PH 8.8 stock should be dead

[Ronny#66]

Well had amonia spike been dealing with this with water changes. Checked tested and found ph at 8.8 almost off chart . Called local LFS they said seeing up north here closing up house and with glass tank lid this causes not enough oxygen in water . Told me this time of year everyone has cybobacteria red slime i can see none. So whats the deal here i did remove my glass tank lid and have fan circulateing air in my tank room that is in cellar . No windows open . I have dehumidfier running in cellar if i open windows it will run constantly. I checked ph last nite it was down to 8.4 . I said before i don't find this hobby fun yet . By the way tank is 10 months old.

[papagimp]

uh, closing up the house can lower PH, It can add to the co2 levels in the tank, co2 lowers PH. Putting a lid on a reef tank is not recommended IMO, heat issues and gaseous exchanges worsens. Cyno doesn't pop up because of the time of year, although i did see one of the moderators stick up a reply yesterday on how the sun setting tend to protrude through windows/shades where it may not have previously in the year, this can cause cyno from the added sun. My advice would be to throw up a post here: The Reef Chemistry Forum (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=112)
or wait until a more chemistry oriented person responds here.

[steri]

huh? I thought lower oxygen levels in a tank lowered PH in a tank, not raised it. It seems that the number is coming down some though. I would wonder if you got a bum test reading the first time around. 8.8 is really high. It seems to be going in the right direction though if it's at 8.4 now. Good luck, sorry I can't be more help.

[kevin2000]

My 02

PH tests are not all that accurate and odds are good that your test reading was a little off and I would not be concerned.

As a general rule new tanks tend to have lower PH than mature tanks and high PH is very rare. If you recently made a water change and you did not allow the new batch of SW to properly dissolve/aerate/mature you may get abnormal PH readings.

[rustybucket145]

If it's a new tank the ammonia spike is expected... Don't combat it, let it ride. It's your tank cycling. If your tank is established and you had an ammonia spike you are facing problems that water changes are going to help.

[Ronny#66]

Yes tank is 10 months old and was actualy set up when purchased. But was in trouble when I set it up so 10 months is what I call it. I tested twice and it was 8.8 on the chart . but after taking lid off and running fan in room in cellar it's 8.4 . I had three fish die and my wife didn't find them and this is where the amonia problem started a week ago. Well anyway I'm on vacation for till sunday had all kinds of to do plans and as you all know where and what I've been doing. by the way how many snails and crabs are rule of thumb per gallon ? Thanks for the post returns.

[Ronny#66]

Yes have been doing water changes to combat amonia but i do let power head mix over nite but thanks for the reminder got to get some of the list done before my wife realy dumps an amonia issue on me with clorox HA HA !

[WaterKeeper]

A pH of 8.8 is not caused by ventilation problems. It takes a fairly strong base like KW or soda ash. Are you dosing KW or using a sodium carbonate solution to raise alkalinity?

[chrisalmand]

I second closing up your house.

[slider162]

When I open my windows in the winter, the PH goes up. Now I am really confused.

[christyum22]

8.8 holy crap

[kevin2000]

How many fish do you have in the 25 gallon tank .. your posts mentioned 3 deaths?

While I think your PH reading is incorrect its unlikely it would harm your fish ... tanks regularly get PH readings of 8.5 or so.

A ten month old tank should not register ammonia ... sign that your overstocked or something is amiss in the tank. Ammonia is highly toxic to fish and is the likely cause of your fish deaths.

[Ronny#66]

I don't know what the heck went on with tank this past week . I was over stocked going back to previous posts on practices of some notice I said some LFS . All I can say is a LFS in my area knows my tank size and they sold me everything I have in tank except the Skunk clown. Seems most of what I post here Is what this LFS advises me . Odd they have kept salt water set ups as a hobby large set ups for years . And decided to make a few bucks and opened a shop a few years ago. Not realy blaming the LFS for what hapened to my set up but seems most of what I'm told most don't agree with here or realy ? what I'm told. I will say this that my ph has droped to 8.4 since takeing my glass hood off . water even smells good now. I'm going to go get some plastic egg crate for a hood at home depot. Well i think I'm out of woods for a while all i have in tank is 4 inch long Schromis and a 2 inch skunk clown.

[Ronny#66]

been using Kent turbo cal to raise cal usualy 2 tsp when i change water to rais from 380 kdh to 420 kdh.