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View Full Version : pH problems - RANDY PLEASE HELP


whalloper
07/16/2006, 02:44 PM
Hello,

Ive been having problems with my pH lately since adding many sps over the last few months. I tested magnesium for the first time today, thinking it may be low, but it was just the opposite. Here are my current parameters.


salinity 1.026
pH 7.79
alk 9dkh
calcium 425
magnesium 1600
phosphate undetectable
nitrate undetectable


I have been using Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium in my top-off water which has a fixed amount of magnesium and strontium already included, so I suspect I will have to switch to a calcium chloride so the magnesium lowers to 1300 or so. Is the high magnesium depressing my pH? One more note I should add is that I use Korallin PO4 Minus (lanthium chloride I think) - could this have anything to do? :confused:

whalloper
07/16/2006, 02:57 PM
well, after I posted, I got an idea to test the pH of the PO4 Minus. I took a small plastic cup with some aquarium water and added about 10 drops of the PO4 Minus. There was probably only about 15-20ml of aquarium water, but when I put the probe into the solution, the pH dropped to about 3.75!! I add this stuff in small amount every day but had no clue of its low ph. Will I need to do a water change to get rid of this stuff, or will it really exit through my skimmer as the bottle states?

Randy Holmes-Farley
07/16/2006, 03:24 PM
I'm not sure what is in PO4 minus, but you might try for a few days to not add it and see what the pH does. Most likely it is not the biggest driver of low pH.

I would stop any additives with magnesium, and supplement alkalinity and calcium with limewater or a high pH two part system for a while.

This article may help:


Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm