Can't get PH up can someone help

[buddah001]

I have a newly set-up 65 gal tank. Put in 80 lbs of live rock 40 lbs of live sand. Have a etss sump with a etss reef devil skimmer. The tank has been up for 10 days now. Ammonia is low -.25 nitrite is -.25 my alkalinty is at 6.0 mEq/L but I can't get my ph over 8.0 I have used Kent Marine Aquarium ph buffer with no help, I have used Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH with no help I bought some Kent Marine Expert series Pro Buffer dKH but have not used yet. Any suggestions. PH sould be about 8.4 correct?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Buffers are not a suitable way to raise pH. It can be low due to cycling, so may come up a bit over the next few weeks, but in general, low pH is caused by excess CO2.

If you have not yet selected a method to supplement calcium and alkalinity, limewater or a high pH two part system would help raise pH.

This article has more:


Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

and

The "How To" Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 3: pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

[buddah001]

Should I just wait and let it cycle and see where it ends up. Or should I get some limewater or two part to raise it? Thanks for the reply. Is 8.0 ok?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

pH 8.0 is OK, if it does not get a lot lower at night. What time of day did you take it?

The alkalinity is way too high. Definitely do not add more buffer. It just boosts alkalinity.

and I would let it rise for now, but you will ultimately need to supplement calcium and alkalinity, and so might keep the ph issues in the back of your mind.

[buddah001]

Check PH in the morning. What should my alk be at? I got my alk number from my Aquarium systems test kit. But it a bit confusing. There is a standard test and a precision test. And the directions for both are the same.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I recommend 2.5-4 meq/L.

These articles may also help:

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 1: The Salt Water Itself
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners,
Part 4: What Chemicals May Detrimentally Accumulate
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/rhf/index.php

[m2434]

How are you testing?

[buddah001]

According to the test kit the standard test I filled the small measuring vial with water and dumpned into larger vial.And then added Reagent one drop at a time. For the standard test it says initial color should be blue and to continue adding drops until color turns yellow green. Then to divide number of drops by 2 which is your mEq/l. Which the initial color was blue and it took 13 drops to make yellow green. So my ALK is actually 6.5mEq/L . But there is a note that if initiall color is yellow to follow the precision test. NOW the precision test is as follows fill small measuring vial and dump into larger vial, add reagent one drop at a time swirl to mix. continue adding drops until sample turns yellow green and then divide number by 4 to obtain mEq/L So do you only divide by 4 if your initial color is yellow? Is that what the prcision test is for if your intial color is yellow then they should state that. If I just wanted to perform a precion test all of the time and did not read the note from the standard test then I would safely assume my ALK is at 3.25 which is ok. Do you see what I meen?

[m2434]

I don't think you need the precision test if your alk is that high, and with that much buffer I wouldn't doubt your alk reading. pH test kits however can be very inacurate if your not using a calibrated pH probe?

[buddah001]

does it need to be lowered?

[m2434]

Yes, I would keep it <=5. Alk will come down naturally, especially if you have hard corals and coralline algae growth. If not, a water will help speed this up somewhat. Large sudden changes might be worse, so I would monitor it. If it doesn't seem to be decreasing after a day or so, you might do a 10-20% water change. (Edit - However, it will probably take longer than this to compleatly go down, you just want to see that it is going down) Then watch for another day or so and do another 10-20% change if necessary.

[Percula9]

Biological filtration also uses up alkalinity.

[SuperNerd]

Originally posted by Percula9
Biological filtration also uses up alkalinity.

Which ones?

[MrRyanT]

Originally posted by buddah001
But there is a note that if initiall color is yellow to follow the precision test. NOW the precision test is as follows fill small measuring vial and dump into larger vial, add reagent one drop at a time swirl to mix. continue adding drops until sample turns yellow green and then divide number by 4 to obtain mEq/L So do you only divide by 4 if your initial color is yellow? Is that what the prcision test is for if your intial color is yellow then they should state that. If I just wanted to perform a precion test all of the time and did not read the note from the standard test then I would safely assume my ALK is at 3.25 which is ok. Do you see what I meen?

I think I have same kit, but if you look at the directions closely, I believe in the precision test, it tells you to add 2 of the small vials of water to the larger vial instead of just one.

[m2434]

Originally posted by SuperNerd
Which ones?

From what I understand, for the most part, alkalinity is consumed during nitrification and produced during denitrification. However, one exception is that sufer-oxidizing denitrification actually uses alkalinity as well.

But a chemist may have better insight here

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, that is quite correct.

[buddah001]

MrRyanT, I missed that. Thanks for bring that up.

[buddah001]

Mr Randy Holmes-Farley do I have to do any water changes to get the alkalinity down Or will it slowly receed itself without any harm?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It will likely drop on its own over a few days or so.

[buddah001]

Thanks for the reply!!!

[buddah001]

Just a little update. I did check the calcium this afternoon and it was low.So I added some in. But rechecked the ph before the lights went out and it was right at 8.3-8.4. So everything is good. Just waiting for that ammonia and nitrites to go down. Added a couple of green chromies to help things along. CAN"T WAIT!!!!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ammonia is elevated and you added a new fish?

[buddah001]

No ammonia is at 0.25 Nitrites are at 0.25 just waiting for them to hit ZERO

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I wouldn't bother measuring nitrite, but I would not add anything else until the ammonia drops more.