Ph - how to be consistent?

fatdaddy · 02/08/2009, 07:52 PM

I installed a pinpoint Ph monitor, so I can see my ph whenever I walk by the aquarium. It start out at 8.15 and I measured my salt mix which was about 8.12, so I figure I was doing alright.

However, I was startled to find that my Ph jumps around a bit. When my filter sock was nasty, my Ph dropped to 7.90. However, I quickly changed that and my Ph rose to 7.99 and stayed their for a few days.

I've dosing with kalk wasser for top off, but my ph stubbornly refused to move for several days. Now after 3 day, it pops up to 8.20.

My anemones look better at 8.20, but I'm curious what is going on.

My alk is at normal (3.0 meg/l), so shouldn't this work as a buffer.

Wow, two years into this and I still feel like a newby.

drparker · 02/08/2009, 08:14 PM

Are you checking at the same time each day? Ph normally changes through-out the day getting higher with photosynthesis going on and dropping overnight. Also is your top off dripped over time or done all at once? kalk is at about a Ph of 12 and will cause a short term spike.

02/08/2009, 07:52 PM	#1
fatdaddy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northeast Florida Posts: 1,191	Ph - how to be consistent? I installed a pinpoint Ph monitor, so I can see my ph whenever I walk by the aquarium. It start out at 8.15 and I measured my salt mix which was about 8.12, so I figure I was doing alright. However, I was startled to find that my Ph jumps around a bit. When my filter sock was nasty, my Ph dropped to 7.90. However, I quickly changed that and my Ph rose to 7.99 and stayed their for a few days. I've dosing with kalk wasser for top off, but my ph stubbornly refused to move for several days. Now after 3 day, it pops up to 8.20. My anemones look better at 8.20, but I'm curious what is going on. My alk is at normal (3.0 meg/l), so shouldn't this work as a buffer. Wow, two years into this and I still feel like a newby. __________________ "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -- Aristotle

02/08/2009, 08:14 PM	#2
drparker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Palatine, IL Posts: 2,652	Are you checking at the same time each day? Ph normally changes through-out the day getting higher with photosynthesis going on and dropping overnight. Also is your top off dripped over time or done all at once? kalk is at about a Ph of 12 and will cause a short term spike.