jschottenfeld
04/19/2016, 08:42 PM
Let me start by saying I've read over and over Randy Holmes Farley's article High pH: Causes and Cures, and after following what I he recommends I still continue to have high pH.
My 125g reef tank is about 10 years old and for many of the years ran smoothly with livestock living healthy and sps corals and zoas growing and thriving wonderfully.
Over the last 6 months I started to see an increased level of hair algae and pink cotton candy algae taking over my reef. Along with this I noticed that my Mexican turbo snail population was dying. I would check my reef chemistry and everything looked in normal ranges. New snails were purchased and they would last for a week or so and then die.
I had never thought to check my pH because for years and years it remained stable in the range of 3.2 - 3.4. After checking my pH (using my lab grade probe connected to my DA reefkeeper elite) it registered at 8.6. I was shocked. I researched and found the article that I mentioned above and started to treat with 3oz doses of white vinegar. It would temporarily lower the pH by .1 but by the next day it would be back up. I continually added about 3oz to 5oz per day, but the pH would keep climbing back up to the high levels.
Here are my current parameters:
pH ranges 8.5 - 8.7
Salinity 1.023
Calcium 385
Mg 1320
Alk 10.5
Nitrates and Phosphates undetectable
Temp 86 - 87.5
Only RODI water (0 TDS) is used for my weekly 15 gal water changes. I run a calcium reactor with effluent coming out at a slow steady stream at a pH of 6.6. I also use an Omega 180 protein skimmer that had recently stopped working (last couple of weeks) because of pump issues. I now have that back up and running. Since noticing the high pH I also started using an air pump in my sump. I also have a fuge with a ball of cheato tumbling under a light on a reverse period of my 3x250 mh lights over my display tank. BRS Mg supplement is dosed.
Because of this high pH I lost most of my large snails and just lost my beautiful maxima clam. I am at a loss of what to do to bring my pH back down to the normal range of 8.3 - 8.4.
Any help would be appreciated.
My 125g reef tank is about 10 years old and for many of the years ran smoothly with livestock living healthy and sps corals and zoas growing and thriving wonderfully.
Over the last 6 months I started to see an increased level of hair algae and pink cotton candy algae taking over my reef. Along with this I noticed that my Mexican turbo snail population was dying. I would check my reef chemistry and everything looked in normal ranges. New snails were purchased and they would last for a week or so and then die.
I had never thought to check my pH because for years and years it remained stable in the range of 3.2 - 3.4. After checking my pH (using my lab grade probe connected to my DA reefkeeper elite) it registered at 8.6. I was shocked. I researched and found the article that I mentioned above and started to treat with 3oz doses of white vinegar. It would temporarily lower the pH by .1 but by the next day it would be back up. I continually added about 3oz to 5oz per day, but the pH would keep climbing back up to the high levels.
Here are my current parameters:
pH ranges 8.5 - 8.7
Salinity 1.023
Calcium 385
Mg 1320
Alk 10.5
Nitrates and Phosphates undetectable
Temp 86 - 87.5
Only RODI water (0 TDS) is used for my weekly 15 gal water changes. I run a calcium reactor with effluent coming out at a slow steady stream at a pH of 6.6. I also use an Omega 180 protein skimmer that had recently stopped working (last couple of weeks) because of pump issues. I now have that back up and running. Since noticing the high pH I also started using an air pump in my sump. I also have a fuge with a ball of cheato tumbling under a light on a reverse period of my 3x250 mh lights over my display tank. BRS Mg supplement is dosed.
Because of this high pH I lost most of my large snails and just lost my beautiful maxima clam. I am at a loss of what to do to bring my pH back down to the normal range of 8.3 - 8.4.
Any help would be appreciated.