buffer problem

[Tony Ferren]

I have a 125 reef that I have had for two years, never used any type of buffer or kalk. Only been using tec cb a+b.Tank has a refugium with a 6" sand bed. i had a large mix of soft corals, 250 pluss pounds of rock and loags of great looking red kelp, macroalga, and all kinds of nifty plants. I started to get into sps and decided to keep closer eye on ph. I started using marine buffer 8.3 from Seachem. followed directions,actually adding less than recomended. Over 3 weeks, all my kelp turned green, then clear, and yellow. Everything looks a little bleached out. Called manufacture and inquired, said they had no idea. All my chem levels are ok, but now alkalinity is off the scale!! even after several large water changes, and i dont use the tec cb right now, tank still looks bleached out and loss of color in everything. Even fish? The kelp is returning back to normal slowly, and i tried to start using the buffer again, even slower this time, and the same results. I cant get my ph over 7.8 no matter what i do. and now the alkalinity is back up to off the chart! Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

[NicoleRM]

Perhaps it's your test kit? Also the time you take the reading can matter, since pH usually rises during the day while lights are on, and drops at night.

Nicole

[jdieck]

The problem is that if your Alkalinity went very high you precipitated the carbonate and is no longer able to buffer the PH. The best thisng to do is adjust your Alkalinity and you r calcium but using Alkalinity and Calcium Buffers Never use a PH buffer or stabilizer, they do not work as well. Adjust the Alkalinity and Calcium to the right levels and the PH will take care of itself.
Another reason for low PH is excess of dissolved CO2.

My preferred method to adjust Alkalinity is to use Baking Soda disolved in RO/DI water and for Calcium is to use Calcium Chloride that you can buy by the bag as an Ice melter Called Peladow or from the fish store or internet supplier as Kent TurboCalcium.

To know the exact amounts to add use the following calculator:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

[Tony Ferren]

jdieck- your response makes total sense,as all my issues started when i switched to the buffer. Thanks!