what cause ph to drop?

[boxfish]

ph has remained quite low at around 7.8 for quite some time.

bought Aquaz Hydro Alkalinity Premium few weeks ago to increase the alkaline level but it seems to be quite diluted and has no effect.

somehow the ocean free ph+ seems to be more effective though it does not look like a quality product

[SharkBait]

I have no prior experience with the product but i think its content is to raise alk level without affect PH too much. A better product to raise ph would be kalkwasser but becareful not to add too much too fast.

[Kaf]

My 2FT tank ph suddenly drops to 7.1

I still wondering why.

Anyway just used seachem ph 8.3 buffer (cant really remember the actual name) will increase the ph and maintain it at 8.3

[boxfish]

My 2FT tank ph suddenly drops to 7.1

I still wondering why.

Anyway just used seachem ph 8.3 buffer (cant really remember the actual name) will increase the ph and maintain it at 8.3

so has the seachem managed to restore the ph?

[SharkBait]

My 2FT tank ph suddenly drops to 7.1

I still wondering why.

Anyway just used seachem ph 8.3 buffer (cant really remember the actual name) will increase the ph and maintain it at 8.3

If you read the dosing instruction, you will realise that it will raise your alk level by 0.5meq/L, that converts to 1.4 dkh. Assuming your alk level was at NSW level which is around 8 dkh, raising your ph from 7.1 to 8.3 will raise your alk by 16.8 dkh.

I hope you did not dose too much of it....

[Kaf]

No I didnt dose too much of it.

Read somewhere in this forum it's no good to increase the ph by too much a day.

I will try to get the ph back to 8.3 slowly within a few days.

Thanks for the advise.

But am still wondering why the sudden drop in ph.

There were no LS added just a maroon clown removed yesterday.

[SharkBait]

No I didnt dose too much of it.

Read somewhere in this forum it's no good to increase the ph by too much a day.

I will try to get the ph back to 8.3 slowly within a few days.

Thanks for the advise.

But am still wondering why the sudden drop in ph.

There were no LS added just a maroon clown removed yesterday.

Could be lack of aeration causing build up of CO2, but i dunno if it can be that drastic. Despite the name, reef buffer cannot be use to increase the ph effectively. I say do a water change, kalk would be a better alternatively to increase ph but dose with care.

[Kaf]

so has the seachem managed to restore the ph?

Not sure yet it just happened today.

The seachem was introduced to me when I went down to Bio-Ocean Aquarix earlier.

I will take the PH again later.

(am using trans equipment electronic ph tester and calibrated it today after noticing the drastic drop, thought my tester screwed up. but after calibration it's still the same.)

[Kaf]

Could be lack of aeration causing build up of CO2, but i dunno if it can be that drastic. Despite the name, reef buffer cannot be use to increase the ph effectively. I say do a water change, kalk would be a better alternatively to increase ph but dose with care.

Might be lack of aeration but I have a 1212/hr pumphead circulating flow and another 800/hr pumphead for filteration.

Shouldn't it help with aeration?

As for the kalkwasser, I thought we should use that to maintain the ph after getting it to the right level.

Please correct me if I'm wrong and pardon for the questions.

Am still quite new and trying to learn more.

Thanks.

Kevin

[SharkBait]

Kalkwasser is by reefers to maintain the ph at nite.Freshly mixed kalkwasser has a naturally high ph, thats why it can be use to increase ph levels without affect alk too much. In fact, i just spill a little into my reef tank by accident and the ph immediatly shot up by 0.2 .

[Kaf]

Kalkwasser is by reefers to maintain the ph at nite.Freshly mixed kalkwasser has a naturally high ph, thats why it can be use to increase ph levels without affect alk too much. In fact, i just spill a little into my reef tank by accident and the ph immediatly shot up by 0.2 .

Ah okie thanks.

Got a better understanding now.

[SharkBait]

Also, you might want to get a more reliable equipment to measure ph. ph pens are quite inaccurate and they 'die' very quickly. It seems quite wierd for the ph to drop to 7.1 .

[Kaf]

Ouch spend $75 on that ph pen.

What would you recommend to be more accurate?

[terryansimon]

when did you last re-caliberated your pH pen? (=

[madmac]

My 2FT tank ph suddenly drops to 7.1 

I still wondering why.

Anyway just used seachem ph 8.3 buffer (cant really remember the actual name)  will increase the ph and  maintain it at 8.3

Kaf,

There are a no. of reasons why pH will come down most of the time, over the course of a few days... I can think of a no. of reasons... some already mentioned.

a) Evaporation : for a small tank, even a small amount of evaporation can cause drastic changes in your water parameters.

Nite time, plants in your tank take in O2 and give out CO2, thereby causing a swing in you pH levels when measured at nite as compared to the day.

c) stuffy rooms then to lead to stall air, which trap the exchange of O2 and CO2 in your water.

d) insufficient water flow on the surface of the water (turbulence ?) can prevent vital gas exchanges, trapping CO2 in the water column.

e) Oil/greese, floating stuff, or dirt, etc on the surface of your water, if you're not using an overflow system

f) * for a healthy tank, your dKH gets "consumed" all the time, over time... it is more a question of how fast only, this weakens the buffering ability of your alk, leading to wild swings of the pH.

a pH of 7.1 is almost neutral! i.e. it is highly acidic for marine reef systems...I think coral skeletals, dead or alive melt at that point.

I'm using Seachem's reef buffer too, it is quite good. As instructed, 5g for 150 l raises pH by 0.1... have read somewhere that, pH should not be raised by 0.2 units per day, fyi.

rgds,

mm

[Kaf]

when did you last re-caliberated your pH pen? (=

Today.

Was shocked with the ph value so calibrated the ph pen and tested it again.

[SharkBait]

Ouch spend $75 on that ph pen.

What would you recommend to be more accurate?

A ph monitor is a good investment as it can accurately tell you the ph values constantly. Maintaining a steady ph is crucial in keeping a reef tank.

[Kaf]

A ph monitor is a good investment as it can accurately tell you the ph values constantly. Maintaining a steady ph is crucial in keeping a reef tank.

Ok.

Have to put aside money for that then after I get the AquaC Remora skimmer.

[woonming]

ph has remained quite low at around 7.8 for quite some time.

bought Aquaz Hydro Alkalinity Premium few weeks ago to increase the alkaline level but it seems to be quite diluted and has no effect.

somehow the ocean free ph+ seems to be more effective though it does not look like a quality product

If i am not wrong Hydro Alkalinity Premium is used mainly to raise dkH not so much for pH.

Cheers.

Ming

[Gouldian]

If i am not wrong Hydro Alkalinity Premium is used mainly to raise dkH not so much for pH.

Cheers.

Ming

I agree with Woonming!

To increase PH, you can use any Marine Buffers or even Baking Soda. To increase KH, you will need Reefez Akaline Plus, AquazHydro Alkalinity Premium or any other brand of Akaline booster.

[woonming]

I agree with Woonming!

To increase PH, you can use any Marine Buffers or even Baking Soda. To increase KH, you will need Reefez Akaline Plus, AquazHydro Alkalinity Premium or any other brand of Akaline booster.

Thx dude !

[KingFish]

Boxfish,

You have really got to get your basics right before using additives which you do not fully understand.

Here's a start.

The answer to your question in the Topic Title is addressed in the fourth (4th) paragraph.

If you think you're up to it, try Randy's article.

[boxfish]

ok basic wrong... but KH also low....anyway will go back to basic and re-try. Thanks for advice.

should not blame Aquaz

don't worry aquaz, many more deals to come!

[KingFish]

A safe and fast way to resolve ANY, and I mean ANY problem is a substantial water change. This quick remedy will buy you more time to read a little more, get some advice and start on buffering these parameter; biologically or chemically in careful measure.

Remember, if in doubt, you 'G O O G L E'

[FuEl]

Why not just change your water?