low pH and high calc-what to do?

[ericmcj31]

I have been trying to get my tank ready to put the new calcium reactor I bought (used) and been upping its calcium-and tested it for the first time today in a LONG while (prob. about a year). My tests showed the following:

pH of 7.9 and a calcium reading of 700. I am assuming that the high cal. reading made the pH drop??:unsure: I guess my question now is when cal. goes down, will pH naturally go up? Do I need to add something to make pH go up?? FYI everything in the tank looks great (clams, inverts, what corals I have -mainly softies, but couple sps). Any good advice is welcomed-

 

[ericmcj31]

haha-I thought that was pretty high-I need to shoot for around 500, right?

 

[mufret]

Also make sure you test for mag and alk. If you get all those in the exceptable range, it will make things easier all around.

 

[skriz]

The best course of action would be water changes. Return everything to a baseline and go from there

 

[jaustin]

NSW is 420 so if your around 400-450 your alright. I would think you would have a paved parking lot for a sand bed if your cal was 700ppm. Unless your mag is like 2500ppm also i don't see how that's correct. You should recheck all your parameters. If you have had that same cal test kit for over a year you may want to check the expiration date.

 

[dannybradley]

Are you dosing sodium bicarbonate(baking sida) to raise alkalinity? If so, that may be depressing your pH if you've been dosing too much.

An excess of calcium will percipitate out with carbonates as calcium carbonate which will also lead to low pH level.

 

[ericmcj31]

just tested cal. again-reading of 500, haven't yet tested pH-is that still too high?

 

[xyzpdq0121]

dawgdude;244713 wrote: If he is getting 700 for his calcium then there must be something wrong with the test.....

That is not true at all.... It COULD happen and even without a snow storm!!!

 

[ralph atl]

ericmcj31;245211 wrote: just tested cal. again-reading of 500, haven't yet tested pH-is that still too high?

that's fine. I wouldn't trust that test kit or recheck. even at 500, it will precipitate.

here:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</a>


[IMG]http://web.archive.org/web/20021127040526/http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm">http://web.archive.org/web/20021127040526/http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm</a>

[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php</a>

[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php</a>


[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.php</a>

 

[ericmcj31]

the test kit should be fine-I was reading it wrong the other day! (It was prob. around 500 the whole time)-was over counting what my drops meant (if that makes sense)

 

[ralph atl]

ericmcj31;245217 wrote: the test kit should be fine-I was reading it wrong the other day! (It was prob. around 500 the whole time)-was over counting what my drops meant (if that makes sense)

gotcha. give those links a read over. should help. also, what test kit?

 

[ericmcj31]

API or something another-I know-a cheapie, but I was getting started when I bought it--I assume salifert is the best?

 

[ralph atl]

api should be fine. In the hobby test kit range, ELOS is awesome.

 

[cameron]

Have someone else test the water with a different kit and plan on those water changes as suggested above. Test kits are notoriously wrong so a second opinion is always a good idea on strange readings.