Quash Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 *edit* My ph is messed up. Can someone help please. *edit* Test kit: Tetra Test Laborette w/o the nitrate kit FasTest: Nitrates Tank Specs Amm.: 0 Trites: 0 Trates: 0 alk.: 7 dkh pH: 7.7 LR: 7.5 lbs uncured LS: CaribSea Aragonite Lighting: Coralife Aqualight 28w 50/50 Temp: 82 Im bout to go insane. I've tried whats recommended, the superbuffer, the airstone, the redirectin PH. Im ready for something new, something to work, anything would help. Thanks again, and pardon my french. Link to comment
newbiefishgirl Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 ok take a deep breath and calm down!! This whole hobby is about patients. Really the only thing I know to raise the ph is what I have told you. I would see if you can exchange whatever it is that you bought for what I told you to buy. Just try and remain clam.... Link to comment
audi206rs4 Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 try a 20% water change. Link to comment
audi206rs4 Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 plus if you're still cycling... a ph drop is normal. it's all good! Link to comment
tinyreef Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 how long have you been using the superbuffer? what livestock & plants do you have? what's your photoperiod? you can also try AP's Proper pH 8.2 (basically baking soda imo, maybe a dash of this and that in there too). double check your pH test kit with another brand. cut out the airstone but breaking the water surface tension is good. a simple hob is a good cheap option. what kind of water do you use? are you dosing anything else? CaCl? Link to comment
audi206rs4 Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 and drop the temp a couple degrees (79-80) Link to comment
Twins Guy Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 dude! please step back from the ledge! there are a couple things that could be contributing to depress your pH... first of all what time of the day do you test your pH-in relation to when your lights come on. photosynthesis slows at night and algae/plants respire adding CO2 to the system, thereby lowering pH (lowest right at daybreak on your reef). you might expect to see a pH value three or fourth tenths higher later in the photoperiod. these fluctuations are quite common in home reefs and fueled the reverse photoperiod refugia craze and the trend to drip kalk overnight. i've seen far too many successful "fluctuating reefs" though to suggest you be worried. next...your tank is cycling-supposedly yet all your water parameters look like post cycle #s (less your pH). there's a good deal of bacterial breakdown going on in a new tank-your parameters don't tell the whole story. the LS you used-was it the bagged with water stuff-like 20#s? its been my experience that you may never notice a cycle in a tank using this sand as there are so many amped up bacteria in that sand (prolly more than a nano can support) that waste products are immediately dealt with. while nitrogenous wastes apparently aren't depressing your pH, other waste products-phosphates fer example, and heavy O2 consumption and CO2 dumping by those bacteria may be "doing the job." finally...how's your surface agitation? whipping it up a little bit may help drive some of that excess CO2 out and O2 in. hey another thing...are you in a small apartment/dorm sleeping near the tank? what about air conditioning? sometimes the ambient air conditions (ie if there's not alot of circulation-and people are around-CO2 levels will be elevated) can contribute. laugh but last winter my tank's pH would drop to 7.6 until i moved the air pump running my skimmer outside in the window sill. as if by magic my pH never dropped below 8 again! if you still can't put your finger on the "problem" don't worsen it by f***ing with buffers unless you know what you're doing and you're consistent both in administration and testing. most critters won't even frown at a pH of 7.7, they will however be bothered by massive fluctuations. i seriously wouldn't worry about it. HTH! tg damn tiny's quick (and worth listening to)! what he said too! Link to comment
Quash Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 Heh, post got edited. sorry for all that guys. I just got out of class, and I am a lot calmer. Audi: Ill do a 20% wc when I get home Tinyreef: Ive got no livestock, just started tank on sunday, I got the superbuffer yesterday. My photoperiod is about 15 hours. I am using Ozarka Distilled water. TwinsGuy: So my alk at 7dkh is ok? People say it should be at 12 dkh. I'll test pH when I get home again, I tested it before I went to sleep and it was at 7.7. There was no water stuff in my LS. I got my PH pointed at surface, as well as an HOB. I am in an apt yes. Thanks alot guys, much appreciated. I need some counseling Link to comment
Quash Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 yeah newbiefishgirl, Im going to try that and see. I'll have them test my water too. Thanks Link to comment
tinyreef Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 just started tank on sunday sorry, i thought you had started this tank a while ago (from your test results) and something just cropped up. as everyone else suggests, have patience. i wouldn't worry about anything for another couple of weeks, at least. (check on your test kits tho) this is a hobby of months to years, not hours and days. you want excitement? go watch some grass grow, 'cause it grows about 50x faster than most corals. welcome to the addiction, um, hobby. X) Link to comment
Quash Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 Ok, so because my pH and alk are low, its just cause I started the tank. whew, I thought it was something else. I guess I just wait for pH to go up now Link to comment
audi206rs4 Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 quash, i would lessen your photo-period (8-10 hours if fine during cycling, maybe even less, learn as you go)... unless of course... you like algae! hahaha! i'm just playin with ya. ocean/hai Link to comment
ELGORDOINAVW Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 hey man who cares what happens during your cycle. go watch t.v. or surf the net, just let the tank do it's own thing. come back to it in about a month or two. just remember to add top off water. wait a while before trying to add anything, keep reading because you are a nnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwbbbbbbbbbbb Link to comment
MrKrispy Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 My pH dropped and fluctuated a lot for over a month, so fuggedahboutit. I would avoid the use of buffers, personally I think they will screw you some time or another. Link to comment
Mnesarchus Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Originally posted by ELGORDOINAVW [bnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwbbbbbbbbbbb [/b] Thats why he posted in the begginiers forum. Try to take a deep breathe and slow down. I'd like to quote The Big Lebowski: Walter: Nothing is fu**ed dude, nothing is fu**ed - they're a bunch of FU**ing amatuers. Link to comment
Quash Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 Well all in all. A lot of patience is needed in this hobby. I guess I wasnt ready for it. Right now, I've still got alk at 7dkh and pH at 7.7. I see 4 things, there has been an outbreak of coralline (its purple) all over the rocks. On one rock there is some green lookin stuff. and on another rock there is some brown stuff. and on yet another rock there is some brown hair lookin stuff. On some parts of rock its white? what is that white? But yeah, I guess I had a breakdown of somekind this morn Link to comment
audi206rs4 Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 must be the canadian in ya, eh?!?! Link to comment
jasontatro Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 I'm surprised noboby has jumped on the fact that you are using distilled water. As far as I knew... that is a major "no-no". Link to comment
Quash Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 I thought distilled is the same as de-ionized? Link to comment
zizmans Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 The best buffer in my opinion is Warner marine calyxmax. ALSO using a cheap salt will make keeping proper ph tougher. Link to comment
Quash Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 so IO is cheap? what do you recommend? Link to comment
Mnesarchus Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 IO salt is good, but Tropic Marin is best IMO. Link to comment
bobioden Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Originally posted by jasontatro I'm surprised noboby has jumped on the fact that you are using distilled water. As far as I knew... that is a major "no-no". What is wrong with distilled water?? ??? Link to comment
Dingo Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 I made it a special point to never test the water on my nano. I was growing soft corals, and as long as you make regular, weekly, water changes and top it off, there is nothing more that you need to do. Your salt contains all of the buffers and trace elements that you need. Worry about adding extra additives when you have ALOT of practice, and decide to keep harder animals. For now, buy mushrooms, polyps and perhaps a leather coral. They will be easy to care for and will grow for you. Also, they can be very attractive. If you must tinker, try adding a SMALL dose of iodine weekly for the leather. See if it likes it. Go slooowww. Do not even bother with hard corals for 9 months until your baby is born. They will probably die on you. I know it seems like a long time, but believe it or not, even after all of that time, you will see new stuff coming out of the rock. Link to comment
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