Mr. Microscope Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Hello All, I am getting ready to set up my tank. I mixed 5 gal of water today in my clean bucket. I used Tropic Marin salt, an Instant Ocean Hydrometer, an API pH test, and ddH2O. The temp was 80F, the hydrometer read 1.023, but I got a pH of 8.8. I even tried adding Kent pH buffer, but still got a high pH. Is the test kit off. What could be causing the high pH? Is this dramatically too high to start the tank? Any thoughts on bringing it down? Thanks! Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 You should let your water mix for at least 24 hours then tell us what it says. When it mixes the params are often all over the place. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Okay. I'm setting this up at work. I left the bucket with my Hydor Theo 25W and Minijet404 powerhead in it. I was planning to start it on Sunday with LR&LS. You think the early measurement could have thrown it off that much? It looked clearly mixed. If it is really that high, will it go back down during the cycle with ammonia? Also, my heater is glowing orange on the inside. Is that normal? I couldn't find that answer to that on here either. Link to comment
lajz9 Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Also, my heater is glowing orange on the inside. Is that normal? I couldn't find that answer to that on here either. Orange = ON Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 It takes at least 24 hours of mixing to really stabilize. It should go down, the cycle really doesn't affect the PH, or at least PH isn't really that important during the cycle IMO. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Orange = ON Thanks! That's a load off. I was a little nervous I'd return to work to find a disaster. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 It takes at least 24 hours of mixing to really stabilize. It should go down, the cycle really doesn't affect the PH, or at least PH isn't really that important during the cycle IMO. Thanks. That's assuring. Any thoughts on the Kent buffer? I figured that it would be a good idea to stablize pH since I am doing such a small water volume (3 gallon JBJ Picotope). The guy at the LFS didn't think it was necessary, but I bought it anyways since he was talking about his 100 gallon. Also, the directions said a tsp./20-30 gallons. I'm only mixing 5 gallons. I figured that a tsp. is about 5 grams, so i measured out 1 gram and added just that. Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 I really don't think it is necessary. I would get a test kit for alk if you don't have one yet. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 I really don't think it is necessary. I would get a test kit for alk if you don't have one yet. Thanks. I just have the basics right now (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). There's so many more out there. I guess I'll pick up one of those. I was thinking Ca too? Do I really need them before the cycle is complete? Link to comment
Akwarius Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 A calcium test kit won't help you until you start keeping corals. Any mix will give you a basic calcium level. Link to comment
oogie Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 A calcium test kit won't help you until you start keeping corals. Any mix will give you a basic calcium level. Good point, If you are diligent with Water changes, no need to worry about calcium unless you are keeping SPS. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Okay, so it's been 24 hours. I started my tank today. I got some beautiful LR from the LFS. All of it has purple coralline. The pH of my water, however, was still really high. It dropped to maybe 8.6 or 8.7 after adding sand ect. I'm hoping it stabilizes out. About the calcium, I read that purple coralline takes Ca out of water fast. Since I have so much, should I be concerned? Any thoughts? Link to comment
Jacobnano Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 It doesn't matter. Just wait for the cycle and all your params should be fine. IMO you won't need anything but a few test kits and salt lol. No need for any kind of dosing in your situation. Link to comment
Mr. Microscope Posted October 31, 2009 Author Share Posted October 31, 2009 Cool. Thanks. I did the set up at work today and tested all the parameters. Got everything going (lights on timers, heater, AC70 fuge, etc.) Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate all 0s as expected (got familiar with the kit LOL). It was still a little cloudy when I left. I can't wait to see how it looks Monday morning. BTW, leaving my Hydor Theo in the bucket ended up to be not such a good idea. The 5 gallons I made last night was at 89F today. I added a little fresh to the tank before putting in the LR. The salinity only dropped from 1.023 to 1.0226 (I have an ATO in place), but the temp went down to 86. I turned the heater down to 73 from 79. Temp in the tank was at 80 when I left. Apparently 79 means 89..sigh.. I hope that didn't kill off too many hitchhikers on the rock (any thoughts?). I think I saw a small snail (had no shell, but segmented eyes, maybe a cm in length). Also, one of my pieces of LR had some pretty purple/red macro algae plants on it. That was all I noticed aside from the purple coralline and a dead amphipod. Link to comment
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