This may be long sorry. I have had the tank 7 years and the whole time i used salifert to test ph. It has always been 8.1-8.3 color chart hard to tell but in that range. I have the apex now and it was reading 8.1-8.3 but i had many fluctuations. and noticed the fluctuation was when outlets kicked on, caused the ph to go up if all outlets were on the ph would read 8.7!! so i called neptune and explained, they sent out a new module and this fixed it. They told me you need to calibrate the ph so i did, got the pinpoint 7.0 and 10.0 i calibrated it and now ph reads 7.6-7.95, but the salifert still read 8.1-8.3?? i just calibrated yesterday and it is slightly higher 7.76-7.93 day and night. The fuge is on opposite schedule. And after testing i dipped the probe in the calibration fluid it was within .01 I just now hooked the skimmer air to ro tubing and put it out the window to see if raising o2 will help… I am not sure what to trust if any one has a ph probe that could help out or any advise please share lol. Again no problems and if it is off I don’t care just wanna make things better if i can…
Your neptune calibration is perfect, throw away your ph test kit. Get CO2 scrubber from BRS (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/protein-skimmers/protein-skimmer-pumps-and-accessories/the-co2-scrubber-kit-raises-ph.html) and your problem is solved, ph below 8 is too low for reef tank. When I used it it went from 7.9 to 8.1 in a day. Our modern houses are too good at keeping CO2 in and fresh air out.
thanks rosti thats kind of what i am doing now with the tube going outside but it is discontinued they now have this http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/universal-air-filter.html
i would trust the probe. my ph can range from 7.7 to 7.9. if you have calibrated it correctly i wouldnt worry about it. i know the calibration fluid can vary by tempature but the difference is very small like .01 per every few degrees. as long as you follow the directions you should be fine
yeah bz im keeping an eye on it if it is correct then i don’t like low ph even though it has been ok for years it could be better so ill try the air filter thing i posted above. question is what do i use in it to filter out co2?
[quote=“dunk, post:5, topic:4463”]
yeah bz im keeping an eye on it if it is correct then i don’t like low ph even though it has been ok for years it could be better so ill try the air filter thing i posted above. question is what do i use in it to filter out co2?[/quote]
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/protein-skimmers/protein-skimmer-pumps-and-accessories/medical-grade-co2-absorbent-low-dust.html
Cool it makes sense my house is new and is tight a window hasn’t been opened in over 3 months.
Now elevated co2 would also cause algae problems right? Plants use co2 to grow. Or would it be reversed because algae won’t have as much co2 to grow therefor not binding as much po4 and trates? Wow the things we need to know to maintain a reef lol. It’s exhausting.
Ok my ph has been 7.62 from 10-11am this morning it is 7.75. After running the skimmer air intake outside. So this confirms I have a co2 problem in the house. My question is if I get the filter for the air intake will that be better than outside air. If it filters all co2 it should be.
[quote=“dunk, post:8, topic:4463”]
Now elevated co2 would also cause algae problems right? Plants use co2 to grow. Or would it be reversed because algae won’t have as much co2 to grow therefor not binding as much po4 and trates? Wow the things we need to know to maintain a reef lol. It’s exhausting.[/quote]
I think with low ph conditions are in favor of the nuisance algae. Having proper Cal/Alk levels is half the battle over nuisance algae.
[quote=“dunk, post:9, topic:4463”]
Ok my ph has been 7.62 from 10-11am this morning it is 7.75. After running the skimmer air intake outside. So this confirms I have a co2 problem in the house. My question is if I get the filter for the air intake will that be better than outside air. If it filters all co2 it should be.[/quote]
Problem with having airline outside is a) your neighbor does pest treatment and you loose whole tank, b)insects crawl inside, blocking it, and causing your skimmer to go crazy.
One more thing to add, if your ph stays low, at list have your Cal/Alk at 500/4.5 levels. But ph must be above 8
It is a basic physiological requirement of a reef environment.
[quote=“Rosti, post:11, topic:4463”]
[quote=“dunk, post:9, topic:4463”]
Ok my ph has been 7.62 from 10-11am this morning it is 7.75. After running the skimmer air intake outside. So this confirms I have a co2 problem in the house. My question is if I get the filter for the air intake will that be better than outside air. If it filters all co2 it should be.[/quote]
Problem with having airline outside is a) your neighbor does pest treatment and you loose whole tank, b)insects crawl inside, blocking it, and causing your skimmer to go crazy.[/quote]
blocked line, skimmer goes crazy… sounds familiar… I need to build a simple box for mine with a non-resticting air filter. but it worked great until spiders got to it. I was using ro tubing for the air line, i’m going to go bigger when i re-do it…
Yeah I was going to use outside air with the air filter but I need to get the filter first. Just an experiment to do the outside air to see if the ph increased. Now you say must be above 8.0 what happens if it is always lower than that. Because I haven’t seen anything unusual
[quote=“saltcreep, post:13, topic:4463”]
[quote=“Rosti, post:11, topic:4463”]
[quote=“dunk, post:9, topic:4463”]
Ok my ph has been 7.62 from 10-11am this morning it is 7.75. After running the skimmer air intake outside. So this confirms I have a co2 problem in the house. My question is if I get the filter for the air intake will that be better than outside air. If it filters all co2 it should be.[/quote]
Problem with having airline outside is a) your neighbor does pest treatment and you loose whole tank, b)insects crawl inside, blocking it, and causing your skimmer to go crazy.[/quote]
blocked line, skimmer goes crazy… sounds familiar… I need to build a simple box for mine with a non-resticting air filter. but it worked great until spiders got to it. I was using ro tubing for the air line, i’m going to go bigger when i re-do it…[/quote]
Hey, it’s amazing what spiders can do. I had a few times fuel tank collapsed because spider build nest in evap. line. Customers complain was, “I hear a crunching sound under the car and my fuel gauge stopped working”. Opps. Actually spiders crawling into evap lines is pretty common, but total collapse of the fuel tank only sow twice, lol
[quote=“Rosti, post:15, topic:4463”]
Hey, it’s amazing what spiders can do. I had a few times fuel tank collapsed because spider build nest in evap. line. Customers complain was, “I hear a crunching sound under the car and my fuel gauge stopped working”. Opps. Actually spiders crawling into evap lines is pretty common, but total collapse of the fuel tank only sow twice, lol[/quote]
Whoa, that must be a strong a$$ fuel pump… or a POS gas tank… what kinda car was it?
HJack lOl
both were BMW’s
I would just dose a little extra Arm iN Hammer Washing Soda, and run a BIG fuge with lights on 24/7. and drip kalwasser at night. Actually, that’s what i do.
The washing soda (sodium carbonate) has a stronger PH raising effect than plain baking soda(sodium bicarbonate), and the macro in the 24/7 lit fuge stays in oxygenation mode and also help to keep the PH up by not producing CO2 in the dark. I also, occasionally, dose a very small bit of 20 Mule Team Borax(sodium tetraborate) which is a very strong buffer. But only if you test for borate. in normal sea water its in very low concentration, like 4-8 PPM. but if you notice, some salt mixes , like SEA CHEM and a couple others use a higher borate buffering system, up to 16 ppm to maintain PH. More than that is toxic to corals or will burn them. so i do not add too much. like a 1/4 teaspoon per hundred gallons. every couple 2 or three water changes . theres a borate test in my SEA CHEM Mg, ALK, Borate test kit i can check with occasionally.
So I use better buffers from Pathmark’s Laundry detergent aisle, and Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime from Walmarts canning aisle section and baking soda from the Dollar Store to keep my PH and alk up.
ok thanks that scares me to add that stuff lol. I just wonder why would i need to add the buffers i do dose the 2 part alk at night it helps maintain but not enough I could use kalkwasser that should be pretty easy i just hate its clogging potential
[quote=“dunk, post:14, topic:4463”]
Now you say must be above 8.0 what happens if it is always lower than that. Because I haven’t seen anything unusual[/quote]
To make a long story short, coral reefs and corals physiological requirement to lay it’s skeleton developed over millions of years at ph above 8, so why are questioning it.