Why Am I Having pH Problems?

[Rcpilot]

So you should have your main tank lights on during the day a fuge light on at night? If so how can you prevent the light from HOB fuge from lighting up your tank at night?

Thats my problem. Gotta build some kind of sheild to block the light if I want to run a reverse lighting cycle.

 

[fishbait]

what is you're alk? it will also affect ph. alkalinity is a buffer that nuetralizes acids such as carbon dioxide, which in turn will raise ph. If oxygenation isn't the problem, then maybe it's a lack of buffer. which will cause the huge swings you are talking about. if alk is a 9 degrees then slowly raise it until you find the sweet spot for your'e system.

 

[Rcpilot]

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
phosphate 0
calcium 480
dKH 9.3
alkalinity 3.31
Iodide .03ppm

 

[bobby]

I had the same prob when I started and it was the IO. A great salt, but low on a few things. I have been using the buffer that was recomended to you it takes the water to 8.3 and wont go over. Now I'm mixing my salt half IO and half Oceanic and everthing comes out great. Here are a couple link with testing on all salts.Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine - Feature Article: Inland Reef Aquaria Salt Study, Part I
Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine - Feature Article: Inland Reef Aquaria Salt Study Part II

 

[yote]

You might want check the magnesium levels to.
I dont know that that has any thing to do with your problem,but it wouldnt hurt anything to make sure.

 

[Rcpilot]

I'm a dork. :frustrat:

I am using Oceanic salt.

NOT the Instant Ocean that I posted earlier. Just noticed it tonight when I cleaned the tank.

Sorry.

 

[fishbait]

I used oceanic for a while. it has a good ph of 8.4 when first mixed, then it drops off rapidly. I did a little research on it. the oceanic website states that it is designed for use with a kalkwasser doser, so the ph won't be as prone to go high when adding the kalk. I brought the alk up to 12 dkh from 9dkh, then had to dose alk buffer daily to keep the ph from crashing. switched to kent salt and problem went away.

 

[Rcpilot]

Interesting.

My alk runs around 9.3 and it seams my pH is down under 8.0 I wonder how it would work if I bumped my alk to over 11?

I just did a water change and I'm reading 8.0

I'm going to buy a bucket of something else and mix the two. I can't afford to throw this 160g bucket away, so I guess I'll have to invest another $40 or $50 in salt to salvage it.

 

[reeffreak]

Just buy some ''Proper pH 8.2'' and adjust the salt there.Its only like $5-6 and you can get it at Petsmart,Petco or even the LFS.

 

[Rcpilot]

I bought a reef buffer. I guess I'm just being a whiny baby. I don't WANT to dose my tank every day or every couple days. I WANT it stable and holding at normal pH without me having to add chemicals.

My brain just hasn't accepted reality yet. I'll get there.

 

[MoLaw]

I am using the IO salt mix and I also have a PH of approx 7.8, If I use the ''Proper pH 8.2'' to elevate th PH how often do you normally have to redose the tank? Thanks

 

[yote]

Depends on the tank and what you have in it.
Every tank is different,so they all use the stuff at a different rate.

 

[bobby]

Befor I started mixing IO with oceanic and just used IO I added the ph stuff every water change and never to the tank and it never changed. Now that I'm mixing IO with oceanic I never add it and it still stays stable.

 

[Oscarsdad608]

Do you have windows open in your house. You can have as much water movement as you want but if the water doesn't fold or bubble it won't let oxygen exchange. Take a test from your tank and the take a glass outside and test it after a hour of running an air pump in it. If your ph raises then your house is low on oxygen. I have heard that you have to then open a window by your tank or run a air pump from outside. This worked great for me. Since I live in WISCONSIN I can't do either in the winter, and that's coming