott
 
I have no lid on my tank...and if im going to open windows I HAVE to turn on my gas heater...hmmmm. I dont know how to tell if my heater has a c02 leak or not.

well my tank was as low as 7.6 or 7.7 - is this dangerous? If 1.5 drops per second of kalk does not spike my system whats a better drop-per-second to help out on the PH a little more? I though pickling lime was balanced...I read it from an article Randy typed out.
 
ItsMee:

Take a cup of tank water out and place it in a airy place, test the pH after 24 hours. If you have excess CO2 in the water, it should be gone by then, and the pH (in the cup water) will return to normal.
 
I did randy's inside test: I took a cup out and stuck an airstone in it for an hour (in the house) and the PH was the same - So I guess that means excess c02 from what his article says. The reason I didnt do the outside test is because its extremely cold outside and he said it will affect the test...would it in the "airy" place? It might freeze outside anyway. Maybe I should take a cup shopping with me along with my ph probe...lol - people would think I was a freak, but it wouldnt be the first time this hobby had me looking wierd.
 
The only solution I have seen for excess c02 is bringing fresh air in from outside...where my tank is located that is not possible. Any other solutions are welcomed!!~!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6509807#post6509807 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ItsMee
I did randy's inside test: I took a cup out and stuck an airstone in it for an hour (in the house) and the PH was the same
Click to expand...
If your room has excess CO2, an air pump in the same room won't help a lot. Can you place the cup outside close to the house without freezing the water? we need to find out if CO2 is actually the culprit first.
 
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