Krish
RF STAFF
One of the best ways to get good gas exchange is have great surface aggitation...I use to let my pumps rip the surface of my tank! If the surface of your tank is stagnant, try directing more flow up there 
PH (annoying)
- Thread starter eliterecon14
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Scooterman
Well-known member
Wrong, not complete but very important!
Best you read this article, It will help clear up a few things. Also I see you got more Rock, I think in time this will benefit you also, as It looked as though you were shy some! There is several possible reasons why you could have lower PH, a relationship of these like alkalinity in the water could have an impact on your PH levels, along with not enough aeration for gas exchange as mentioned in the article.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php
NC2WA
Well-known member
Scooty,
I have read this article before and it is a great article !!!
eliterecon, if your alk and Ca are low. Trying raising the Alk first, wait a day, and then check the Ca level. it may raise the Ca level for you. otherwise, raise the Ca level after you have the Alk level under control.
i believe there is another article in the series that Scooty sent you that talks about the relationship between Alk and Ca. I highly recommend you read it. IMO, it is worth taking the time (about 5-10 mins) to read it.
Kirk
I have read this article before and it is a great article !!!
eliterecon, if your alk and Ca are low. Trying raising the Alk first, wait a day, and then check the Ca level. it may raise the Ca level for you. otherwise, raise the Ca level after you have the Alk level under control.
i believe there is another article in the series that Scooty sent you that talks about the relationship between Alk and Ca. I highly recommend you read it. IMO, it is worth taking the time (about 5-10 mins) to read it.
Kirk
-=dieseldave=-
Well-known member
I think that monitoring/testing Ph in your tank is a complete waste. other than in a few instances. It tells you very little about your water conditions. If its low chances are you won't be able to do anything about it. Again 7.8 - 8.5 are exceptable, swings between day and night should not be much grater than 0.3. But there is not much you can do about that either. Use ph to monitor a calcium reactor, or if your doseing Kalk. I'm sure someone will post exceptions but there are few.
Just my rambleings,David
Just my rambleings,David
NC2WA
Well-known member
I will let Boomer and the chemists debate the validity of this statement.
Scooterman
Well-known member
When you use a CA reactor or dousing Kalk you can manipulate PH, so In those cases you Do need to monitor it because you could effect it enough to be servilely harmful.
eliterecon14
Pajama Cardinal
ph
I use surface aggitation for oxygen exchange. My calcium was 50 below what it should be.
I use surface aggitation for oxygen exchange. My calcium was 50 below what it should be.
pepperjack
Active member
I raised my PH by attaching clear tubing to my skimmers air intake and running it outside of house (I have alot of natral gas appliances in home that produces C02). I just upgraded my skimmer to the bubble master 250 and it pulls in ALOT more air which brought the PH even higher. Now PH runs around 8.2-8.3. I'm slowly doing away with kalk and PH still not dropping. I am still using 2-part for calcium. Just use a bigger tubbing like 3/8 or 1/2in so it doesn't restrict the air flow. Worked great for me.
Boomer
Well-known member
I think that monitoring/testing Ph in your tank is a complete waste. other than in a few instances. It tells you very little about your water conditions.
That is true for some once they understand their system and stick to a specific routine. However, it is not true for most. And, knowing the pH tells you at what levels there will be more or less Abiotic precipitation vs. dissolution. And if you don't check the pH once in awhile how are you going to know where you are at I might add the coral calcification increases with pH. Higher pH also off-sets the growth of many unwanted algae, as they are starved of CO2. So, measuring pH is not a waste
Again 7.8 - 8.5 are exceptable,
True but you are better off in the mid range of that 8.1- 8.3. In the systems I use to run my pH was always ~ 8.3, becasue of the way I ran them but I checked it once in awhile any ways to be sure. I never used a monitor.
That is true for some once they understand their system and stick to a specific routine. However, it is not true for most. And, knowing the pH tells you at what levels there will be more or less Abiotic precipitation vs. dissolution. And if you don't check the pH once in awhile how are you going to know where you are at
I might add the coral calcification increases with pH. Higher pH also off-sets the growth of many unwanted algae, as they are starved of CO2. So, measuring pH is not a waste Again 7.8 - 8.5 are exceptable,
True but you are better off in the mid range of that 8.1- 8.3. In the systems I use to run my pH was always ~ 8.3, becasue of the way I ran them but I checked it once in awhile any ways to be sure. I never used a monitor.
Boomer
Well-known member
Scoot
If seawater is fully aerated with normal air (that is, it is in full equilibrium with the air), then its pH is exactly determined by its carbonate alkalinity: the higher the alkalinity, the higher the pH
True but so no one runs with this there is still CO2 in the water. Since we know the partial pressure of the atm CO2 then it is just the CA. But still, it is really determined by the ratio of the C- Alk : CO2 . And very few if any tanks are at equilibrium with the atm. when it comes to CO2
.
If seawater is fully aerated with normal air (that is, it is in full equilibrium with the air), then its pH is exactly determined by its carbonate alkalinity: the higher the alkalinity, the higher the pH
True but so no one runs with this there is still CO2 in the water. Since we know the partial pressure of the atm CO2 then it is just the CA. But still, it is really determined by the ratio of the C- Alk : CO2 . And very few if any tanks are at equilibrium with the atm. when it comes to CO2
.
OldFishMan
Well-known member
Hello;
Never adjust PH with buffers. Check your Alkalinity if it is low --- 7 or so --- add buffer to bring it to mid range or about 9. If it checks low the next day at the same time you can add some more.
Now --- do not keep adding a buffer with Borate in it. Your liquid buffer has Borate salts in it. Use baking soda --- and check your tank for new growth --- even coralline uses a lot of Alk. You may be using 1-dkh a day or more.
I would check the Magnesium and add baking soda as needed to maintain your Alkalinity. I would also consider using Kalkwasser for maintenance of Calcium and Alkalinity.
The CO2 suggestion above may be the main reason. A vent over the stove or in the bathroom can help move enough air and not change the internal room temp enough to be noticed.
A good PH probe is needed with Kalkwasser as PH is one of the main concerns with Kalk (PH of 12). While dosing Kalk limit your PH to 8.4, the main limiting factor and limit Alkaliniy to 11 the other limiting factor when dosing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"When we are told something long enough, we tend to believe it!"
"Some Athiest, Somewhere"
Enjoy!
OFM
Never adjust PH with buffers. Check your Alkalinity if it is low --- 7 or so --- add buffer to bring it to mid range or about 9. If it checks low the next day at the same time you can add some more.
Now --- do not keep adding a buffer with Borate in it. Your liquid buffer has Borate salts in it. Use baking soda --- and check your tank for new growth --- even coralline uses a lot of Alk. You may be using 1-dkh a day or more.
I would check the Magnesium and add baking soda as needed to maintain your Alkalinity. I would also consider using Kalkwasser for maintenance of Calcium and Alkalinity.
The CO2 suggestion above may be the main reason. A vent over the stove or in the bathroom can help move enough air and not change the internal room temp enough to be noticed.
A good PH probe is needed with Kalkwasser as PH is one of the main concerns with Kalk (PH of 12). While dosing Kalk limit your PH to 8.4, the main limiting factor and limit Alkaliniy to 11 the other limiting factor when dosing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"When we are told something long enough, we tend to believe it!"
"Some Athiest, Somewhere"
Enjoy!
OFM
Last edited:
Boomer
Well-known member
A good PH probe is needed with Kalkwasser as PH is one of the main concerns with Kalk (PH of 12). While dosing Kalk limit your PH to 8.4, the main limiting factor and limit Alkaliniy to 11 the other limiting factor when dosing.
One does not have to have a pH probe for kalk mixng and many do not use one. However, a pH meter makes it easier. And one does not have to limit their pH to 8.4 with kalk and the same for an Alk of 11. Some run it higher than 11 dKH but for most I agree. However, one should not try to keep their pH any higher than 8.5 by any means unless it is to try and control Dino's,which limits them of CO2. Alk is Alk and does not make any difference what level it is at or how or with what is used to raise. If you raise the Alk up to 11 dKh it is the same thing as raising it to 11 dkH with baking soda or washing soda. If all 3 samples have a dKH of 11 and a pH of 8.3 it is the same thing.
One does not have to have a pH probe for kalk mixng and many do not use one. However, a pH meter makes it easier. And one does not have to limit their pH to 8.4 with kalk and the same for an Alk of 11. Some run it higher than 11 dKH but for most I agree. However, one should not try to keep their pH any higher than 8.5 by any means unless it is to try and control Dino's,which limits them of CO2. Alk is Alk and does not make any difference what level it is at or how or with what is used to raise. If you raise the Alk up to 11 dKh it is the same thing as raising it to 11 dkH with baking soda or washing soda. If all 3 samples have a dKH of 11 and a pH of 8.3 it is the same thing.
