PH Struggles

[arranms96]

Hi Guys,

I've been struggling with slightly low PH since I setup my tank 12 months ago, the last 2 months I have decided to try and fix it.

First I tried a CO2 Scrubber plumbed into my skimmer for 2 weeks with no improvement and the last 2-3 weeks I've had a airline tube running outside into my skimmer again with no improvement, so I am starting to think my skimmer is not large enough to introduce enough fresh air.

My tank is a Red Sea Reefer 350 and my current Skimmer is a Bubble Magus C3.5 (brought over when I upgraded from a RSR170) which I believe is rated for 100-300Ltr tank. I've been planning to upgrade to a RSK - 600 or similar in the next few months.


If I upgrade my skimmer am I likely to see an increase in my PH levels? I will continue to use the external airline with the new skimmer.

 

[HuduVudu]

What are you using for alk replenishment (if anything)?

What is your light cycle?

Could you provide a more granular view of your ph ... like over one day?

Do you know the CO2 of the room that the aquarium is in? Do you have a monitor?

It seems strange that the PH goes up towards the end of the day and then crashes this doesn't look right. It should peak near the middle of your light cycle and then slowly fall.

 

[arranms96]

What are you using for alk replenishment (if anything)?

What is your light cycle?

Could you provide a more granular view of your ph ... like over one day?

Do you know the CO2 of the room that the aquarium is in? Do you have a monitor?

It seems strange that the PH goes up towards the end of the day and then crashes this doesn't look right. It should peak near the middle of your light cycle and then slowly fall.

Currently using ATI Essentials Pro, being dosed by an Alkatronic, roughly 30ml a day.

Here is my current light cycle with 2x Hydra HD26

Skimmer is off for an hour between 12-1pm which is when Amino Acid is dosed, maybe I should change this? as that seems to be when the PH completely tanks.

I dont have a CO2 monitor unfortunately however the tank is in the middle of the house with no windows near by so doesn't have receive much fresh air

 

[arranms96]

I think I may have figured it out!

I've been dosing NoPox (20ml a day) currently I've set it to dose it all at once at midday. I have just changed it to 5ml at 9am,12pm,3pm and 6pm.

 

[HuduVudu]

What is your coral load?

Why are you dosing NoPox? What is your phosphate if you don't dose it?

How old is your tank?

I agree with you that it is the NoPox dump that is causing this. Noon should be your highest pH

 

[arranms96]

What is your coral load?

Why are you dosing NoPox? What is your phosphate if you don't dose it?

How old is your tank?

I agree with you that it is the NoPox dump that is causing this. Noon should be your highest pH

Coral Load is mostly small SPS frags (Acropora, Millepora, Montipora) , 5 3-4 head Euphyllia and a ton of Zoa's. I have a ton of Coraline which I believe is most of my Alk consumption, however everything else is growing just relatively slowly

Dosing NoPox to keep my nitrates undercontrol, currently just under 10. RowaPhos in a reactor is used to manage Phosphate, currently 0.04

Tank is almost 14months old

 

[HuduVudu]

Dosing NoPox to keep my nitrates undercontrol, currently just under 10. RowaPhos in a reactor is used to manage Phosphate, currently 0.04

These are both really good numbers, and I am going to guess that you don't have acros that would need phosphate at these levels.

Your adding the Aminos and then trying to clean them up with these other products is analogous to putting your foot on the brake and stepping on the gas. This is a volatile situation.

You have a skimmer it is going to do all of the work that you need done at this time. You don't need to dose Aminos or use the other removers. You can use your fish feeding to control your nutrients. At some point soon for you you should see you nitrates drop out of the sky as the anaerobic parts of your aquarium start to kick in. Then you will be dealing with phosphate only which your skimmer should be able to keep up with for a very long time.

More is less in this hobby. Hope maybe this is helpful.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Have you verified the calibration of the pH measurement?

Does the meter read the calibration solutions correctly after calibration?

 

[JonEB]

Switch to Chaeto alega instead of chems for the nitrate control. Run the Chaeto lights at night. Get fresh air in the room and your problems will vanish.
i did this a few months ago and my ph went from 7.8 to above 8.2 on the regular

 

[fryman]

Have you verified the calibration of the pH measurement?

Does the meter read the calibration solutions correctly after calibration?

This. Those numbers are highly suspect.