32Bit_Fish Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I've just set up my tank today. I added instant ocean salt. The salinity is at 1.025, PH is at 7.8 Is this a bit of low? Should I start adding lime water to raise PH? Link to comment
SBDTHRU Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Have the same exact problem. But yesterday my water was sitting at a perfect 8.2. Considering we both used Instant Ocean that may be the issue. Edit: Just tested again, and I got a reading of 8.8. Maybe just a cycling issue? Or a crappy test kit? I guess ill just wait and find out. Link to comment
Sushi Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I would aim for at least a pH of 8.0, there are definitely successful reefs being kept at low pH's but a stable value of at least ~8.0 is what you should try to achieve. I would start by gradual dripping of kalk water as you stated. Do this slowly over a few weeks while testing to keep track of the values. Link to comment
32Bit_Fish Posted January 3, 2010 Author Share Posted January 3, 2010 I will buy some Mrs. Wedge's Pickling Lime and start making some lime water. My tank has not yet cycled, so no live stocks in it. I guess I dont need a drip system. Link to comment
badfinger Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 7.8 is fine... 8.2-8.4 is what is sought after but, as someone else said stable is more important then the ph (to a point). I dont think you will need to have a kalk drip until you have livestock and something eating up the calcium.. kalk is a balanced additive, the alk and cal are at the same levels your corals will intake it. But the trick is figuring out what your tanks needs are Link to comment
cadre Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Keep in mind that aerating water will change your pH. That means that simply taking the water out of the tank and putting into a testing tube or whatever can change it. I would just keep an eye on it and see what happens. My test kit has always indicated a slightly low pH and I'm doing just fine. Link to comment
Justind823 Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Wait wait wait. If your tank is still cycling you shouldn't be worrying about your PH, it won't become stable until after your cycle. A PH of 7.8 is fine during your cycle. Link to comment
OClownsandNanos Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Low pH is part of cycling. Mine right now is at about 7.9. Don't worry about it and don't add anything right now -- it's completely unnecessary. Let your cycle naturally progress. You should see your pH gradually increase as your cycle completes. Link to comment
Nicholas Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 If somebody is unsure whether their test kit is registering the proper PH shouldn't the recommendation be to test your RO/DI water to ensure a reading of 7.0? Link to comment
32Bit_Fish Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Ok, thanks. I will wait and see. My tank is having a sand storm now. How long does it take to complete cycling the tank? Link to comment
OClownsandNanos Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Read this: http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/?article=8 It describes cycling. Depending on the condition of your live rock, it may take a few weeks to well over a month. You just have to keep testing your Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates to know for sure. Link to comment
Trolldoll Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 If somebody is unsure whether their test kit is registering the proper PH shouldn't the recommendation be to test your RO/DI water to ensure a reading of 7.0? No Link to comment
32Bit_Fish Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Read this: http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/?article=8 It describes cycling. Depending on the condition of your live rock, it may take a few weeks to well over a month. You just have to keep testing your Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates to know for sure. Thanks for the link. Does it really necessary to have the light on 8 hour a day? Especially when I left the LRs in the bag overnight, not sure if there are any living things on the rocks. I only added about 9 lbs of rocks in my 20g tank and I may add some more. Link to comment
OClownsandNanos Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 It's up to you. You could try for a shorter photoperiod. There's really no hard and fast rule about that part of it. However you keep it dark the whole time, it will likely lead to the death of life you might have which get nutrients from photosynthesis. I originally planned 4 hrs for all bulbs, add'l 3 hrs for actinics only. But since I want to try to cultivate any and all life on my rock right now, I've got lights on for 10 hrs a day with the daylight bulb on most of that time. I spent a pretty penny on my rock, so I'm trying to eke out everything I can from it right now. It runs the risk of a lot of algae growth, but I'm willing to take it. Link to comment
pismo_reefer Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 7.8 is normal during a cycle.... low oxygen exchange, and low alkalinity can be major causes of ph imbalance in cycled tanks. Link to comment
32Bit_Fish Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 7.8 is normal during a cycle.... low oxygen exchange, and low alkalinity can be major causes of ph imbalance in cycled tanks. I think I get a PH of 7.8 right out of the salt mix. I use RO/DI water with Instant Ocean salt mix. Instant Ocean is known to have a lower PH reading. My tap water PH is around 6.9, didn't measure PH of the RO/DI water though. There is a small powerhead running in the tank. There are no proteim skimmer or any other filtration for this tank. I bought a Hydor Koralia 2 for the tank and will get a HOB Aquafuge medium for this tank soon. That would be my complete set up for this tank. I will be making a DIY Kalk drip system as well. Hopefully it will keep the PH at 8.0-8.3 constant. Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 7.8 is in the normal range, and you should avoid chasing "perfect pH" because pH is influenced by different things like alkalinity or even the time of day. pH in a new tank can be unstable. You should not be dosing kalkwasser if you're not testing for alkalinity and calcium; moreover, you should not be dosing anything if you don't have many stony corals that will use the calcium and alkalinity levels you're paying to raise. Read this: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php Link to comment
32Bit_Fish Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 7.8 is in the normal range, and you should avoid chasing "perfect pH" because pH is influenced by different things like alkalinity or even the time of day. pH in a new tank can be unstable. You should not be dosing kalkwasser if you're not testing for alkalinity and calcium; moreover, you should not be dosing anything if you don't have many stony corals that will use the calcium and alkalinity levels you're paying to raise. Read this: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php I thought all corals consume some calcium. They need it for the skeleton growth, no? I also thought small living animals such as a cleaner shrimp needs certain amount of calcium as well (shell growth). Link to comment
Apoptosis Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I thought all corals consume some calcium. They need it for the skeleton growth, no? I also thought small living animals such as a cleaner shrimp needs certain amount of calcium as well (shell growth). If you don't have a lot of stonys or inverts that need calcuim, your regular water changes should replenish the calcium and other elements in your water. Link to comment
32Bit_Fish Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 If you don't have a lot of stonys or inverts that need calcuim, your regular water changes should replenish the calcium and other elements in your water. What are the corals fall in stonys category? Anything that has a skeleton like frogspawn? Link to comment
lakshwadeep Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 What are the corals fall in stonys category? Anything that has a skeleton like frogspawn? Yes. LPS and SPS stand for large polyp scleractinian and small polyp scleractinian, where scleractinian means "hard ray". Link to comment
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