Very low pH and Alk

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

You can always do 100 percent water changes at any point and is a great option to reset parameters if something is off.

My recommendations:
Use same salt mix.
Temp within about 2 degrees. You can have wider range if corals have been exposed to that wider range.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What are we trying to reset with huge water changes? Just low alk?

 

[14 foot reef]

What are we trying to reset with huge water changes? Just low alk?

I think that it is his biggest worry, Randy, would love to hear an easier way to safely raise the Alk if that is the root of your question. A natural way to raise it without another shock like a huge water change would be my preferred option, I'm just not aware of one that I have ever tried. Thanks for your insight on this Randy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I think that it is his biggest worry, Randy, would love to hear an easier way to safely raise the Alk if that is the root of your question. A natural way to raise it without another shock like a huge water change would be my preferred option, I'm just not aware of one that I have ever tried. Thanks for your insight on this Randy.

Low alk is readily solved by dosing. If we think other things are off, that's a different issue.

 

[lombeard]

I wouldn't panic over the KH. If it's 5.8 you can easily get it back to 7 in a couple of days with some manual dosing. Mine dips into the 5s quite often as I run my KH between 6 and 7.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I think we need to figure out as to why is it or did it get low. Is it the salt mixture? Which was stated that making fresh batch this was corrected in the bucket. So the salt itself isn't it. Also stated the salinity was .35 so mixing itself is good. Water change or dosing may only temporary raise. If it due to consumption then this will be the fix. Either dose or more water changes. As far as the ph, I understand currently stagnant air or recirculated air can lower pH. Making sure fresh air is available in room can help.

There is other things that can cause but I wouldn't be familiar with.

 

[Miami Reef]

If the test kit is accurate, just dose sodium bicarbonate to get the alk back up.

Citric acid doesn’t really lower alkalinity because it comes right back when the carbon is consumed.

 

[Rick's Reefing Adventures]

Low alk is readily solved by dosing. If we think other things are off, that's a different issue.

Would you recommend I start dosing now, or try to get it back up to normal with waterchanges, and then test if dosing is still neccesary?

I think we need to figure out as to why is it or did it get low. Is it the salt mixture? Which was stated that making fresh batch this was corrected in the bucket. So the salt itself isn't it. Also stated the salinity was .35 so mixing itself is good. Water change or dosing may only temporary raise. If it due to consumption then this will be the fix. Either dose or more water changes. As far as the ph, I understand currently stagnant air or recirculated air can lower pH. Making sure fresh air is available in room can help.

There is other things that can cause but I wouldn't be familiar with.

For now I’m running a air line from my skimmer to outside. If that doesn’t seem to help, I will very glady close my window as it freezing over here

I really don’t know where this went wrong. I have a spare doser so maybe I’ve simply reached the point where waterchanges aren’t enough anymore.

 

[14 foot reef]

Low alk is readily solved by dosing. If we think other things are off, that's a different issue.

I wasn't clear on my post, I'm not aware of a "quick" reset other than the water change. Dosing to bring back up will surely work perfectly. I should have been more clear on my post.

 

[14 foot reef]

Hello!

I just did a water change and tested my water afterward, but to my surprise, my pH dropped from 8.4 to 7, and my alkalinity fell from 7.7 to 5.8. I recently upgraded tanks and had to remove my skimmer since it no longer fit. Technically, the skimmer itself fits, but the collection cup doesn’t.

For now, I’ve reinstalled the skimmer, but I’m running it without the cup. Is it okay to run it this way temporarily? Also does anyone know a good but slim skimmer? Otherwise I’m going to have to alter the cup…

Regarding the alkalinity, I’ve never seen it drop this low before. My salt mix usually measures around 8 dKH. Could raising the pH help stabilize or increase my alkalinity, or should I start dosing?

On a positive note, all my corals are still open and looking fine so far.

Where did you end up on this? A lot of great advise was given by the forum for you, would be great to recap your findings of cause, your solution you picked, and the process you put in place to assure the same "issue" never repeats itself.
Thanks looking forward to hearing your positive results on your path chosen to remedy.
Happy Reefing my friend & welcome to the greatest reefing forum on the internet !!!!

 

[Rick's Reefing Adventures]

Where did you end up on this? A lot of great advise was given by the forum for you, would be great to recap your findings of cause, your solution you picked, and the process you put in place to assure the same "issue" never repeats itself.
Thanks looking forward to hearing your positive results on your path chosen to remedy.
Happy Reefing my friend & welcome to the greatest reefing forum on the internet !!!!

I followed all the advice here and decided to start with a few solid water changes. Throughout the day, I performed a 10% water change, waited an hour, then repeated the process until I reached an alkalinity level of 7. At that point, my calcium was at 450 and magnesium at 1410. Just before upgrading to a larger tank, I concluded that it was time to begin dosing. While I didn’t expect to need dosing in the new tank yet, it seems I may have been mistaken. Between water changes, I observed the alkalinity rise from 6.4 to 6.7, and finally to 7.0. I plan to test twice a day, and if I notice the alkalinity dropping faster than I can manage, I’ll set up a doser for alkalinity. I will keep you all updated. Even though I can not explain how it dropped so fast without me noticing, I think it’s just a case of corals that are starting to grow.

(PS I’m not new here haha)

 

[JayM]

I know it's too late now, but alkalinity and salinity go hand in hand. Any chance you did not add enough salt when you mixed your water? I didn't see you post what the salinity was, though I'm not sure you could have had it low enough to drop alk that much and not notice some other issue as well.

 

[Rick's Reefing Adventures]

I know it's too late now, but alkalinity and salinity go hand in hand. Any chance you did not add enough salt when you mixed your water? I didn't see you post what the salinity was, though I'm not sure you could have had it low enough to drop alk that much and not notice some other issue as well.

I mentioned it a few posts ago but my salinity is 35ppt.

 

[Miami Reef]

I think the water changes were excessive, especially since this issues was easily fixed by dosing alkalinity.

 

[Rick's Reefing Adventures]

I think the water changes were excessive, especially since this issues was easily fixed by dosing alkalinity.

If I had alkalinity I would have dosed it, but anything I need for reef tanks I can only get by ordering it, and the average time for it to arrive is 3 days (excluding the weekend).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If I had alkalinity I would have dosed it, but anything I need for reef tanks I can only get by ordering it, and the average time for it to arrive is 3 days (excluding the weekend).

Baking soda from your kitchen is a great way to boost alk.

 

[Rick's Reefing Adventures]

Baking soda from your kitchen is a great way to boost alk.

Oh alright I didn’t know that. So I tested a few times yesterday and at first my alk seemed to drop fast, but then it stalled. My plan was to dose afr (Got 2 spare doser heads), but my alk didn’t drop enough to test for changes in cal and mag. I will try the baking soda to get it back up to +-8 and then start testing daily to see the drop.

16:00 0,58 -6.4
Waterchange
17:00 0,56 - 6.7
Waterchange
18:00 0,54 - 7
11:00 0,56 -6.7
12:00 0,58 - 6.4
14:00 0,58 - 6.4
09:00 0,58 - 6.4

 

[rishma]

Oh alright I didn’t know that. So I tested a few times yesterday and at first my alk seemed to drop fast, but then it stalled. My plan was to dose afr (Got 2 spare doser heads), but my alk didn’t drop enough to test for changes in cal and mag. I will try the baking soda to get it back up to +-8 and then start testing daily to see the drop.

16:00 0,58 -6.4
Waterchange
17:00 0,56 - 6.7
Waterchange
18:00 0,54 - 7
11:00 0,56 -6.7
12:00 0,58 - 6.4
14:00 0,58 - 6.4
09:00 0,58 - 6.4

You don’t need to test calcium very often or
magnesium (ever).

For each 2.8 dKH of alkalinity consumed, about 18-20 ppm calcium and 1-2 ppm magnesium are also consumed.

Those proportions will serve you well. I never test either, except the occasional ICP. I test alkalinity regularly.

Using those proportions is more reliable for me than calcium or magnesium test kits.

 

[Rick's Reefing Adventures]

You don’t need to test calcium very often or
magnesium (ever).

For each 2.8 dKH of alkalinity consumed, about 18-20 ppm calcium and 1-2 ppm magnesium are also consumed.

Those proportions will serve you well. I never test either, except the occasional ICP. I test alkalinity regularly.

Using those proportions is more reliable for me than calcium or magnesium test kits.

Yea I’ve read about that ratio. If my Alk keeps dropping I will get some all for reef. If it stops dropping I just raise the alkalinity. I honestly only test for mag and cal after big changes or something looks off.

 

[rishma]

Yea I’ve read about that ratio. If my Alk keeps dropping I will get some all for reef. If it stops dropping I just raise the alkalinity. I honestly only test for mag and cal after big changes or something looks off.

I like all for reef. Good choice!