pH issue

[Illusion]

Ok I have had my tank running for Quite some time without any issues... And just in the Last week my pH has done an Extreme Drop.. My Ph was always stable between 8.0 and 8.3 never outside that range... I have been using Oceanic now since it was introduced into the market about 4 or 5m ago... My pH has plumited to 7.6 - 7.8 I am Very Certain that my my meter is reading correctly as I have Calibrated it twice and it hit dead on the marks without any adjustments... hit both 7.0 and 10.0 from the Calibration solutions... I also phoned the Monitor company and verified with them the probe is not bad... My tank is a 55g tank with 40g in the sump and 20g prop tank... I have done 2 large water changes and that has not helped at all... First water change was Sunday and was 20g and the second water change was today about 3hrs ago and was 30g... My doors and windows are already open and there is plenty of water/surface movement... The only thing newly added what the phosban Reactor which i was running about 1/4 recommended phosban and carbon in there... My levels as of right now are as follows

pH 7.6-7.7
Alk 12 dkh
mg 1440
Ca 480
Temp 78.7 (chiller)
Sr 8
ammonia, nitrites, nitrates 0

Please help pleaseeeee
James

Ps I have stopped the po4 reactor as of 3 days ago

 

[NaH2O]

Illusion, have you checked the pH of your salt mixed water prior to the water changes? Also, what is the salinity (just to complete your water parameters)?

 

[Illusion]

Salinity is 35ppt
A normal new bucket ph is 8.0 I havent checked this bucket as I just opened it today but It should be 8.0 as well.. Got some mixing right now... Its getting extremely Frustrating.. Never ever have I had this issue before... Always seems like its one thing or another.. grrr..

James

 

[Illusion]

Hmm.. I wonder if the Meter is wrong or what could be wrong... The mix has been mixing for about 10mins now and has a pH of 7.7 I am beginning to wondering If my probe really is shot...

James

 

[NaH2O]

James - do you have someone close by that also has a pH meter? You could borrow it for a quick check.

 

[Illusion]

I really have no one close by me LOL.. I am kinda out in the middle of No where... Its wierd though how the Meter hits the 7.0 solution perfect and the 10.0 solution perfect.. It company also had me check in Lemon Juice which is supposed to have a pH of like 2.6 or 2.8 cant remember and it hit that mark perfect as well... I dont see how Ca, Alk and Mg can be so good with the ph down the toilet... BTW I checked the Alk today and after the water changes its at 9.3dkh

James

 

[Illusion]

Just for Kicks I found an old Seachem test kit which had the pH references in there of 8.3.. The meter hit the mark at 8.1.. Now mind you this test kit is probably 9months old so the references are probably a bit off I would guess..

James

Ps fresh mix ASW is up to 7.8pH

 

[Illusion]

I also Just tried to calibrate the unit again and it was .1 low... I went ahead and adjusted it but it still doesnt make too much of a difference... Mix is now 7.9 and I have yet to test the tank again.. probably 7.7 or 7.8 at the highest..

James

 

[Illusion]

You know what I was just remembering.. Just days before this Issue I took some old LR that was cured and put it into my Sump.. Could having too much LR cause this??? I put about 65lbs of LR into the sump from my old agressive tank that I broke down..

James

 

[Illusion]

So I think I might have an Idea as to whats happening..

So Its possible that the Liverock that I added had some sort of DieOff even though I had it in the agressive tank for some time... I pulled it out and put it in a tub for a few weeks and Scrubbed the Algae and everything off of it and put it in the sump... And it seems like it wasnt but a few days after that I started to have pH problems...

Since Removing the Rock my ph went up to 7.9 in about 10mins tops... I guess I will just do another 20g water change tomorrow and see if everything gets fixed...

James

 

[WaterDogs]

It's the Oceanic salt causing the problem; the stuff has quickly gotten a rep for being poorly mixed and has wide lot to lot variations. Do a search on RC the stories will scare you!

 

[Illusion]

I have been using Oceanic as well as many others since the day it came out... I have yet to have any sort of problems with it besides the Alk being a bit low... The guy that is running the company thru the mud on RC had an Issue and I personnaly talk to Oceanic about it.. He mixed up the Salt It was cloudy and he added it to the tank anyways... Killed all his corals and is blaming Oceanic.. would you put cloudy water in your tank? I wouldnt... Its by no means the salt.. Otherwise there would be many others "Steve Weast being one of them" He started using it A few days after I...

James

 

[WaterDogs]

All I offered is advice and what I've read because you have the unknown problem. Let us know what you find out?

 

[Illusion]

I appreciate the Advice but it IMO was more like a statement... Not to try and attack have you used Oceanic salt youself? I would almost make a bet its the most popular salt out there on the market right now... 200g bucket for $44.00 (around here) is a very good price... All levels are extremely balanced except Alk is a bit low... Mg Sr Ca are all very nice... There are many people out there thats using oceanic.. I know several 20+ people personally out here using it without issues.. I think Mike (Mojo) if I read right also has or is using it as well... Pretty sure it was the Lr as the issue seems to be fixing itself..

James

 

[WaterDogs]

Illusion I'm sorry for the short statement.
Yes, I have been trying Oceanic salt but that doesn't erase there first impression when they hit the market with bad batches, hopefully that is the end of it; I like its high CA level and quickly mixes very clear, but I'm still a little gun shy...so far so good.

 

[Illusion]

I never heard anything about bad batches when it hit the Market.. To my knowledge I was the First to start using it locally as I called Central pet Oceanics only distributor and found out which store had it and Went and got one of the only 2 buckets they had in stock... For sure it was oceanics First batch... Didnt have any issues and noticed alot of improvement from the start... Haven't used anything since... Mixes up nicely.. Levels are stable from bucket to bucket... Steve Weast I believe got the Other bucket from the same LFS and I belive has been using it since as well... I know he is using it right now LOL... What more can I say Gotta love Oceanic salt.. I wont use anything different until someone comes up with hard Evidence that its bad for the tank (unlikely)

James

 

[WaterDogs]

What do you use to control Alk? Did you say the test kit came out to 8.3 that's a good sign.

 

[Illusion]

no.. The Reference Sample.... The ph test part of the kit was long used up... As for a heads up my pH is the best its been for the last few days.. Its climbed to 8.0 already... I am willing to bet the rock went thru some sort of cycle and My tank was just handling it... If you remember right when you setup your tank if you watched the pH it was all over the place and usually very low...

As for adjusting my alk I only do it when I mix up replacement water... And I use 6:1 mix of Baking Soda (6parts) and (1part) wAshing soda.. Baked at 250F for 1hour.. 1 tbsp per 20g to raise Dkh by 1.. I usually add 2 tbsp to my 30g bucket and call it good... The mix is the same thing pretty much as the Commercial stuff.. I just use Arm and Hammer on both brands... Otherwise my daily usage which is EXTREME alk and Ca demands are replenished with a Ca reactor..

HTH,
James

 

[NaH2O]

glad to hear your pH is on the rise. Did the pH in the water you are mixing go up (I thought it was rising while you were mixing)? I know while my tank was cycling, the pH was very low, I suppose the dying nastiness from the uncured live rock. My pH has been absolutely stable since - I was dosing baking soda for a couple of weeks, but haven't had to do a thing in a while. The pH ranges from ~8.0 at lights on, to about ~8.35 at the end of photoperiod.

 

[Illusion]

yeah the pH in the mixing water got to 8.0 and then Thats when I decided it HAD to be the LR tha tI just added and used that water to fill a 29g tank half full and put the lr into it... and the pH has been on the climb since... I am going to do a 10g water change tomorrow just to make sure any nasties from the LR is gone and probably do another in a week or so... But pH is at 8.0 right now and I am happy... Hopefully it wont go down tonight and is resolved... Otherwise its back to the drawing board LOL

James