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| Chronic pH isuues |
 Nov 2 2009, 09:59 PM
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#1
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 Click My Signature To See My Tank Posts: 518 Joined: 8-August 07 From: Toronto, Ontario Member No.: 30,278  |
Well, i knew my pH was comparitively low, but after installing and calibrating, and recalibrating a pH probe (Reef Keeper) it seems damn near impossible for me to raise my pH. I've been trying to use Reef Buffer (Seachem) but it only raises it to 8.3 for a couple of hours and then it goes back down to my current pH of 7.67-7.8. I then did daily doses of this stuff which consequently caused a slight tank crash and now my return pump is acting wonky and the water level in the return pumps chamber has decreased substantially.
Needless to say i'm pretty confused as a) I've used way more of this reefbuffer than the recommended dosage and still the pH refuses to budge and  why would that affect my return pump?Any thoughts are much appreciated --------------------  |
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Nov 2 2009, 10:04 PM
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#2
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 Junior Assistant Nano Reefer  Posts: 13,699 Joined: 6-January 06 From: Columbia, SC Member No.: 18,025 |
Dunno about the return pump unless you have built up a layer of Ca precipitate scale in the impeller chamber.
Have you checked to see if you have elevated CO2 levels in your house? 1) Collect a cup of tank water and record pH. 2) Aerate water for 1-2 hours, re-record pH. 3) Take cup and air pump outside, aerate for another 1-2 hours and record the pH. If the pH doesn't change or goes down when you aerate it indoors but goes up when you aerate it outdoors, you have elevated CO2 in your house which is depressing your pH. -------------------- "Ocean: A body of water occupying about two-thirds of the world made for man - who has no gills." ~Ambrose Bierce
Mr. Fosi's drilled 20H w/150W Sunpod Mr. Fosi's Budget 20L *dismantled* Mr. Fosi's 5 gallons of convention-defying madness *dismantled* |
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Nov 2 2009, 10:43 PM
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#3
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 ^rotating snakes!^ Posts: 14,002 Joined: 28-March 03 From: OKC Member No.: 3,226 |
what is your alkalinity?
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Nov 2 2009, 10:59 PM
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#4
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Nano Reefer Posts: 126 Joined: 11-October 09 Member No.: 47,753 |
Being overly concerned with PH is what everyone seems to do, but as long as your in range, its ok. ALK is the factor you need to make sure stays around 9dkh. If your alk is good, then ph from 7.8-8;4 is fine.
Buffers for PH are not good to be messing with either. Id stop using it. Also, how are your tank inhabitants? If things are doing well this whole chasing the perfect PH is even more useless |
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Nov 3 2009, 07:19 PM
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#5
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 Undefeated! ;) Posts: 9,802 Joined: 1-May 06 From: San Bernardino, CA Member No.: 20,195 |
Test your alk! I had the same thing, 7.51pH by nite, and around 7.8 by day!! My alk turned out to be around 4.3 dKH I discovered!!
 I dosed in alk for a few months and my pH finally started hitting 8.19 by day and 7.8 by nite. Also in the beginning I'd notice that when I dosed, pH would spike for an hour and then drop back down...  But over the course of a few months, you will notice the differance.
-------------------- My first S/W and nano-reef tank, My old Aquapod 12g
My Finnex 30g glass M-Tank project The SCNRS Advance Acrylics built "12 x "16" x "12 custom AIO tank build EZcompany: i also don't recommend having 0 gallons. Fraggle Rockette: i's felt it... my couch was rockin and i was the only person on it... lol :P Adinsxq: i thought it over... it's still lame. Pickle010: Man.. that's a good looking carpet... I <3 Carpet. (that didn't sound right) Omen: Why didnt you just put it back into the Ocean? Am i missing something here? Was the ocean closed as well? |
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Nov 3 2009, 09:31 PM
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#6
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Nano Reefer Posts: 224 Joined: 17-September 09 Member No.: 47,258 |
I was having all kinds of fluctuations with mine too till I went to adding kalkwasser to my top off water and now I have not had to add any buffers or calcium. Calcium has stayed around 400 and alk at around 10dkh and ph during the day is average 8.4 and early morning 8.1.
Diatoms and cyano has pretty much gone away also. and I am finally starting to get some coraline growing on the rock. 
This post has been edited by bird: Nov 3 2009, 09:40 PM |
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