Tank Crashing!!! and low pH

EnzoRocks · 07/16/2006, 09:45 AM

Greetings,

I've got two acro, frog's pawn and another from the same family that has already died. My plate coral is on its last leg and my brain coral is bleaching. All my shrooms are contracting. This has all happened in the past day!! This is my first indication of a crash in my three years.

pH is 7.8 I have no idea how it got this low
Ca, NO2, NO3, NH4, Alk, Salinity, temp are all fine.

What I've done different in the past month...
I changed MH lights about two weeks ago and changed 5 gallons of water - I had been using instant ocean for about 3 years. This is the first time I have ever used tropic marin pro reef (suggested by Jeffs Exotic Fish).

HELP

nm354 · 07/16/2006, 09:49 AM

I would do a large water change (around 30-40 gallons). You can use baking soda to buffer up the pH.

EnzoRocks · 07/16/2006, 09:51 AM

Will Do,

How much baking soda?

Laakmann · 07/16/2006, 09:54 AM

i am a reef noob but isnt it true that if you know the alk and cal in your tank and they are good that your pH has to be good because they are all related?

Billybeau1 · 07/16/2006, 10:08 AM

It is very common in the summer months when our houses are closed up that excessive CO2 acummulates in the home which supresses pH. Give this a read

Low pH causes and cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

That said, I'm not convinced a ph of 7.8 is your problem. Since you just changed salts I would test your calcium and alk and see where you are first. Then test a new batch and see what it is out of the box.

EnzoRocks · 07/16/2006, 10:09 AM

No kiddin' closed up. Here in Las Vegas it's 115 degrees today!!

Billybeau1 · 07/16/2006, 10:14 AM

Also I would not use baking soda to raise ph. It will drive yor alk through the roof. Limewater is a much better choice.

What your grandmother never told you about lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

Infern0 · 07/16/2006, 11:17 AM

I would wait to buffer...do the water change and check it again...the remedy for the CO2 buildup is cracking a window or door for an hour or two and then recheck the PH. You'll be amazed. I had that problem in TX...very hot.

WaterKeeper · 07/16/2006, 11:34 AM

You can also bake the baking soda at 350Â° F for about 45 minutes turning it into calcium carbonate. This produces a far more pronounce increase in pH than the original baking soda. It is explained in those articles that Bill gave you.

07/16/2006, 09:45 AM	#1
EnzoRocks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 206	Tank Crashing!!! and low pH Greetings, I've got two acro, frog's pawn and another from the same family that has already died. My plate coral is on its last leg and my brain coral is bleaching. All my shrooms are contracting. This has all happened in the past day!! This is my first indication of a crash in my three years. pH is 7.8 I have no idea how it got this low Ca, NO2, NO3, NH4, Alk, Salinity, temp are all fine. What I've done different in the past month... I changed MH lights about two weeks ago and changed 5 gallons of water - I had been using instant ocean for about 3 years. This is the first time I have ever used tropic marin pro reef (suggested by Jeffs Exotic Fish). HELP

07/16/2006, 09:49 AM	#2
nm354 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 344	I would do a large water change (around 30-40 gallons). You can use baking soda to buffer up the pH. __________________ "We should make every customer take and aptitude test before they can walk in here."

07/16/2006, 09:54 AM	#4
Laakmann Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 332	i am a reef noob but isnt it true that if you know the alk and cal in your tank and they are good that your pH has to be good because they are all related? __________________ 90 gallon BB SPS cube Current Tank Info: 90 reef, 125 single oscar tank, 55 QT

07/16/2006, 11:34 AM	#9
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	You can also bake the baking soda at 350Â° F for about 45 minutes turning it into calcium carbonate. This produces a far more pronounce increase in pH than the original baking soda. It is explained in those articles that Bill gave you. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

07/16/2006, 09:51 AM	#3
EnzoRocks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 206	Will Do, How much baking soda?

07/16/2006, 10:08 AM	#5
Billybeau1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dyer, Indiana Posts: 12,010	It is very common in the summer months when our houses are closed up that excessive CO2 acummulates in the home which supresses pH. Give this a read Low pH causes and cures http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm That said, I'm not convinced a ph of 7.8 is your problem. Since you just changed salts I would test your calcium and alk and see where you are first. Then test a new batch and see what it is out of the box.

07/16/2006, 10:09 AM	#6
EnzoRocks Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 206	No kiddin' closed up. Here in Las Vegas it's 115 degrees today!!

07/16/2006, 10:14 AM	#7
Billybeau1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Dyer, Indiana Posts: 12,010	Also I would not use baking soda to raise ph. It will drive yor alk through the roof. Limewater is a much better choice. What your grandmother never told you about lime http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

07/16/2006, 11:17 AM	#8
Infern0 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 229	I would wait to buffer...do the water change and check it again...the remedy for the CO2 buildup is cracking a window or door for an hour or two and then recheck the PH. You'll be amazed. I had that problem in TX...very hot.