alk/ calcium question

[outprowllin]

ok question for the experts please . i have been fight in a low ph for about a month now. no matter what time of the day i test, it always comes out at 7.9. i have tried two differant test kits as well as bringing it to thelfs for them to test with their digital probe. still the same. i teast for alkand calcium also i have started dripping kalk.in the last 5 days i have dripped 4 gallons of kalk. before i be gan the kalk drip my alk was 14.7 dkh (probably because i add seatest buffer borrowed from a freind as i was out of my regular buffer. seatest is mostly baking soda imo...next :calcium was 390.and mag (tested at lfs)was 1200 not to bad. so i added the kalk after reading quite abit on this site about its benifits. this morning, wensday 11:30 am just as the actinivs came on .test resultd are ph 7.9 alk 12.6 dkh calcium 365.....i am comtinuing the kalk drip at a rate of approx 1 gallon per day.....i cannot get my ph up for nothing the only time the ph rose to 8.2 was with the addition of the seatest buffer . but with that come alk through the roof. that is not an option.

why would the calcium drop after adding kalk for 4 straight days? alk has dropped a bit but i expexted that with the addition of calcium. mag has not been tested since last friday but im sure its not that far off. i am holding off on my regular weekly water changes this week untill i can get my levals up to where i want them. up until a month ago i have had little problem with these peramiters. so i am at a loss and was hoping you couls add somthing that i am over looking...thank you for you input on this matter.....jaime
also all life forms seem normal fish are healthy and been itn the tank for up to 4 years
corals fully extend and show no sign of stress.......

55 gallon acrylic tank
70 lbs lr
vho lighting
plenty of circulation
weeklt water changes useing ro
make up water ro also
temp 80-81 degrees
sg 1.0024
salt used... instant ocean

__________________
dont know what to say right now......?!!

Hobby Experience: started doing saltwater when moby dick was a minnow and i still am a rookie!!!!!
Current Tanks: 50 gallon acrylic. vho lighting 65 lbs rock various types of corals few fish sump with skimmer only 5 % water changes weekly nothing else added to tank except calcium and alkalinity ajustments
Interests: stereo, golf and Laundry...(that ones for the wife)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The amount of limewater that you added, while a fine amount for maintaining calcium and alkalinity in many aquaria, is not enough to have a big effect on calcium and alkalinity in 1 week.
Given the uncertainty of test kits, I don't think there is any problem, especially since the tank may be using it at the same time.

pH, OTOH, does seem to be a problem for you, and it is almost certainly excessive CO2 in the house (possibly only in the tank). This is not just a guess. If the alkalinity is that high (and is not skewed by excess borate from Seachem salt mix) and the pH is that low then there MUST be excess CO2 in the aquarium.

More aeration with outside air will help. You can demonstrate this for yourself by aerating a cup of water outside with an airstone for an hour or so and watching the pH rise (easier with a monitor than a kit).

Here's an article on solving pH problems:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2002/chem.htm

[outprowllin]

hi randy and thank you for your rapid reply. i neglected to mention co2 in my original post. based on a convertion chart supplied with my alk kit , my co2 is about 4.0ppm this is very hi imo. i have been running 2 wooden airstones in my sump for gas exchange right along and also run a loose power head in there to aggitate the surface water. main tank surface water is also being moved quite well . i guess this is where i hit a brick wall. what can be done. to lower co2 levals other than strong aireation? i am not desperate yet but getting tired of this constant struggle to raise the ph.......any suggestions.......jaime

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

More aeration with outside air. The "outside" part may be critical. Are your windows closed up?

[outprowllin]

good hit ....yes we run a/c 24/7 here and never conciderd a high co2 leval in the house.......is this common?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, and it is worst in midsummer and midwinter.

Luckily, my old home leaks like a sieve, and we have no AC, so I never have the problem. :lol:

Here's an article specifically on indoor CO2:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/short.htm

[outprowllin]

thank you again maybe i can place my air pump out on my porch and run the line into the sump. its only about 6 -8 feet away... ill keep posted as to the resoults .....thanx again.......jaime

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Good luck!