kalkwas = 8.6 pH

Wont a high alk raise the pH and stabilize it high? I was wondering if he lowers his Alk, might the pH lower and stabilize low? You know the desired is 8.2-8.4, it just seems like it will be a problem later on if its 8.5+?

 

How long did you wait to take that pH to get 8.3., i.e., 1 hr, 12 hr, 24 hrs ? Newly mixed IO is about 7.8 and after it is aerated for 24 hrs it will raise to about 8.1-8.2. So, I'm thinking that meter is reading to high and needs to be calibrated.

Do you have any kalk on hand ? A saturated solution of 2 tsps / gal reads 12.5 pH.

 

Rick

Lowering the Alk my not do anything for pH but then it may drop . It depends on the amount of CO2 and its rate of falling or rising. If the CO2 and Alk fall or increase at the same rate the pH will be the same. Higher Alk is almost always a companied by higher CO2. When ever you add a carbonate buffer the CO2 goes up. A higher Alk does not necessarily give a stable pH. If you add or there is an increase in CO2 the pH will fall no matter what the Alk is. In general though you are correct. Water changes is his best solution to make sure things fall in order.

 

The salt was mixed and sitting in a bucket with a powerhead for almost a week.

I'm also checking my ph with a 5mL tank water + 5 drops test kit.

EDIT: I just check the pH meter with some vinegar, it reads 3.0 NOt sure if that will really help any, but...

 

I stop screwing with a tank of happy creatures until you are sure the pH pen is working right. You already said you can't read you chemical test kit so I wouldn't compare that as normal.

Try what Boomer said with the Kalk and see what it reads. Better yet get some calibration solution and check it and recalibrated it.

 

Your right I think the chemical pH test is not very good for precise measurements. But between +- .1 or .2 variance you can tell. All I'm saying is they agree with each other, within reason.

pH pen reads 11.9 in the kalkwasser

 

so is this somethign I should worry about? i run 1.5 tsp kalk per gallon and my ph is a steady 8.5 24hr. Corals are growing and shrooms and polyps are spreading and propagating. could it be they are settled into the ph? I haven't noticed any precipitaion in PH impellers or along glass and I'm getting green, pink, purple and red coraline growing. What will happen if this continues? Crash one day? I was trying to avoid adding any buffers. Alk is 4-6 meq (though i haven't tested alk in a few weeks) and calcium is just over 400 (tested yesterday).

 

Aerated with a powerhead for 1 week may bring it up to 8.3 . The pH of the vinegar is right on at 3. The pH of the kalk is low but I do not think you tested it on a 2 tsps kalk / gal correct ? It reads .5 pH units to low. Your test kit also seems to be on with the meter so I think your pH readings are real. You still should get calibration solutions. Another method for pH is SeaChems Labs Marine Buffer which will give a pH of 8.3

 

Apoll

You are running the edge of pH and Alk. If it stays there as it has been you are OK but I would rather see it at more like no higher than 8.4. The Alk is also pushing it. 4 is max but 6 is way to much and is really asking for trouble. However, this high Alk maybe why your calcium is only 400 or so. High alk will pull Ca++ out of water. Your high Alk and pH tells me something may be wrong with calcium only at 400 ppm. You have to remember that for every 20 ppm that leaves your tank is equal to at least ( usually more) 1 meq/ l or 2.8 dKH decrease in Alk. And for every 20 ppm you add in Ca++ with kalk increases the Alk 1 meq/ l or 2.8dKH.

What is the Mg++ level ? That can keep Ca++ down also.

I would drop the kalk to 1.25 tsps / gal and see what you get.

 

Boomer, aren't there any buffers serotonin can use to stabilize his pH like superbuffer-dKH? It's said to automatically adjust pH levels to 8.2. Dont know about the CO2 readings though.