why is my pH so high

[reefgirl189]

What are you using to test it with?

[tt101]

im using the master test kit, liquid pH tester. im not using the paper pH testing thing.



im following the directions word by word....5 ml's of the water and 3 drops of the liquid tester. then i shake the test tube and then test immediately like it says to do

[Nano]

master by nutrafin?

[tt101]

oh sorry....just realized there are different master test kits........yeah by nutrafin

[Nano]

thats why its reading so high, get salifert or elos, I had nutrafin before too cause it was fresh and salt water "compatible" but its not. lol they are so inaccurate I just tossed it. if its still new you could take it back just tell them its crap and we said so! lol

[fishytime]

8.6 isnt terrible...my tank sits at 8.3 at the peak of the swing...could just be wonky from the unstable conditions from your cycle.....I really wouldnt stress to much about it at this stage of the game......and ya, nutrafin test kits are not the most accurate.....

[Myka]

I haven't read everyone's replies, so I'm not sure if I'm echoing or not. Sorry if I am...

Do yourself a favor and throw out your pH test kit. I'm not joking. First, pH test kits are horribly inaccurate. If you're going to bother yourself with testing pH (and I don't think you should at this stage in your reefkeeping) get a more accurate testing device like a handheld pH tester or an in-sump pH meter that you are sure to calibrate regularly. Otherwise, just don't test it and you won't have anything to worry about. The reason I say this is because if all your other major parameters are in check the pH will be within range too.

[tt101]

Originally Posted by Myka

I haven't read everyone's replies, so I'm not sure if I'm echoing or not. Sorry if I am...

Do yourself a favor and throw out your pH test kit. I'm not joking. First, pH test kits are horribly inaccurate. If you're going to bother yourself with testing pH (and I don't think you should at this stage in your reefkeeping) get a more accurate testing device like a handheld pH tester or an in-sump pH meter that you are sure to calibrate regularly. Otherwise, just don't test it and you won't have anything to worry about. The reason I say this is because if all your other major parameters are in check the pH will be within range too.

thanks myka, honestly im going to stop testing pH and focus more on the important stuff. its all new to me and a big surprise that no one actually tests pH and im glad for that.
thanks

[reefgirl189]

Do you happen to know the date it was manufactured?

Nutrafin tests rarely make it to their "good-until-one-year-after-manufactured-date" claim.

I know I've had to throw out a nutrafin kit. It hadn't worked accurately since the day I opened it. That was a different kit than pH however.

I'm not saying your kit is innacurate but it might be a good idea to test it against a substance with a known pH level just to be certain.

[tt101]

Originally Posted by reefgirl189

Do you happen to know the date it was manufactured?

Nutrafin tests rarely make it to their "good-until-one-year-after-manufactured-date" claim.

I know I've had to throw out a nutrafin kit. It hadn't worked accurately since the day I opened it. That was a different kit than pH however.

I'm not saying your kit is innacurate but it might be a good idea to test it against a substance with a known pH level just to be certain.

i know it says good until 2014 so its still relatively new...i didn't check the manufacture date but i should have. i like your idea about testing something with a known ph.....maybe i'll go test lemon juice. that seems like a fairly stable pH substance. CRAP i thought i was buying a good kit. you know i never even took into account that there was more then one kind of "master test kit" so every time i heard someone saying use a master kit or get a master kit it was the first one that came to mind. i'll test something with a known pH and if its right i'll be really happy but if not this would be a big waste of money