PH / Alk Question...

[Jeremiah]

I've been slowly working on getting my Alk higher...when i started my testing I was always around 6 and my PH was reading around 8.08 at night to 8.4 at end of light cylce.

Now that my Alk is up at the 7.8-8.0 range my PH is 8.18 or so at night and peaking at 8.58-8.6 during the day...that seems dangerously high according to what I've read. (the higher my Alk gets the higher the PH swing gets)

The only thing that I can think is that during the day I'm low on carbon dioxide in the tank. My gas exchange should be good...I am running a skimmer and get good agitation at the surface w/ my spinstreams.

So what does one does to raise Alk and Lower PH? Right now the 2 part I add (seachem reef fusion) to keep my Alk up also raises my PH. I does in the morning when my PH is around 8.18 or so - not at night when it is sitting high.

I currently don't test for Mag, but my calcium is at 400.

I am not trying to chase PH, i'm just concerned that it is getting way high...i've read a few places that a swing of .5 is normal in some tanks. Just i wasi the swing was from 8.0 to 8.4 not from 8.18 to 8.6.

I was thinking maybe more fish in the tank to create more carbon dioxide during day. Just don't want to add to many fish since i just have a 16 gallon...trying not to overdo the bioload. Currently have a 2.5" clown / 3.0" clown / 2.0" Tailspot blenny.

Thoughts?

 

[jda123]

Seriously, don't worry about the PH AT ALL. I know that this can be hard since I once did too, but it doesn't matter. Keep you alk stable in that range and rest easy. I would check your test kit or probe with a 8.6 reading - do you have a second source?

 

[Jeremiah]

I'll open a bag of calibration fluid and test again. I tested it a while back when i was having the big swings and going up to the 8.4 readings. It is basically having the same swing, just on a higher range.

I guess I won't sweat it...again. Just seems that it keeps creaping up...at what point assuming that it is "stable" consistant swings...do I worry? 8.7 ? 8.8? Never? I mean i know it is not getting high because of spikes during dosing...since I dose when it is at it's lowest point and don't have an auto dosing set up.

That 8.6 swing is it's "natural" high.

 

[jda123]

I would worry if you are at 8.6+ and have tested with more than one calibrated PH monitors and a solid test kit tells you the exact same thing - 3 different sources. I have personally never seen a tank with a true PH that high unless somebody was being really dumb with some kalkwasser.

Don't take your water anywhere to be tested - the transport will allow CO2 exchange and the test will be no good. Test it fresh out of the tank.

 

[Haulin Oates]

Seriously, don't worry about the PH AT ALL. I know that this can be hard since I once did too, but it doesn't matter. Keep you alk stable in that range and rest easy. I would check your test kit or probe with a 8.6 reading - do you have a second source?

+1 don't chase pH. But if you need to raise alk without raising pH, you can used non baked baking soda solution.


"Bond. James Bond." -James Bond

 

[sethsolomon]

+1 don't chase pH. But if you need to raise alk without raising pH, you can used non baked baking soda solution.


"Bond. James Bond." -James Bond

+1