Reef Discussion

Tommyc_88

Member
Jul 15, 2013
3
0
Ph Out Of Control
Hi Guys and gals,

For about 6 weeks now the pH in my marine AR400 has gone CRAZY. Currently its sitting at 8.85, then over night it will go down to 7.5 and then slowly rise back up to 8.85 over the day.
I took some water down to my LFS a few weeks ago and they seem to think the waters fine other then the pH being really high. his advice was to do water change every 3 days and I purchased a pH downer additive..which only seems to be a band aid. I've been changing about 80lts of water every 3 days as per his advice with no long term success,

Any suggestions would greatly help...
Thanks in advance
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
Your tank room prob needs more ventilation. Try leaving the doors and windows open in the house at night and monitor. Your respiration at night is prob causing the ph to go down due you using up oxygen in the house, since you are not there during the day it catches up.
A skimmer or airstone can help a bit with air gas exchange.
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
Get a glass of tank water and test the ph then with a straw blow a lung full of air bubbles in the glass and test the result.
 

IJG3145

Member
Oct 27, 2015
442
162
South Gippsland
PH always varies overnight. It's effected by many things including temp and light. PH changing as the day goes on is perfectly normal.
Never chase PH, keep alk mag, etc in shape and ph will follow.

BTW many people run the sump lighting on an opposite schedule to the display, to even out ph swings.
 

macca_75

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2,125
844
what is your Alk level and what kit are you using? The correct Alk level will assist in buffering pH swings, but it will lower over night naturally. That's why sime people also run fuges on a reverse timing cycle.