Help
Hi,
I'm getting confused with my PH readings and cant understand what my tests are giving me.
Firstly, I'm running a skimmer, calcium reactor (PH6.7) and a refugium lit 24/7. Output from the reactor goes through a post reactor and then into the front of the refugium to help strip out any unused CO2.
My Parms are:-
CA 450
MG 1200 ( waiting for a delivery of Mag Chloride )
KH 10 DKH
PH 8.02
I obviously have a low PH but my Alk is fine. How do I lift my PH without lifting ALK?
What is causing the imbalance?
I'm testing PH with a Hanna temperature compensated PH meter and it has been calibrated at both PH7.0 and PH 4.01 (10 is not available) The test solutions are fresh from RO man.
Ive tried turning the reactor off for 24 hours but the resultant PH rise was minimal. Fish stocking levels are low, so its unlikely to be CO2 being produced by them.
Can anyone offer some advice as to correcting it, or shouldnt I be worried.
Tony.
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Confused over my PH readings. Can anyone offer advice.
#2
Tony B 
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Posted 21 November 2008 - 03:02 PM
That PH is nothing to worry about imho, so long as it is stable and you don't get big swings
Try measuring PH towards the end of your photoperiod and again just before lights come on.
If you are hell bent on wanting to lift your PH you could consider adding a pipe from outside, linked to your skimmer's air intake.
What skimmer are you using and how many litres is your system?
What do you do, to exchange the gas in the room where the tank is? (Do you have a window open 24/7 or an extractor fan etc).
Tony
Try measuring PH towards the end of your photoperiod and again just before lights come on.
If you are hell bent on wanting to lift your PH you could consider adding a pipe from outside, linked to your skimmer's air intake.
What skimmer are you using and how many litres is your system?
What do you do, to exchange the gas in the room where the tank is? (Do you have a window open 24/7 or an extractor fan etc).
Tony
#3
Crabbit
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Posted 21 November 2008 - 03:48 PM
It depends when you test your PH as it has a swing and this will read different depending on the length of time your lights have been on. If you test just before your lights go off you should have your highest readings for your PH. But I'm sure as soon as your mag levels are boosted back up all will be different. Magnesium plays an important role in the chemistry circle. With low readings in magnesium it is impossible to get your Ph levels to rise over a certain amount. Other reasons could be that you have a stuffy room and with the cold weather and having heaters and gas firers on means that there could be more carbon dioxide in the room than normal. But best bet is to buffer the magnesium levels back up but slowly less than 40ppm a day and take it from there. 
Life is to short for frags
#4
karnivor
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Posted 21 November 2008 - 06:15 PM
Thanks Guys,
I wasnt aware that Magnesium was a limiting factor with PH. My mag should be here on monday, so ill start building it up then. Bloody Tetra salt mixes to 380 Ca and 1100 Mg at 1025. Thank goodness i'm back onto Tropic Marin.
My Ph varies very little across the Photoperiod. Mainly, I think because I run Chaeto on 24/7 lighting and i'm still stocking the main tank and loading is low. I do feed my skimmer with air from inside the cabinet, but I have 4 fans flushing the air in there so its basically the same as the room. Our living room is fairly enclosed, so Co2 could well build up, but on the other hand we dont have a gas fire or gas stove, so it shouldnt be too bad.
Interesting to hear that PH 8.0 is nothing to worry about, i'm used to running at 8.3-4, so it concerned me. This is a new tank in a new house BTW, and not a tank thats drifted.
Certainly, nothing seems stressed and my corals are beginning to show growth after just a couple of weeks.
I have a 600 ltr system ( after rock etc taken into account) and run a Turboflotor Multi SL skimmer on it.
I wasnt aware that Magnesium was a limiting factor with PH. My mag should be here on monday, so ill start building it up then. Bloody Tetra salt mixes to 380 Ca and 1100 Mg at 1025. Thank goodness i'm back onto Tropic Marin.
My Ph varies very little across the Photoperiod. Mainly, I think because I run Chaeto on 24/7 lighting and i'm still stocking the main tank and loading is low. I do feed my skimmer with air from inside the cabinet, but I have 4 fans flushing the air in there so its basically the same as the room. Our living room is fairly enclosed, so Co2 could well build up, but on the other hand we dont have a gas fire or gas stove, so it shouldnt be too bad.
Interesting to hear that PH 8.0 is nothing to worry about, i'm used to running at 8.3-4, so it concerned me. This is a new tank in a new house BTW, and not a tank thats drifted.
Certainly, nothing seems stressed and my corals are beginning to show growth after just a couple of weeks.
I have a 600 ltr system ( after rock etc taken into account) and run a Turboflotor Multi SL skimmer on it.
#5
Simon Garratt
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 12:34 AM
Hi Karnivor.
As Tony says that pH isnt realy anything to worry about imo. whats more important for stable biological function in both corals and filtration is a stable pH over a maximum. In fact Id go as far as saying that proportionaly, limiting drift to .1 or less over 24/7 is actually better than an overal gain of .1 on your average reading.
I allways hark back to a very successfull tank of a well known british reefer many years ago that used to run at a constant 7.9 That tank was stunning, with good growth, colour and a very very low coral mortality rate so it just goes to prove that the overal pH level isnt always as important as the daily drift.
There is also the fact that at lower pH, ammonia is less toxic so the impact of spikes generated at feeding times is lessened on the stock. especially in heavily fed tanks or tanks with a high stocking ratio. luckily in most cases, high stocking heralds suppressed pH anyway so there is a bit of method in the madness although its still not the best way to run a reef or a good excuse for that method as it does herald aother issues...as with all things in a closed system, balance is allways a key and stability the golden goose.
As for the calibration. Id be a tad wary of believing that figure anyway to be honest becouse the probe has been calibrated outside the ranges that it is being used to measure. some probes will drift ferther from true within a short distance of the calibrated range compared to others. You may well find that once calibrated between 7 and 10 that your actual reading creeps up more.
Regards
Simon.
As Tony says that pH isnt realy anything to worry about imo. whats more important for stable biological function in both corals and filtration is a stable pH over a maximum. In fact Id go as far as saying that proportionaly, limiting drift to .1 or less over 24/7 is actually better than an overal gain of .1 on your average reading.
I allways hark back to a very successfull tank of a well known british reefer many years ago that used to run at a constant 7.9 That tank was stunning, with good growth, colour and a very very low coral mortality rate so it just goes to prove that the overal pH level isnt always as important as the daily drift.
There is also the fact that at lower pH, ammonia is less toxic so the impact of spikes generated at feeding times is lessened on the stock. especially in heavily fed tanks or tanks with a high stocking ratio. luckily in most cases, high stocking heralds suppressed pH anyway so there is a bit of method in the madness although its still not the best way to run a reef or a good excuse for that method as it does herald aother issues...as with all things in a closed system, balance is allways a key and stability the golden goose.
As for the calibration. Id be a tad wary of believing that figure anyway to be honest becouse the probe has been calibrated outside the ranges that it is being used to measure. some probes will drift ferther from true within a short distance of the calibrated range compared to others. You may well find that once calibrated between 7 and 10 that your actual reading creeps up more.
Regards
Simon.
#6
karnivor
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Posted 22 November 2008 - 10:22 AM
Simon Garratt, on Nov 22 2008, 12:34 AM, said:
Hi Karnivor.
As Tony says that pH isnt realy anything to worry about imo. whats more important for stable biological function in both corals and filtration is a stable pH over a maximum. In fact Id go as far as saying that proportionaly, limiting drift to .1 or less over 24/7 is actually better than an overal gain of .1 on your average reading.
I allways hark back to a very successfull tank of a well known british reefer many years ago that used to run at a constant 7.9 That tank was stunning, with good growth, colour and a very very low coral mortality rate so it just goes to prove that the overal pH level isnt always as important as the daily drift.
There is also the fact that at lower pH, ammonia is less toxic so the impact of spikes generated at feeding times is lessened on the stock. especially in heavily fed tanks or tanks with a high stocking ratio. luckily in most cases, high stocking heralds suppressed pH anyway so there is a bit of method in the madness although its still not the best way to run a reef or a good excuse for that method as it does herald aother issues...as with all things in a closed system, balance is allways a key and stability the golden goose.
As for the calibration. Id be a tad wary of believing that figure anyway to be honest becouse the probe has been calibrated outside the ranges that it is being used to measure. some probes will drift ferther from true within a short distance of the calibrated range compared to others. You may well find that once calibrated between 7 and 10 that your actual reading creeps up more.
Regards
Simon.
As Tony says that pH isnt realy anything to worry about imo. whats more important for stable biological function in both corals and filtration is a stable pH over a maximum. In fact Id go as far as saying that proportionaly, limiting drift to .1 or less over 24/7 is actually better than an overal gain of .1 on your average reading.
I allways hark back to a very successfull tank of a well known british reefer many years ago that used to run at a constant 7.9 That tank was stunning, with good growth, colour and a very very low coral mortality rate so it just goes to prove that the overal pH level isnt always as important as the daily drift.
There is also the fact that at lower pH, ammonia is less toxic so the impact of spikes generated at feeding times is lessened on the stock. especially in heavily fed tanks or tanks with a high stocking ratio. luckily in most cases, high stocking heralds suppressed pH anyway so there is a bit of method in the madness although its still not the best way to run a reef or a good excuse for that method as it does herald aother issues...as with all things in a closed system, balance is allways a key and stability the golden goose.
As for the calibration. Id be a tad wary of believing that figure anyway to be honest becouse the probe has been calibrated outside the ranges that it is being used to measure. some probes will drift ferther from true within a short distance of the calibrated range compared to others. You may well find that once calibrated between 7 and 10 that your actual reading creeps up more.
Regards
Simon.
Thanks for the advice Simon, its puts my mind to rest. My PH is quite stable, Its hard to say wheter it consistently stays within 0.1 PH but Ill monitor it every 4 hours or so over the weekend to give me a better picture.
Regarding the comments on the PH meter, I agree, I'm monitoring outside the calibrated range. Late last night I downloaded the instruction manual for my meter and I can change the calibration range to include PH7 and PH10. I have the appropriate fluids, so ill recalibrate it and see if it brings up a different result.
Tony.
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