holy crap!

es1887 · 10/04/2009, 10:29 AM

i just got a neptune systems aqua controller hooked up to my tank. i just got a dosing pump also and thought it would be a good idea to have it kick on when my ph drops. well that is a good idea and is what i was going for. the bad idea was to put my ph probe in my overflow. i just walked out to a white tank with a ph of 8.5. HOLY CRAP

what should i do? it is slowly dropping back down. ph right now is 8.48. i have just put the probe back into my sump where the dosing pump puts my kh solution. is there any thing else to help alleviate the problem or should i just let it stabilize naturally.

tkeracer619 · 10/04/2009, 10:34 AM

I run kalk in my top off and run my tank at 8.5ph. I did not go there in a few hours though. I slowly raised it over 2 weeks. Best thing to do is get a water change ready in case bad things start happening and let the tank mellow out on its own. IMO

es1887 · 10/04/2009, 10:38 AM

id say it happened in about 20 minutes. i will do just that

tkeracer619 · 10/04/2009, 10:47 AM

Oh and make sure to set your ph control to turn that dosing pump off when the tank hits a certain number.

es1887 · 10/04/2009, 10:51 AM

yes of course it turns off at 8.3 i just had it too far away from the dosing pump.

MrRyanT · 10/04/2009, 11:02 AM

My guess is that everything will probably come thru this ok. 8.5 is not a terrible number for ph, even though the sudden jump is not good. I'm thinking you'll probably see some things a little ticked off for a couple days but then return to normal.

Hop · 10/04/2009, 11:03 AM

Just let it come down... Mine runs at about 8.48 most of the summer due to the extra evaporation.

Playa-1 · 10/04/2009, 12:21 PM

I believe it's a mistake to try and control pH. Let the PH come down on it's own. Give this a read http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...e2002/chem.htm

Electrobes · 10/04/2009, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hop

Just let it come down... Mine runs at about 8.48 most of the summer due to the extra evaporation.

I was going to say, my reef during the summer runs at 8.4-8.5 because of the evaporation as well. Never had a problem.

flamron · 10/04/2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Playa-1

I believe it's a mistake to try and control pH. Let the PH come down on it's own. Give this a read http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...e2002/chem.htm

+1

Dose to maintain alkalinity and calcium, not pH.

widmer · 10/04/2009, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by es1887

yes of course it turns off at 8.3 i just had it too far away from the dosing pump.

This does not make sense. In theory, you would want it as far as possible from the dosing pump, so that you are measuring the true value of the homogenized water, rather than the water nearest to whatever pH-adjusting additives you're putting in.

Tyler Durden · 10/04/2009, 03:23 PM

I agree, 8.5 isn't that bad. just let it go down on it's own.

JAustin · 10/04/2009, 05:11 PM

agree x a million, you should be fine to let it come down on its own. Don't try to controll PH with dosing Kalk...bad idea. You want stable ph? Run your skimmer air inlet line outside.

10/04/2009, 10:29 AM	#1
es1887 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: boulder co Posts: 652	holy crap! i just got a neptune systems aqua controller hooked up to my tank. i just got a dosing pump also and thought it would be a good idea to have it kick on when my ph drops. well that is a good idea and is what i was going for. the bad idea was to put my ph probe in my overflow. i just walked out to a white tank with a ph of 8.5. HOLY CRAP what should i do? it is slowly dropping back down. ph right now is 8.48. i have just put the probe back into my sump where the dosing pump puts my kh solution. is there any thing else to help alleviate the problem or should i just let it stabilize naturally. __________________ "is it saltwater?" "yes." "the whole thing?!" -idiot Current Tank Info: 48x24x30 150, 2 400w 20k radium, 2 110w vhos, 2 mp40w, apex aqua controller, sro 5000 skimmer

10/04/2009, 10:34 AM	#2
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	I run kalk in my top off and run my tank at 8.5ph. I did not go there in a few hours though. I slowly raised it over 2 weeks. Best thing to do is get a water change ready in case bad things start happening and let the tank mellow out on its own. IMO __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/04/2009, 10:38 AM	#3
es1887 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: boulder co Posts: 652	id say it happened in about 20 minutes. i will do just that __________________ "is it saltwater?" "yes." "the whole thing?!" -idiot Current Tank Info: 48x24x30 150, 2 400w 20k radium, 2 110w vhos, 2 mp40w, apex aqua controller, sro 5000 skimmer

10/04/2009, 10:47 AM	#4
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Oh and make sure to set your ph control to turn that dosing pump off when the tank hits a certain number. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/04/2009, 10:51 AM	#5
es1887 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: boulder co Posts: 652	yes of course it turns off at 8.3 i just had it too far away from the dosing pump. __________________ "is it saltwater?" "yes." "the whole thing?!" -idiot Current Tank Info: 48x24x30 150, 2 400w 20k radium, 2 110w vhos, 2 mp40w, apex aqua controller, sro 5000 skimmer

10/04/2009, 11:02 AM	#6
MrRyanT MrRyanT Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,731	My guess is that everything will probably come thru this ok. 8.5 is not a terrible number for ph, even though the sudden jump is not good. I'm thinking you'll probably see some things a little ticked off for a couple days but then return to normal. __________________ We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle Current Tank Info: 30 gal display

10/04/2009, 11:03 AM	#7
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Just let it come down... Mine runs at about 8.48 most of the summer due to the extra evaporation. __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

10/04/2009, 12:21 PM	#8
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	I believe it's a mistake to try and control pH. Let the PH come down on it's own. Give this a read http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...e2002/chem.htm

10/04/2009, 03:23 PM	#12
Tyler Durden Moved On Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southern California Posts: 113	I agree, 8.5 isn't that bad. just let it go down on it's own.

10/04/2009, 05:11 PM	#13
JAustin Acropora Nut Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 1,628	agree x a million, you should be fine to let it come down on its own. Don't try to controll PH with dosing Kalk...bad idea. You want stable ph? Run your skimmer air inlet line outside.