AHH Help

[cavyroo]

Help!
For the last 4 days I have been using Kent Tech A and B to help buffer my tank to keep it at 8.2...its been falling to 8.0 and 7.8...and I am having a hard time keeping it up.

Ever since i have been using it..my XENIA is shrinking..and part if it is closed! AHHH So I am stopping using it..I am sure thats what it is..for everything else is at 0.

Ya think they will bounce back? And has anyone had any luck with something else keeping their ph at 8.2 or 8.4??

 

[wrightme43]

to properly maintain ph. The measurements of salinity, alk, ca, and mg are needed. They are all interelated. Hook us up with those readings and you will recieve much more accurate suggestions.

 

[cavyroo]

Salinity 1.025
Ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ph current is barely holding 8.0

Cal is 450
I dont have a test for the MG yet..but need to get one next payday

 

[NaH2O]

Does the pH change at all when you open a window? How are you measuring pH...with a monitor or test kit? If it is with a monitir, when was it calibrated last? Do you have an alkalinity test kit? When was your last water change?

 

[cavyroo]

last water change was friday...10gal change on my 80. The ph test kit is a vile with liquid drops. Perhaps I will find another kit to compare.

 

[NaH2O]

You can try and take a glass of tank water and airate it either with an airstone or take it outside for a few minutes and test the pH again...I'm just trying to rule out CO2 in the house. If you get a chance to test the alk, or have the LFS test it, then let us know what the results are. Have you thought about dripping kalk? I wouldn't let your calcium get up much higher than where you have it.

 

[wrightme43]

How much of the additives are you using? Have you checked your pumps for a white chalky buildup? How about your heater. The reason I am asking is as alk and ca rise to high they can fall out of solution, and the ph drops too.

 

[liveforphysics]

Are you supplimenting Iodine?

It turned out to be what caused my Xenia crash.

 

[plack]

Is your calcium level balanced with the alk level and they are both low ? If so try kalkwasser and if your house is really damp a dehumidifier may help but thats if the house tests humid

 

[jetaero]

Your Calcium and salinity look fine.... Really need alkalinity to tell if the balance is missing. Let us know!

-Josh-

 

[kahunakatz]

I have found that several salts that are buffered with too much Borate tend to maintain a low pH around 7.8-8.0. Red Sea, Marine Environment, Coral Life and Sea Chem come to mind as salts that use too much Borate.

As mentioned earlier I would also look at whether the room that the tank is in is too insulated, ie to much CO2 which will drive down the pH. I would also double check your test kit with Salifert or a recently callibrated pH meter.

Hope it Helps,
Barry Katz
[email protected]