1st alk prob in 9 months/ need help

[Orion80]

I have read both the reef central and the advanced aquarium online magazine threads on alk/ calcium probs, and well they have not really helped in my problem. So here it goes,

My ph is really low 7.8 with the lights on, my alk is throught the roof sitting at 5.71 mq/l or 16 dkh and my calcim is at like 290. So I know to add just stright calcium to move increase my calcium levels, but will this help bring up my ph.

Only recent changes was added a bunch of sps frags to system and have temporarily stopped useing my kalk drip. B/c I am in the middle of adding another tank to my system. Just recently added 2-150watt hqi hm w/ 2-96 watt atinics. Current tank is a 75 gln with a 35 gln sump/refuge with 110 lbs live rock and about 160 lbs live sand between fuge and tank.


Any and all suggestions welcome.
Thanx in advance.

Adolph Z.

[Orion80]

JUst as a side not I did recalibrate my ph monitor last night to the 7 and the 10, and put in a new battry so that should b fine. I also did a 20 gln water change last night and it not affect any of my levls. Befoer and after, the ph was still low, the al;k high and the calcium low.

Adolph Z

[trilinearmipmap]

My first approach would be to double-check the pH carefully by checking your pH monitor against someone else's.

Do you have a calcium reactor (CO2 source) which contributes to the lowered pH.

Several water changes in a row should bring both the pH and the alk back towards normal.

[Orion80]

i do not have a calc reactor, and actually i checked the calibration on the ph monitor twice,and changed the battry, so that should not b the prob i hope.

I did add a air pump to the sump tonight, just in case i have high levles od co2.

Adolph Z

[Canadian Man]

well your wonky alk and calcium levels in your system could definitley play a role in the odd readings. If you slowly raise your calcium level only it will bring the alk reading down.

The best way (most expensive though) is to do multiple water changes in a row.

[Gools]

Are you using RO water? Have you checked what your Ph is coming out of the RO? I have seen some cases where they had a low 7 coming out of their RO and they had to add buffer. As for the Calcium, Alk. When you add Calcium, do you do it over a few days, or do you dump alot in at a time. I used to dump to much in and from what I've read and tested to much affected other test, like my Alk and and Ph, Depending on what kind of calcium your dosing, some can have effects on Ph is dosed to much right away. Good luck.

[StirCrazy]

well you added sps and stopped using your kalk, so it makes sernce your Ca is going to drop.. you alk is high but not that high (I used to keep mine about 15 all the time. I would add a Ca additive only and bring your Ca up to 390 to 410 and see what you alk does (itr should drop a bit) and if it doesent drop just maintain you Ca untill it naturaly drops. you PH isn't realy that bad.. normal rang for PH is 7.8 to 8.2 so you are on the low side of normal. mine is a constant 7.9 and I hacve no problems.

Steve

[Orion80]

Thanx for all the hep guys, I also got some tips as well from reef central. The scary thing is that I kinda had figured out what I needed to do, and just wanted to make sure I was going to do the right things, befoer I actually went ahead and did them.


So thanx again
Adolph Z

[Orion80]

So i have been able to get my ca up to the 450 range, and my alk has dropped to about 12 dkh, and I have sarted to drip kalk again, so that should b stable. But my ph is still low midddle of the night it is sitting at 7.74 and during the day tops out at about 7.95. Is their a way now to bring up just my ph without bring up my alk??

would staight vinager wrk to do this. So far all the buffers I have bring up both my ph and alk, but the ph drops back down to what it was soon after. I have recalibrated my ph monitor 3 times, still get the same readings could it b that the probe is shot??

Adie

[Invigor]

vinegar will work against you since it's an acid, I'm not sure what will help it go the other way..I thought that's what kalk did