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BIG problem! 55 gal tank with a 2 - 2 1/2 inch sand bed. Established for 7 months now (started with some real live sand). I have about 40 lbs. of live rock and a 4 - 5 gal. built in sump. Temp is 80 - 81 depending on if the lights are on or off. I think that is everything. My PH is 7.8 as measured with an Aquarium Pharmaseuticals, inc test kit (two weeks old). The KH and ALK are 11.2 / 11.0 and 4.0 / 3.8 respectively (first time / second time). Measured with a Salifert test kit (brand new, done twice to be sure). Calcium is 220-240 as measured with a Nutrafin test kit. Phosphate is between 0 and .25 as measured with a Nutrafin test kit. I did a water change 1 hour before all tests were done. (Don't think that should matter, though)

I think that is all info needed. Oh, nitrite & ammonia are 0.

How do I get my PH to 8.3 , and my KH to 8.0?
Sorry not to include this before, but I did add Seachem Reef Buffer to raise the PH from 8.1 to 8.3 about two weeks ago. I do a 2 1/2 gallon water change once a week using Reef Crystals sea salt. I never had this problem with PH using Ocean Life (I think) salt. I have never tested for KH, sice I never had a problem with PH. (don't yell at me)

Last thing, after mixing the salt and water, it is about 8.3 PH at 1.025 SG and about 80 degrees ferenheit.

I'm done, typed out, confused and grateful for any help!

Personally I think your DKH/alk is where I keep mine at (keep mostly SPS though). If you want to bring it down a bit then boost your calcium up a little higher and keep it at 350 ppm.

As far as your PH, you will most likely just have to buffer it.....

I know you mentioned you have some live sand, but what kind of sand is it? Probably a calcium based sand, as most live sand is, but just asking. As the calcium based sands can help control the Kh, as they leach calcium into the water column.

Also, I must agree with Nate, if this is a reef tank (hence in the reef forum), you should be keeping your calcium up around 350 or so. This will help to buffer (not raise it, but help it stay up) the ph up as well. Just keep a watch on your Alk, that it does not drop too much. 8.0ph is on the low side for SW, but still within safe ranges. As for your hardness, why are you wanting to keep it so low? Adding calcium, when it bonds with carbonic acid, you will get calcium bicarbonate, which is what is measured by Kh.

Adding calcium, will increase your Kh, lower your Alk, and help stabalize your ph. Have some Kalkwasser on hand, just in case your Alk starts to drop rapidly. The Kalkwasser will raise it back up.

Just a note of caution though, if you are adding anything to increase your ph, do it very slowly, like no more than 0.5 per day. As SW fish and corals, don't take well to increasing the ph very quickly. Lowering it, can be done with little notice to fish, but raising it can cause ph burns and other illnesses.

HTH....

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There is always a bigger fish...

Sorry about the calcium! It is 420, not 220! I must be confused on where my levels should be. Please correct me: ph - 8.2, kh 8.0, alk - 2.9, sg - 1.024 to 1.025, calcium - 400 to 450.

btw, what is SPS?

SPS=Small Polyp Stony corals.

Ranges for SW REEF tanks;

ph; 8.5 optimal, 8.0-9.0 acceptable

Kh; 15-20 optimal, 10-15 acceptable

Alk; 3.0-6.0 optimal, the lower the Alkalinity, the more ustable the ph may become.

sp; 1.023-1.027 optimal, with corals no other acceptable

Calcium; 350 optimal, 300-400 acceptable

Note; higher calcium levels can cause the Alk to drop drastically, this can be catastophic to your tank. If adding calcium, you should constantly watch your levels, and have/use Kalkwasser to keep the Alk levels from dropping.

If you Alk is 2.9, this may be why you are getting some drops in your ph. I try to keep mine around 5.0

For those that are reading this thread and may be confused about the alkalinity vs alkaline, the alkalinity is the measure of the buffering capacity of the ph. While alkaline is any ph measure above 7.0 (considered neutral), as below is considered acidic.



Last edited by ACIDRAIN at 22-Nov-2004 15:16

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There is always a bigger fish...

Your pH is okay. It isn't optimal, but it isn't terrible just work on buffering it up a little bit and try and get it between 8.0-8.3.

Thanks for the levels! I added ph up the past two days and went from ph - 8, kh - 11, alk - 3.8 to ph - 8.2, kh - 11.8, alk - 4.2. Thanks for your help, again. I think I am going back to ocean life sea salt... unless ya'll reccomend a different one? I added calcium when I set the tank up, brought it up to 400, then I haven't added any since. I think it staye the same/goes up slightly with the reef crystals. I don't think I have much in the tank that requires calcium, so it might not be getting used as quickly as that salt adds it.

Anyway, just rambling now. Thanks again for keeping me from panicking and doing something drastic and stupid!