My tank has been really good and stable for quite a while now, but a few days ago, several of my zoas, and a couple acans started looking very stressed. Yesterday I realized that there was a dead hobo spider in my fuge, with an oily buildup floating around him. I got out the spider and the film, and tested my water perameters to find that my ph has gotten dangerously low (about 7.6). I recently started using a different type of salt mix too, and can't really say for sure the reason in the drop. How do I raise it a few notches cheaply and safely?
PH dangerously low
- Thread starter Faciosity
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All my other perameters are good, except I don't have a test kit for mag/calcium, but that shouldn't matter with the ph drop right? All my sps are doing great still suprizingly, it's the zoas that I'm mostly worried about. I have a vast collection, and luckily havn't had problems with any of my super high enders yet, but fear that a couple other kinds are dying all together. Some of them havn't opened in several days, and are getting deformed and coated with algae.
mcoomer
Who's your daddy?!?
Probably the easiest way to get your parameters back in line would be to do a water change. Mix up a batch at 1.026 and change out some water. As far as additives, I believe that Kent Marine Super Buffer is a good way to go to get your alk and pH back in line. What salt mix are you using and what SG do you mix it to?
Mike
Mike
I usually use instant ocean, but a while back somebody traded me three bags of coralife for some corals, so I've been using that. I did a small water change day before yesterday, and I guess I will try doing a larger one tonight or tomorrow when I have time. I usually mix at 1.025, so if I don't get a chance to top off for a day or two, the salinity won't get too high. I knew that water changes would help, but fear that I will have to change way too much in order to raise the ph enough, and don't want to send my tank through another big cycle while it's fully stocked. I have also been getting red cyano growths more the last week or so, and have no nitrates, and havn't been overfeeding.
Havn't even fed my lps in about a week, because I was concerned for my water quality.
Havn't even fed my lps in about a week, because I was concerned for my water quality.
Baking soda, in small amounts. Double check your alk too.
Point power heads to surface also. Pointing power heads up may work all on its own.
Point power heads to surface also. Pointing power heads up may work all on its own.
mcoomer
Who's your daddy?!?
Yeah, hadn't though to agitating the water to improve the gas exchange and increase pH that way. Try opening the windows closest to the tank too.
pewpewlazerbeam
fish in cycler
Is your refugium light on a reverse cycle?
Xtremedave67
Well-known member
Hmmmm so surface flow helps PH? Ok im in on this thread, seems I need info LOL
thatguy559
Well-known member
yes surface flow helps the gas exchange which brings your ph up. same thing with having an enclosed stand and canopy. by simply opening the doors and allowing the fresh oxgen to pass through.
forgot to add Faciosity i would mix up a new batch of water and test the ph on that. to determine if its that that is causing your ph to drop
forgot to add Faciosity i would mix up a new batch of water and test the ph on that. to determine if its that that is causing your ph to drop
NC2WA
Well-known member
Faciosity,
This might help:
http://www.aquaristsonline.com/blog/aquarium-care/water-quality/my-ph-is-too-low/
And from an Advanced Aquarist article:
pH
pH, as we know, is a measure of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions on a scale of 0-14 standard units. A pH value of less than 7 is considered 'acidic' and those measurements above 7 are said to be 'basic'. A measurement of exactly 7 is called 'neutral'. pH is usually checked with an electronic meter using a probe specifically designed to report pH. However, see comments in the 'Methods' section below.
pH values will generally drop as water becomes more pure - this is usually due to removal of alkalinity and substances buffering against the effects of carbon dioxide as it dissolves in the water (carbon dioxide and water mixed makes carbonic acid). It takes very little CO2 to drop the pH in pure, un-buffered water.
This might help:
http://www.aquaristsonline.com/blog/aquarium-care/water-quality/my-ph-is-too-low/
And from an Advanced Aquarist article:
pH
pH, as we know, is a measure of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions on a scale of 0-14 standard units. A pH value of less than 7 is considered 'acidic' and those measurements above 7 are said to be 'basic'. A measurement of exactly 7 is called 'neutral'. pH is usually checked with an electronic meter using a probe specifically designed to report pH. However, see comments in the 'Methods' section below.
pH values will generally drop as water becomes more pure - this is usually due to removal of alkalinity and substances buffering against the effects of carbon dioxide as it dissolves in the water (carbon dioxide and water mixed makes carbonic acid). It takes very little CO2 to drop the pH in pure, un-buffered water.
The surface of the water is the only place that oxygen exchange can occur. Oxygen exchange and ph go hand in hand.
Even with a skimmer, oxygen can only enter water through the water surface.
The more surface agitation, the more the waters surface tension is broken, allowing oxygen in.
Even with a skimmer, oxygen can only enter water through the water surface.
The more surface agitation, the more the waters surface tension is broken, allowing oxygen in.
Xtremedave67
Well-known member
makes sense now that you explain it, Im getting it now LOL good thing Im trainable
All good advise, thank you. I have tons of surface movement already, since my powerheads are all near the top. My tank has an open top, and has a fan blowing across the surface of the water 24/7. My fuge is not on a reverse cycle, because it is built into the back of my tank, and gets light from my main fixture. I have never had this issue before until just recently, and I am seriously wondering if a chemical in or on the hobo spider caused (or made worse) the situation. I'm going to mix up some water, test it, do the water change, and add a K1 pump near the surface of the first compartment of my fuge where it has the least surface movement. If all this doesn't make a drastic change after 24 hours, I may need to use some buffer max, or learn more about the baking soda thing. Thanks everybody, will keep you updated tomorrow.
pewpewlazerbeam
fish in cycler
Just for the record algae accounts for 70% of oxygen production on earth.
While i agree with the rest of your statement, i just though it should be stated that oxygen can enter the water other ways
I just realized something and put all the pieces together. My tank got really hot about a week ago, and I know warmer water doesn't retain oxygen as well. So with the temporary lack of oxygen, the ph could have been dropped, and hasn't recovered. I have had a hard time keeping stable temperature all summer long, and lately it has been colder at night, but warm in the day. I have been noticing drops to 75 at the lowest, and rises as high as 82 in the day (the other day the fan got shut off, and when I got home from work it was at 86!!!! I just about freaked out!).
Get a Ranco 2 stage controller, fans plug into one side, heaters into the other, set temp and it will regulate fans and heaters to maintain temps. The other benefit is if you get a heater stuck on, it will shut the power off to the heater since the Ranco is controlling the temps, not the heater
jrgilles
Well-known member
Start a kalkwasser drip? I have a kalk drip going at intervals at night. Kalk is (I think) Ca(OH)2, so it will increase your calcium and also add more OH- to your tank, which will raise the pH.
Algae does introduce oxygen into the water, during the day. At night, it removes oxygen from the water and respires Co2, so the use of algae to control pH is kind of a mute point.
In nature, your point is valid, as algae around the world is receiving sunlight, in one place or another, 24 hours a day. In our tanks, this isn't the case.
Ben, try removing a cup of water, from your tank, and letting it sit on a counter for an hour or so. Then test the pH. This can help you determine if the air quality in your home is part of the cause.
Have you had any algae, uneaten foods, or anything else, decomposing in your tank? This would also reduce the pH. I doubt the spider caused much of an issue, though it may have been slight.
The higher temperatures would be a valid culprit, as well.
Putting an airstone in the tank may help, only in that it will create more surface disruption, leading to more oxygen exchange. A skimmer would also help out, quite a bit.
As mentioned, dosing Kalk, by drip, at night, will also help. However, it'll also effect Alk and Calcium levels, usually in a good way.
