Low ph

[fishlips]

Ok,I got my Alk down to 9.5 from 14.Cal 450. Installed my ph probe and calibrated it.In the middle of the day it ph is reading 7.68. I checked with a test kit and it was correct. Where do i go from here.I never had this problem. How do i find out what is causing it to be low.Could it be when my alk got to high,and was bringing it down.Coral are fine.

 

[jennm]

If everything is fine I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's more important to be stable, than 'perfect'.

Most of us have our homes pretty closed up to keep AC in, could be a bit of a low dissolved oxygen matter, but again - if it's solid where it's at, I wouldn't mess with it.

Jenn

 

[fishlips]

JennM;1043490 wrote: If everything is fine I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's more important to be stable, than 'perfect'.

Most of us have our homes pretty closed up to keep AC in, could be a bit of a low dissolved oxygen matter, but again - if it's solid where it's at, I wouldn't mess with it.

Jenn

Thanks Jenn,So i should'nt panic . Apparently its been like this for awhile. Acros growing like monti caps.LOL

 

[crew]

As long as it isn't swinging severely in either direction, no reason to fret.

 

[fishlips]

Here is the swing so far.Midday 7.68 As the lights started to dim, it ph started to drop. At 11:00pm it was 7.60.
This morning it is 7.53.Is the swing that bad.or is the 7.53 criticaly low?

 

[snowmansnow]

IMO it is GETTING on the low side, HOWEVER the swing is only 0.15

 

[fishlips]

I take it is apartment living, with only two windows in living room,that i keep closed.Being a small apartment. I have a canopy that keeps it covered. Im going to open it when it reaches the maximum ph.

 

[crew]

My tank swings .20 in a typical day. The only concern is that you are near the bottom end of where you want pH to be.

Is this a new tank?

 

[fishlips]

No, Almost 9yrs. I had to relocate, been here in the apartment for 7 months. Brought everything over in tubs. Didn't lose not one coral.This is my ph now

 

[bulkrate]

JennM and others likely have the cuplrit pegged... any house nowadays that's insulated well enough to maintain mid 70's on a 90 degree day is likely sealed to the point that indoor CO2 levels are elevated enough to drive a tank's PH lower than absolutely normal. Take care in changing this, though. As they also pointed out you really don't have much of a swing and the degree of change is usually the thing that kills, not the actual level.

If you have a skimmer, consider feeding it outside air or running the intake through a CO2 scrubber canister which may bring it up a few tenths. You could also look into stocking a sump with macroalgae on a reverse lighting cycle make your high point into your low point, but that potentially introduces sporulation concerns depending on what species you select. Or you could just try running an exhaust fan in a window & opening another one across the dwelling for a few minutes each evening or morning once temps are lower to pull fresh air through.

 

[jennm]

What the others said. You're on the low end of 'ok', but that's not much swing.

Are you positive that the device is calibrated properly?

Your livestock will tell you if something is truly wrong.

Jenn

 

[fishlips]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I calibrated it correctly i believe. After calibrated, put probe #10 fluid, it read 10.Then did the 7,and it read 7.1.
I have a probe holder in my sump, Its in my return sec away from any interference. I did check it with a liquid test kit as well.I made a small change today. Reversed my lighting on my sumpto night time.Opened hood on canopy.This is what it did.Gave me ph 7.75

 

[jennm]

How old is the probe? They are only viable for about 2 years - even the 'lab grade' ones.

Jenn

 

[davidinga]

I have a new house and it is super TIGHT. My pH was always "low" and the three best things I did to raise it was:

#1 ran my skimmer air intake through the wall where it pulls 100% outside air

#2 dose Kalk every 30min 24/7

#3 maxed out my lighting (covering every square inch now with led+T5's). Increased lighting will increase photosynthesis of everything (good/bad) and thereby increase pH levels.

#4 run fuge lights 24/7 (I've found no downside and do not agree with the idea others hold that macro algae needs lights out time)

 

[enderg60]

DavidinGA;1043794 wrote: I have a new house and it is super TIGHT. My pH was always "low" and the three best things I did to raise it was:

#1 ran my skimmer air intake through the wall where it pulls 100% outside air

It is amazing how big a difference that can make when your house is sealed up for summer/winter.

 

[fishlips]

Thanks for the info, And Jenn, its brand new, First time ever had one.Should i try installing it in the DT to text it,
Its in the sump,in the sec where the skimmers and heater is, and filter sock, the drain side.I unpluged the heater and skimmer.when i unpluged skimmer made worst.Should put it in the fuge side.

 

[fishlips]

Got a thought, When I shut off my return pump and others to feed.When water drains from DT down to sump where ph probe is.I watch the ph raise to 8.0 quickly.Then after sitting in there while i feed,it starts to drop.
My thoughts are the DT ph is different then what reads in the sump.That would explain the good growth in corals.So what do i do.Dose anyone keep there probe in DT.

 

[bulkrate]

That's weird, but would suggest you don't have enough flow through your sump for some reason. Turnover should be such that the water parameters are for all intents & purposes identical. Where's the drain/overflow located with respect to the return pump?

Most everyone I know that runs one uses it to hide heaters, probes, skimmers & such so that they don't clutter up the display.

 

[fishlips]

Got drain on left chamber- sock-skimmer-heater-topoff-probes
middle return pump-quietone-6000, Tee off to feed fuge
Right side is fuge
sorry, upsidedown