Water Alkalinity

[Almondsaz]

Need some help. I just did a water test and my results are:

Salt 1.025
Alk 12.8 DKH
Phos .1
Calcium 460
PH 8.1 (but my probe reads 7.98 and was just calibrated)
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

I used to run the phos reactor but stopped about 2 weeks ago. Due for a 20% water change this weekend.

Becuase the PH has been low, bought Reef Buffer (by Seachem) that raises PH up to 8.3 max. I believe that per the label one of the side effects can be increased carbonate alk.

Do I just let it ride until the weekend when I do my 20% water change? Or do I need to do something right now?????

Thanks

 

[chris&barb]

i would just let it fall on its own. i also wouldn't try to chase an "ideal" PH #. if you keep your alk between 8dkh and 12dkh your ph should never get critical. it will just float around depending on ambient CO2 and time of day

 

[Boomer]

I agree with Chris and Barb

Yes that buffer will raise the Alk. You seem to have a higer than normal indoor CO2 and is suprresing you pH. A kalk drip may bring it more to were you like. Here is a good read.

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

 

[Jan]

Boomer,

If the cause low ph is excess CO2 in the home, could adding live plants to the room be helpful at all? It's been too long since science class but I remember that plants consume CO2 and produce O2 during either day or night (I don't remember which), and do the reverse at the opposite end of the day. Just wondering if lots of plants would change the indoor CO2 equation at all.

 

[Boomer]

Well Jan that may help some, but you would need a green house in your tank room And than won't help at night when those plants to to give off CO2. You would have to take all of them out tof the room.

The CO2 in a house can get more than 3 X than of the outside CO2. You would be better off with a sump/refugium with a bunch of marine algae like cheato and running it with the lights only at night only.

 

[Jan]

yep...makes sense. thanks.

 

[Almondsaz]

I agree with Chris and Barb

Yes that buffer will raise the Alk. You seem to have a higer than normal indoor CO2 and is suprresing you pH. A kalk drip may bring it more to were you like. Here is a good read.

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

I have opened the windows in the tank room, opened the front door and used a fan to circulate outside air into the house....no effect on the PH. So puzzled on how a determination can be made the it is due to "higher than normal indoor CO2 in the house???" I really appreciate the help becuase there is so much to learn. Thanks again

 

[DonW]

I have opened the windows in the tank room, opened the front door and used a fan to circulate outside air into the house....no effect on the PH. So puzzled on how a determination can be made the it is due to "higher than normal indoor CO2 in the house???" I really appreciate the help becuase there is so much to learn. Thanks again

May just be excess nutrient issues. Try testing just a small amount of tank water outside.


Don

 

[Boomer]

If that is the case then I agree with Don's remarks. Your tank is overloaded and proudcing its own CO2 form the chemical break down of organics.

 

[Jan]

If that's the situation then is there any remediating action besides reducing the amount of livestock?

 

[DonW]

If that's the situation then is there any remediating action besides reducing the amount of livestock?

Water changes, better skimmer............................... Most of us keep our tanks overstocked. It just requires more work and better equipment.

Don

 

[Almondsaz]

I didn't think that a pair of clowns, pacific blue, sailfin and a bi-color would be overstocked for a 70 gallon? I think that part of the issue is the skimmer is not yet skimming correctly which I think has shown itself in the form of an increase in phosphates. Also, perhaps I could be overfeeding, but the fish do not leave any food uneaten.

Appreciate your experience on these observations---I am still learning.

 

[returnofsid]

Your 2 Tangs alone are too much for a 70 gallon. In fact, either one of these Tangs, by itself would be too much for that tank. Both of those Tangs need to be in a much larger tank. Keep up on water changes, fine tune your skimmer to skim properly or upgrade to a larger skimmer and make sure that during water changes, you vacuum as much detritus from the sand and rocks as possible. The decomposing detritus will compound your PH issues.