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#1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: High Point North Carolina
Posts: 341
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Ph is low
My ph is pretty low, I know I can put ph up or something similar to get it up.
I can't remember what directly is conjunction with ph to get it stable or am I crazy and making that up? Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
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I can't afford to take you to a fancy dinner, but we can go back to my place and eat in-front of my fancy reef tank. Current Tank Info: 50 mixed |
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#2 |
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Location: Grove City, Ohio
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pH is the very last thing you should worry about. I have not checked mine in probably 15 years. What are the numbers for Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium?
Chasing pH is a great way to put way too much of whatever in your tank and cause a whole bunch of trouble doing it.
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I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer |
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#3 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: High Point North Carolina
Posts: 341
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I'm not sure I don't have a test kit for it yet.
I've been out if the hobby for, 4 years. Trying to build up stock on all the test kits. I'm just trying to keep it stable, in my old tank I never had a problem ever. Cause I think it was me keeping the dh and alk stable kept my ph perfect. Just trying to remember everything is hard. Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
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I can't afford to take you to a fancy dinner, but we can go back to my place and eat in-front of my fancy reef tank. Current Tank Info: 50 mixed |
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#4 | |
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Central Nebraska
Posts: 3,190
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Quote:
Get a kit to test KH or Alk (same thing for our intents and purposes)
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Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers |
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#5 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Chicago - East Pilsen/UIC Area
Posts: 642
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Quote:
The pH levels in a tank are directly related to the balance of various trace elements in the water: carbonates, bicarbonates, magnesium, borate, and potassium, to name a few. Since the biological processes in filtration and the corals deplete these elements at a faster rate, they need to be replenished periodically to maintain a high and stable pH. Alternatively you can provide more fresh air from outdoors by leaving a window open or using a line from outside connected to your skimmer's air intake line. My tank struggles with Ph because I live in an apartment on a busy street. Leaving a window open allows too much dust into my unit so the air in my unit does not refresh as often as I like. The amount of growth after a short while with my windows open is astonishing. I'm toying with the idea of running an airline from my skimmer to a hole I drill through my building's exterior wall, which will surely annoy my landlord. ![]()
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...................................................... 45g Custom w/Starfire front & sides, Ecotech Radion Pro G3, MP40QD, Tunze ATO, Nyos Quantum 120 Skimmer, Ecotech Vectra M1 Return Pump |
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#6 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: High Point North Carolina
Posts: 341
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Ah ha! I knew I wasn't crazy. Best way to maintain kh?
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
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I can't afford to take you to a fancy dinner, but we can go back to my place and eat in-front of my fancy reef tank. Current Tank Info: 50 mixed |
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#7 | |
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Central Nebraska
Posts: 3,190
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Quote:
Dripping a solution of water saturated with CaOH (called limewater or German kalkwasser). This also adds Ca, obviously, so keep tabs on that as well. One part additions is the other way. Baking soda, sodium carbonate, and the alk part of a two-part program all are the same thing.
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Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers |
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#8 | |
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 911
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Quote:
Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) will actually lower the pH slightly and increase alk, whereas Sodium Carbonate will raise the pH and increase alk, and is typically what you see in 2-part solutions. But I agree with others in that pH is the last thing you should worry about. It is very difficult to run into a pH problem without an underlying issue causing it. As long as you have sufficient flow, and the tank isn't stuck in a closet or anything, your pH should stabilize around 8-8.1 and when you start dosing alk it should stay around 8.2-8.3 in my experience.
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John IM Nuvo 10g Mixed Reef Nano | Kessil A160we | Mp10QD | Osmolator Nano |
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#9 | |
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Central Nebraska
Posts: 3,190
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Quote:
I should have said that they all accomplish the same thing.
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Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 415
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Curious what is 'pretty low'?
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#11 | |
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: San Clemente, CA
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Quote:
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John IM Nuvo 10g Mixed Reef Nano | Kessil A160we | Mp10QD | Osmolator Nano |
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#12 |
-RT * ln(k)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Little Rock
Posts: 9,705
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We got awful far in this thread without actually getting a number for this pH. I don't think I would ask a question about my low pH without putting a number to it so people could see how low.
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David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction... |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: High Point North Carolina
Posts: 341
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It was like 7.1
I got some kalkwasser, and some very very very strict instructions Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
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I can't afford to take you to a fancy dinner, but we can go back to my place and eat in-front of my fancy reef tank. Current Tank Info: 50 mixed |
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#14 | |
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 911
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Quote:
What test were you using?
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John IM Nuvo 10g Mixed Reef Nano | Kessil A160we | Mp10QD | Osmolator Nano |
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#15 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: High Point North Carolina
Posts: 341
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Api, we all know they aren't the best.
Friend of mine let me use his ph thingy it's electronic Right now, it's at 7.8 Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
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I can't afford to take you to a fancy dinner, but we can go back to my place and eat in-front of my fancy reef tank. Current Tank Info: 50 mixed |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Central Nebraska
Posts: 3,190
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I agree with ssick. I don't believe that 7.1 reading. Things would be dissolving.
Kalk is fine. Just make sure your alk and Ca need adjusting before using. And don't add straight CaOH. Make sure it's dissolved in water.
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Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 415
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I would go out on a limb and say his ph thingy is not calibrated.
Also, you can buy some check solution and test the thingy. Or you can take some water to a LFS and they might test it for you.
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