What are you running your pH at?

[ChadRaay86]

Kalk does something completely different than dosing, with the added benefit of raising alk. I would only dose Kalk if I was running a primarily softie tank (in the absence of two part), or if I was having problems with Ph, as it combats CO2 buildup which seems to be the problem with your tank.

You're running a calcium reactor to stop the problems you had before with calc and alk. A side product of that stability is having your ph drop, which in your case seems to be to an unsafe level. It's just part of the hobby, good reefers are always tweaking small things with their systems to keep everything good and steady.

 

[toddmau5]

Yeah. I just dont really know where this co2 buildup would be coming from. Overflows are skimming well. There's plenty of surface disruption, the drains and skimmer produce plenty of air. Ever really has this issue before on the 90g

 

[toddmau5]

After dosing the kalk. Polyp extension like crazy

 

[ChadRaay86]

Haha, did it raise your ph?

 

[Snook65]

During the winter with doors open more often mine is ranging from around 8.0 to 8.15. During the summer it's down around 7.85 to 8.0.

 

[toddmau5]

Haha, did it raise your ph?

yes. actually spiked it pretty good but everything is leveled out. im hanging out around 8.1 now

 

[ChadRaay86]

Glad to hear it!

 

[jokeefe727@aol.com]

8.34 all day 8.30 at night only dose kalk when it starts to drop below 8.3

 

[Steveg229]

I am wondering if dosing Kalk would help my situation as well? My ph will get as low as 7.65 at night and hit 7.9 if I am lucky during the day. New ph probe that has been calibrated and checked. Api test results same ph. Its been like this for a long time and I have never seemed to have any issues, visible to me at least...but it has always bugged me. Fish are healthy and corals have great polyp extension. 90 gallon tank setup for 2+ years. I have lots of surface agitation in tank, sump, and with skimmer. I have a canopy with open back and have mesh/screen tops so that shouldn't be the issue. I'm thinking c02 is most likely the issue here as well. Have tried buffers and baked baking soda which will get it closer to 8, but the next day it is back down to normal. Will Kalk help? I dont want to raise calcium or alk any higher than they already are... suggestions?

Params-

SG 1.025
Amm.-0
nitrite-0
nitrate- undetectable
Cal- 450
mag-1350
Alk- 10dkh

 

[toddmau5]

I am wondering if dosing Kalk would help my situation as well? My ph will get as low as 7.65 at night and hit 7.9 if I am lucky during the day. New ph probe that has been calibrated and checked. Api test results same ph. Its been like this for a long time and I have never seemed to have any issues, visible to me at least...but it has always bugged me. Fish are healthy and corals have great polyp extension. 90 gallon tank setup for 2+ years. I have lots of surface agitation in tank, sump, and with skimmer. I have a canopy with open back and have mesh/screen tops so that shouldn't be the issue. I'm thinking c02 is most likely the issue here as well. Have tried buffers and baked baking soda which will get it closer to 8, but the next day it is back down to normal. Will Kalk help? I dont want to raise calcium or alk any higher than they already are... suggestions?

Params-

SG 1.025
Amm.-0
nitrite-0
nitrate- undetectable
Cal- 450
mag-1350
Alk- 10dkh

There is a way to try of co2 is your issue. I will never ever question Randy Holmes farely lol. Basically take two glasses of tank water, measure the pH. Place one outside with an airstone. Measure the pH after awhile, it should rise, then place your second glass inside the house and repeat the same thing, if your pH raises higher outdoors then indoors, then you have a co2 problem in the house, if the both rise the same then it's not a co2 issue (iirc I'll have to go pull up the instructions) for me both of my numbers dropped and Randy said oh, your pH probe is calibrated too low. I didn't understand since like you, it was a new probe and had just been calibrated, (I was also using two different pH meters giving the exact same readings) so I decided to get some new calibration solution, sure enough, either I screwed something up the exact same way on both meters or the solution I had, had gone bad. So you live and you learn. But yes, the kalk will spike your alk even more it drove mine from 7dkh to 11dkh

 

[johnike]

8.3 during the day and 8.0 at night.

 

[Steveg229]

There is a way to try of co2 is your issue. I will never ever question Randy Holmes farely lol. Basically take two glasses of tank water, measure the pH. Place one outside with an airstone. Measure the pH after awhile, it should rise, then place your second glass inside the house and repeat the same thing, if your pH raises higher outdoors then indoors, then you have a co2 problem in the house, if the both rise the same then it's not a co2 issue (iirc I'll have to go pull up the instructions) for me both of my numbers dropped and Randy said oh, your pH probe is calibrated too low. I didn't understand since like you, it was a new probe and had just been calibrated, (I was also using two different pH meters giving the exact same readings) so I decided to get some new calibration solution, sure enough, either I screwed something up the exact same way on both meters or the solution I had, had gone bad. So you live and you learn. But yes, the kalk will spike your alk even more it drove mine from 7dkh to 11dkh

I will do that test to check to see if co2 is the issue. If it does turn out to be the issue, my question would be: When using Kalk to maintain alk and calcium at their current levels, will it raise the ph due to the effect it has with co2?

 

[toddmau5]

I will do that test to check to see if co2 is the issue. If it does turn out to be the issue, my question would be: When using Kalk to maintain alk and calcium at their current levels, will it raise the ph due to the effect it has with co2?

I would assume so, I can't really speak on that matter. It took about 4 gallons to raise my pH, but it also to my alk from 7 to 11dkh, that made me cringe quite a bit.