Ph up to 8.6!

Mel-E-Mel · 03/17/2008, 11:25 PM

Anyone know why my ph is shooting up to 8.6 when i turn on my lights? How much harm will this do to my inhabitants?

mile sq. reefer · 03/17/2008, 11:29 PM

Where does it start? Are you adding Kalk?

demonsp · 03/17/2008, 11:30 PM

Readings like PH and Alk will change during the day then level at night.So for most accurate reading test in the morning around the same time.
Also if its a new setup then it could take a few months to level out as tank matures. This reading isnt bad so if any above apply then hold off on trying to fix.Whene it levels then you know your 1 step away from total madness.GL.

Mel-E-Mel · 03/17/2008, 11:35 PM

Tanks been up fpr about 2 months now. Just a couple weeks back it would be around 7.8 in the morning and top at 8.2 - 8.4 when the lights been on for a few hours. Just earlier when the lights been on for a few hours i saw it was up to 8.6. Only Actinics been on for the past hour and it has dropped to 8.5. I havent been adding kalk, just topping off with ro/di. Also using a pin point ph monitor. I'll continue to monitor for a couple days. Reason im concerned is i have not been adding anything really. Just used purple up on friday. Can that be why its slowly going up?

mile sq. reefer · 03/17/2008, 11:39 PM

What salt? Water changes? Check the calibration.

demonsp · 03/17/2008, 11:40 PM

This is normal in a new tank.Is the ammonia at zero? You need to let it mature and worry about nitrate and phosphate.
Do you have any stock?
Whats used for water flow?
Amount of LR and LS?

Mel-E-Mel · 03/17/2008, 11:41 PM

I have been using kent sea salt then just recently started using the tunse reef salt. Did a 15 gallon water change a week and a half ago. How can i check the calibration on the monitor?

demonsp · 03/17/2008, 11:46 PM

You could have another source test your water and if its the same then i would believe it.
Do you know your nitrate and phosphate and calcium and ammonia readings?
Your PH wont stay stable in a new setup and the other readings would be more important.

Mel-E-Mel · 03/17/2008, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
This is normal in a new tank.Is the ammonia at zero? You need to let it mature and worry about nitrate and phosphate.
Do you have any stock?
Whats used for water flow?
Amount of LR and LS?

Ammonia is zero. i have about 60llbs of rock. Will be adding another 50 to 60 when my marco rocks cure. Right now i have a few zoas, gsp, plate coral, mushrooms, candy canes. 1 sixline wrasse and a few chromis i just recently added. Tank was set up for a few years and just transffered over. Used about 30% of the old water.

Mel-E-Mel · 03/17/2008, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
You could have another source test your water and if its the same then i would believe it.
Do you know your nitrate and phosphate and calcium and ammonia readings?
Your PH wont stay stable in a new setup and the other readings would be more important.

I'll test the other readings tommorow. I think im just being paranoid.

demonsp · 03/17/2008, 11:53 PM

The large amount of new water added will cause a recycle from mini to large. With that fact alone i would not trust any PH ready for a few weeks. I think ammonia of zero sounds unlikey but if so then it could just be a mini cycle.

Mel-E-Mel · 03/17/2008, 11:56 PM

Ok, Ill re test tommorow and see where readings are at. Thanks for the replies!

Randy Holmes-Farley · 03/18/2008, 08:43 AM

Unless you are dosing limewater, excessive pH is usually due to pH measurement errors. 99+% of such worries are errors.

That said, aeration is a good way to bring down high pH, and if it is really high due to limewater overdose, soda water or vinegar can be used to bring it down.

I discuss these here:

High pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.htm

jimwat · 03/18/2008, 08:54 AM

If your pH takes an immediate jump when the lights go on/off your meter might be picking up interference from your ballast.

Mel-E-Mel · 03/30/2008, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Randy Holmes-Farley
Unless you are dosing limewater, excessive pH is usually due to pH measurement errors. 99+% of such worries are errors.

That said, aeration is a good way to bring down high pH, and if it is really high due to limewater overdose, soda water or vinegar can be used to bring it down.

I discuss these here:

High pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.htm

Thank you for the link Randy. Very good information there for us that still have alot to learn!

Randy Holmes-Farley · 03/30/2008, 06:16 AM

Thank you for the link Randy.

You're welcome.

Good luck.

03/17/2008, 11:25 PM	#1
Mel-E-Mel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Shark City San Jose, CA Posts: 1,950	Ph up to 8.6! Anyone know why my ph is shooting up to 8.6 when i turn on my lights? How much harm will this do to my inhabitants?

03/18/2008, 08:43 AM	#13
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Unless you are dosing limewater, excessive pH is usually due to pH measurement errors. 99+% of such worries are errors. That said, aeration is a good way to bring down high pH, and if it is really high due to limewater overdose, soda water or vinegar can be used to bring it down. I discuss these here: High pH: Causes and Cures http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.htm __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

03/18/2008, 08:54 AM	#14
jimwat Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,270	If your pH takes an immediate jump when the lights go on/off your meter might be picking up interference from your ballast. __________________ "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day and drink beer." Current Tank Info: 65 gal with 192w PC 10k, 192w VHO actinic, Blue-Moon LED, Tunze 6060 on WavySea, AquaController 3. 20gal sump, Natureef CDECX-1, Phosban Reactor, Remora, Kalk Drip, Ozone.

03/30/2008, 06:16 AM	#16
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Thank you for the link Randy. You're welcome. Good luck. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef Last edited by Randy Holmes-Farley; 03/30/2008 at 06:22 AM.

03/17/2008, 11:29 PM	#2
mile sq. reefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 2,045	Where does it start? Are you adding Kalk?

03/17/2008, 11:30 PM	#3
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Readings like PH and Alk will change during the day then level at night.So for most accurate reading test in the morning around the same time. Also if its a new setup then it could take a few months to level out as tank matures. This reading isnt bad so if any above apply then hold off on trying to fix.Whene it levels then you know your 1 step away from total madness.GL.

03/17/2008, 11:35 PM	#4
Mel-E-Mel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Shark City San Jose, CA Posts: 1,950	Tanks been up fpr about 2 months now. Just a couple weeks back it would be around 7.8 in the morning and top at 8.2 - 8.4 when the lights been on for a few hours. Just earlier when the lights been on for a few hours i saw it was up to 8.6. Only Actinics been on for the past hour and it has dropped to 8.5. I havent been adding kalk, just topping off with ro/di. Also using a pin point ph monitor. I'll continue to monitor for a couple days. Reason im concerned is i have not been adding anything really. Just used purple up on friday. Can that be why its slowly going up?

03/17/2008, 11:39 PM	#5
mile sq. reefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 2,045	What salt? Water changes? Check the calibration.

03/17/2008, 11:40 PM	#6
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	This is normal in a new tank.Is the ammonia at zero? You need to let it mature and worry about nitrate and phosphate. Do you have any stock? Whats used for water flow? Amount of LR and LS?

03/17/2008, 11:41 PM	#7
Mel-E-Mel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Shark City San Jose, CA Posts: 1,950	I have been using kent sea salt then just recently started using the tunse reef salt. Did a 15 gallon water change a week and a half ago. How can i check the calibration on the monitor?

03/17/2008, 11:46 PM	#8
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	You could have another source test your water and if its the same then i would believe it. Do you know your nitrate and phosphate and calcium and ammonia readings? Your PH wont stay stable in a new setup and the other readings would be more important.

03/17/2008, 11:53 PM	#11
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	The large amount of new water added will cause a recycle from mini to large. With that fact alone i would not trust any PH ready for a few weeks. I think ammonia of zero sounds unlikey but if so then it could just be a mini cycle.

03/17/2008, 11:56 PM	#12
Mel-E-Mel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Shark City San Jose, CA Posts: 1,950	Ok, Ill re test tommorow and see where readings are at. Thanks for the replies!