Snowing in my aquapod >_<

[Ulta]

So my test kit read today 1.7 meq/L(~4.76 dKH) in my 50g and ~2.0 meq/L(~5.6 dKH) in my 24g aquapod.

Well, so I added ~4 caps full of Kents CB Part B in my 50g.
and I added 1 cap of Kents CB Part B to my 24g aquapod.

Well, it snowed in my aquapod...

Could it just be that the flow wasn't fast enough to spread that capfull of buffer fast enough? it only has the return pump split in 2 lines so its real low flow in there, the white from the buffer pretty much made it to the bottom before dispersing too much. Or could it be bad test kit and my alk is really higher than what I'm reading??

 

[ccCapt]

If 1 cap full caused your tank to precipitate, It's probably 1 of these problems. Either your test kit is bad and reading alk too low, your pH is real high and the test kit is bad or your mag is too low and your test kit is bad.

I would start with a new test kit. What brand are you using now?

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Ulta]

ccCapt, my pH did read real high ~8.5 toward the end of the day. (This has been consistently high for months, while I have been reading consistently low on Alk as well, ~2.0 meq/L) but the precipitate on the alk buffer really threw me off >_<

MarineLab test kits.


Mag was fine last time I checked, didn't write it down... 1500 I think. (Salifert kit)

 

[Ulta]

Ok, I'm resurrecting this post.

I'm still having the same problem in both my tanks...

HIGH pH and Low Alk.

and the reason I still haven't done anything about it is that everything is thriving in both tanks even the SPS in my aquapod is healthy and growing.

but its getting more attention now because I'm going to the Lansing Swap this weekend and plan on bringing home quite a few corals (mostly SPS) and I dont want any issues :/

It is possible that my test Kit(s) are bad. But I don't have any1 close by that I can contrast my test results with and I don't want to just invest in buying brand new kits before I do that first.

But lets consider my tests are not bad and my pH IS really high and low Alk..

What can I do to bring down my pH? (a more permanent method than C02)
Test kit is reading a bluish color which is either off the charts >8.6 or an in between color that is hard to place :( (Marine Lab test kit)

I have been dosing Kent Part B to try and raise Alk but not very much at a time and it doesnt take much to precipitate. I am going to assume this is happening because of my High pH.

Also what kind of problems am I looking at with such High pH?? I think what I am worried about is the acclimation of my new corals(SPS) this weekend. Since the ones in the tank seem to be doing ok.
Also I haven't had much luck with coralline growth which I am also connecting this to.

Maybe if I can get this fixed I will see better growth all around!

Its weird tho because its kind of an unusual problem, can't find much on people having too high pH...

 

[sen5241b]

Take water sample to LFS and get a good test.
Do not add baked baking soda.

 

[Ulta]

Yeah I'm going to Lansing this weekend and I'll have to bring samples with me... Dang LFS in town used to have a kit for free tests but they "misplaced" them -_-

 

[tankedchemist]

I disagree with sen.

your pH is high because you're adding the kent buffer. The best way, in my experience, of raising alk without raising pH is to dose baked baking soda. Follow the instructions under "alkalinity part" in this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#5

Every commercial buffer I've tried to use for increasing alkalinity ALWAYS changes pH, usually raising it to astronomical levels. I would stop dosing the commercial stuff, and start dosing home made buffer.

Also, assuming your kits aren't bad-- which I agree with Larry, is quite likely-- what are your magnesium and calcium at? Alk, mag, and cal are all inter-related.

 

[Ulta]

Also, the purpose of baking it is to take out all the excess water, turning it into all carbonate, which does not decrease pH, whereas bicarbonate will slightly decrease pH.

From what you said in another one of Sen's posts, I thought the latter on baking it... you said that the bicarbonate (unbaked) would slightly decrease pH?

I read the article, thanks. But it didn't mention anything on affecting pH.

And lastly,
I was at the pet store in the aquarium section and seen some "pH decrease" bottle. I think it said it contained Hydrochloric Acid and the dosing was like 1 drop per 10 gallons.
Should I try that for bringing my pH down? or should I stay away from that?

or should I just keep doing water changes and only dose with baking soda from here on out?

 

[Brian_G]

I dose unbaked baking soda daily to keep my alk in like. and it does not change my ph at all. I have a ph probe hooked up to the tank. it usually reads just above 8.00 in the evening.

 

[tankedchemist]

Don't worry about decreasing your pH. It will happen naturally once you quit dosing the kent stuff. If you start decreasing your pH, you're going to be fighting against your buffer system (which is primarily what alkalinity measures), and in your case, that buffer system is not very good at controlling pH changes right now because alk is so low.

Here's a scenario I've seen many, many times, and it has always caused drastic loss of life.

- Person tests alk and realizes it is too low. pH is too high. Immediate panic, and they dump some baking soda and pH decreasing fluid in. The system cannot buffer these rapid changes, and the pH swings rapidly, which kills stuff.

don't be this person. :)

Brian, you can do that because you have a stable buffer system. In Ulta's case, the alkalinity is too low and unstable, so dosing unbaked baking soda will have a very large effect by rapidly decreasing her pH. It is FAR better to let the pH decrease naturally than to panic and change it quickly. Quick changes in pH WILL kill fish.

Ulta, I would do exactly that. water changes and dosing baked baking soda. monitor pH and alk and see where it's at... but above all, don't panic and dump something in there to get the numbers "right". Your goal should be to increase alk by about 1 dKH/day. here's a calculator to help you figure out how to do it: 'Reef Chemistry Calculator FV' I can figure out specifcis if you provide me with more specific numbers, if you want.

If you're worried about your new SPS acquisitions, why not put them in a small quarantine tank with new water in it?

 

[Ulta]

No Panic here :)

My tanks have been like this for... well always haha.

Its just nice to have a plan to get it turned around :)

 

[tankedchemist]

what kind of salt do you use? I wonder if it's just low on alk to begin with.