How to raise pH?

[Ne0eN]

I just recalibrated by pH probe and it turns out my probe was reading high. So now the pH in our 260 gal reef is 8.07 (peak - 1hr before Metal Halides go off). I'm dripping Kalk continously at a rate of 270mL/hr - almost 6.5L per day (evaporation rate) using Chip's Kalk reactor. How can I get pH to around 8.3 level?

 

-Rob

[dhoch]

Why do you want to get the pH to that level?

 

pH is more important in terms of a swing rather than a value at a discrete time.

 

Dave

[Grav]

I agree minimizing swing is important, but a peak below 8.1 is not a good thing.

 

Adding more kalk (you will need more evap too) or making the kalk stronger (mix more often) would work, but will take time. I use the LFS PH and Alk buffer. There are a bunch of homemade $ saving tricks, but honestly it isn't worth the $3 you save to me.

 

Good luck

[Ne0eN]

Thanks, I think I'll start adding parts A&B and see if that helps. The night pH is around 8.00 - I'd like to be in the 8.20 - 8.30 range...

 

-Rob

[dhoch]

So the ph is 8.07 to 8.00?

 

I don't think that's a problem at all....

 

Don't see a reason to raise it up either....

 

How old is the tank? How many corals in it?

 

What are the alk/calcium levels.

 

I'm not an advocate of just adding stuff to increase pH... Everything must be in balance...

 

Dave

[Ne0eN]

Dave, 260 gal reef - 1.5 old - various LPS, lots of SPS corals. Calcium and Alk are pretty good - 380/9.1 (you tested the water at the last meeting.

 

-Rob

 

 

So the ph is 8.07 to 8.00?

 

I don't think that's a problem at all....

 

Don't see a reason to raise it up either....

 

How old is the tank? How many corals in it?

 

What are the alk/calcium levels.

 

I'm not an advocate of just adding stuff to increase pH... Everything must be in balance...

 

Dave

[JMsAquarium]

Dave, 260 gal reef - 1.5 old - various LPS, lots of SPS corals. Calcium and Alk are pretty good - 380/9.1 (you tested the water at the last meeting.

 

-Rob

 

 

Rob,

 

According to what I've read from Randy Holmes-Farley, maintaining a balance is much more important than one single parameter. Including a low PH, yours is in the low range, but not in a critical one either. RHF even mentions a low end PH of 7.8 to a high end of 8.4+.

If you PH stays in that range and your alk and CA stay in that 9.1 and 380 respectively without swinging too much, then I would agree with Dave. Remember if it ain't broken don't fix it.

Just my humble $0.02.

[stevil]

I'm looking to do something similar. I've been using a FasTest kit, which has been ok, but today I picked up a Pinpoint pH monitor along with a calcium test. After carefully calibrating the monitor my pH reads 7.8

 

My readings

pH: 7.8 (measured in dark sump, but lights have been on in tank for 3 hours)

Temp: 80.2

Salinity 1.020 (yes, I want to get that up)

Alkalinity: 2 meq/L (SeaTest kit)

Calcium: 320 (Salifert kit)

 

What are the recommendations in this case?

 

I plan to add saltwater instead of plain RO/DI to get my salinity back up. I am also thinking that adding some baking soda to my water addition will increase the alkalinity and also help with pH?

[dhoch]

steve,

 

I wouldn't do anything for a bit... let the ph vary and note it's difference thoguht about 24 hours... see what your swing is and then go from there...

 

Dave

[Eve]

My readings

pH: 7.8 (measured in dark sump, but lights have been on in tank for 3 hours)

Temp: 80.2

Salinity 1.020 (yes, I want to get that up)

Alkalinity: 2 meq/L (SeaTest kit)

Calcium: 320 (Salifert kit)

 

What are the recommendations in this case?

 

I plan to add saltwater instead of plain RO/DI to get my salinity back up. I am also thinking that adding some baking soda to my water addition will increase the alkalinity and also help with pH?

 

Hi Steve,

 

Are you just setting up this tank or is this an established tank w/lifestock in it?

[stevil]

My tank has been up for about 10 months. 90 gal, ~150lbs live rock, some zoo's, soft corals and about 5 fish.

[dhoch]

I still want to know what the "swing is"

 

Dave

[dandy7200]

I agree with Dave on this one. You run a Ca reactor so a 8.0 ish Ph should be expected. As long as the swing isn't too much you should be fine.

[stevil]

Date		 Time		 PH		 Temp
9/9/2006	10:50	7.8	80.1
9/9/2006	14:48	7.8	80.2
9/9/2006	17:39	7.86	80.5
9/9/2006	18:56	7.89	80.3
9/9/2006	20:09	7.87	80.3
9/9/2006	22:37	7.77	80.3
9/10/2006	7:19	7.73	80
9/10/2006	8:12	7.74	80
9/10/2006	9:31	7.73	80
9/10/2006	9:45	7.72	80
9/10/2006	10:18	7.71	80
9/10/2006	10:58	7.7	80.1
9/10/2006	11:37	7.72	80.1
9/10/2006	12:28	7.71	80.1
9/10/2006	12:50	7.72	80.2
	

My VHO's run from 10 to 10 (actinc and 50/50) and my T5's run from 2-9 (actinc and 50/50).

 

Until the beginning of summer, my pH was a consistant 8.2 (weekly/monthly testing at various times of day with a FasTest kit). I have not been very good over this summer doing my tests. It wasn't until the other day that I did one and noticed my pH had dropped. Then I decided to get a pH monitor so I could get easier and more frequent updates.

[dhoch]

So your dripping kalk and running a calcium reactor? Whats' the pH of both effluants...

 

Your ph is a lttle low, but I still want to know about other things before I owuld make any changes...

 

Dave

[stevil]

No, I don't drip kalk or have a calcium reactor.

[dhoch]

stevil,

 

What are you using to keep calcium/alk up... anything? (two part?)

 

Dave

[stevil]

I'm not doing anything actively to keep those things up other than water changes (which I've also been neglectful on this summer). Up until July I was doing 5 gallon changes at least every 2-3 weeks, but often weekly. I didn't do anything in Aug/Sept until a few days ago (5 gallons).

 

I haven't worried too much about calcium since my tank has mostly just been fish with a couple of easy softies. However, I do want to 'step-it-up' in the next month or two and start getting into SPSs, but obviously want to make sure I have my water parameters under control first AND am measuring the right things (like calcium).

 

Nearly everything I have is now in my sig.

 

Attached is my water log for all the tests I've done. It's a .csv file, I had to change the extension to upload.

ReefConWLAll.txt

[dhoch]

Well ok now after all that I have a recommendation...

 

Start dosing kalkwasser...

 

A) It will raise your calcium and alkalnity

 

B) It will increase your pH

 

Dave

[stevil]

Dave - Thanks a bunch.

 

I'm going to start with one of theseDIY drippers, but it also looks like there's been some long-standing interest in kalk reactor build party so, hopefully we can get coordinated on that.

[martin]

Grow lots of aptasia and then kill them all in one afternoon, Joes juice makes the ph go way up.

 

I target my tank at 8.3, using kalkwasser, and A/B (when I have it due to costs) I also mix and dose alk stuff with RO/DI water.

 

Nice coraline algae growth, sps, lps and soft corals are growing. Hair algae is there but not too bad. I also change out 30gallons in a 150g system about every two weeks.

[Lee Stearns]

NeOne,

To answer your original question - I am not sure why you would want PH at 8.3.

I think you are running a calcium reactor now- right?

If so, your system will run a bit lower in the 8.0 - 8.1 range which is fine with your good stable alkalinity levels and calcium levels.

The more important thing that everyone was saying is that you need stability rather than huge swings in PH over a day or even several day period.

There is a bit of natural swing daily of .1-.15 from the lighting photosynthesis cycle, which is why a lot of folks fun their fuges on an off-lighting cycle from thier tank - this keeps the PH a bit more stable over a 24 hour period.

If your alkalinity were low, like Eves, I would recommend arm and hammer washing soda- raises both PH and Alkalinity at the same time- If all you need is alkalinity and PH is normal- then just baking soda.

If PH is low and alk is normal then Kalk or pickling lime. But with a clcium reactor Alk becomes very stable-and all one needs do is drip kalk like you are for maintaining a bit more calcium and keep PH up. Your numbers are fine- so I would not mess with it.

Stability and slow changes are more important than the exact correct numbers-

And the numbers are always suspect first rather than water chemistry being suddenly off-

Another note is that in my experience the Pinpoint PH monitor seems to drift one way or the other over time-month or so , quicker as they age. most of the time it drifts upward- So cleaning and recalibration is necessary. Also the probe finally will not hold a reading after about 18 months- some folks say 12 months. Even with this pain- the pinpoint is better than trying to read PH with a test kit.

 

Again the large densly sps packed aquariums that we drift towards require much more stability than the fish and softie only aquariums. I have kept Nano cubes that have remained stable with correct stocking- for six months without having to adjust PH with kalk at all during that time.

[flowerseller]

Grow lots of aptasia and then kill them all in one afternoon, Joes juice makes the ph go way up.

 

I target my tank at 8.3, using kalkwasser, and A/B (when I have it due to costs) I also mix and dose alk stuff with RO/DI water.

 

Nice coraline algae growth, sps, lps and soft corals are growing. Hair algae is there but not too bad. I also change out 30gallons in a 150g system about every two weeks.

If you are a sandy bottom tank, watch adding a 2 part additive and kalk.

Very easy to bind up the sand.

[Ne0eN]

Lee,

 

Thanks for your response. I originally had this problem back in March. Cant remember what I did exactly but my pH range is now between 8.1 - 8.2 which is fine I guess.

 

Stevil kidnapped the thread when he run into a similar problem.

 

-- Rob