Cycling Tank - PH High!!

[nleong]

Hi,

I started cycling my tank over the weekend. But found that the PH is extremely high at 9!! Wonder if thats normal for a new tank? Will it settle down after a while when the bacteria comes in ?

Tank Parameters

2ft - 60X30X45

Salinity - 1.022

PH - 9!!

Temp - hovering 26-27C

Substrate - #1 sand sloping from 3" - 1" front

No LR yet.

P/s : anyone kind enough to PM me a place with good LR and open tomorrow ?

[TanGo]

Hi,

I started cycling my tank over the weekend. But found that the PH is extremely high at 9!! Wonder if thats normal for a new tank? Will it settle down after a while when the bacteria comes in ?

Tank Parameters

2ft - 60X30X45

Salinity - 1.022

PH - 9!!

Temp - hovering 26-27C

Substrate - #1 sand sloping from 3" - 1" front

No LR yet.

P/s : anyone kind enough to PM me a place with good LR and open tomorrow ?

pH will not be affected by bacteria one.. (right?)

Did you add anything to your tank?

pH buffering solution?

If you didn't, I think you might want to check your test kit..

2cts

[nleong]

erm... nothing added except 2 pieces of cut pigheart that was meant for my discus.

i'm using the JBL test kit. it shld be correct. have been using it for my FW previously.

i will test again tomorrow to see if any changes occur

[TTBoy]

Is your PH test kit for marine fish also? Some test kits are for both and some for FW only. Happened to me before, didnt look and bought the wrong one.

[spade]

nleong

which salt mix did u used ?? hw marine salt reported to hv a high PH. my wild guess ...

[Tanzy]

I'll place my bet on testkit error.

[alexlean]

U r lucky. I am trying to raise my PH to 8.3 from 8.1. Have been trying with Seachem for the last 5 days now .. adding 4 tea spoon in a 1/2 gal water everyday for my 100gal tank. Seems to just increased by 0.5 so far.

I am afraid I might over dose my tank. Any advise ?

[Tanzy]

What Seachem product are you adding?

[nleong]

Hmm... not sure whether the test kit is for FW only. I will go read again when i get back from work later.

As for the salt mix, i'm using Coralife. Used up more than half the 3.3Kg packet which is rated for used for 25Gallon.

it says it has calcium and trace elements in it. Did i overdoes my tank with too much salt? But cannot be leh, if i dun put in more salt, cannot get the desired salinity.....

One more question, do i need to get all the test kits ?

ie : Nitrite, nitrate, calcium, phosphate, KH etc ??

[Tanzy]

Coralife salt for me mixes up to a pH of about 8.1 at 35 ppt salinity so it can't contribute to high pH problems.

[bawater]

nleong,

test again in a week. Ph should drop over time.

i think can remove pigheart already. 1 or 2 days of rotting is enough ammonia already.

i using coralife. Maybe just me but sometimes its 8.6,sometimes 8.2- 8.3

sometimes mixes clear,sometimes cloudy. But what the hell- u pay peanuts ,u get monkeys.

i still alternate with other saltmixes.Usually when i need volume i use coralife.

Not my test kit either cause i check all the tanks with an eco pen.Most times i cross check with a normal ph test kit(i can't remember brand) & also(LAB) PH test strips.

[nleong]

ok. i will ask again if there is anymore strange things happening.... thanks guys!