# ph issue



## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Ok I got a problem I can't solve my ph is way to high an I can't get it down I've been doing wc everyday for about a week an a half first week was doing 35% like usual last 4days been doing about 55% it still hasn't changed. This is in a 20g long could it be because my red algae plants dying I've been trimming off grey tips here latly or is it doing this because of the high ph please help! I can't afford anymore salt im using alot more here lately if u know what I mean (wc) oh ya I also have a 10g sump being used on this tank with a 550gph return


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

What is your pH reading?


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Its almost at 10


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

WOW! Murriatic acid can be used to lower but should be tested in a sample of water(not the tank) first.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Never heard of that where can I get it. Also is there any ohter way to lower it cause ive had this prob before but a couple extra wc fixed it. So is that y my plant is dying cause right now it's still in my tank I moved all my fish to a qt where the water parameter is fine


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Hardware stores,HD,LOWES,maybe even a pool store.Really need to figure out why your pH is so high yet you have qt(from same source?) with normal parameters?


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

You got a lid on the tank? Your aeration good on the rank? You have a ripple at the water surface?
Lemon Juice will also lower the PH, as it is an acid. I believe some use kalkwasser to do it also, but I can't remember that for certain.
I have used the Muriatic Acid to lower mine, but I was lowering my Alkalinity, which in turn also lowers the PH.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

My qt tank is different water set up separate. Im wondering if it's my red algae plant causing it is that possible. With the lemon juice would the lil yellow lemon bottle work. Or new thought could having the light on all the time in my sump cause it i dont think it would or the waste trapped in the sump


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Light on for 24/7 in the sump would stabilize the PH and not let it get low, but it wouldn't let it get high.
I've never heard of algae upsetting the PH balance. What kind of algae plant is it?
Yea, the lemon juice in the lil yellow container will work, but you need a lot more than that.
The Muriatic Acid is used in swimming pools, you shoukd be able to get it just abiut anywhere, they even sell it in our grocery stores.
How is your QT set up differently than your DT?


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

I wouldn't use acid to lower pH until I knew why the pH was high. What if the alkalinity isn't high? Acid is going to lower the alkalinity. It's going to add a bunch of chloride to the mix and possibly put the tank on a buffering roller coaster. The human body works the same way.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

The plant is some type of red algae it looks like a bare bush. The alkalinity is fine its about 184ppm. The qt tank was set up an cycled by itself wit lr. The dt has a lid an the sump has partial lid. Water surface is agitated by spray bar an overflow pipe also have power head in dt have a submersible filter in sump.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

catfisherpro said:


> The plant is some type of red algae it looks like a bare bush. The alkalinity is fine its about 184ppm. The qt tank was set up an cycled by itself wit lr. The dt has a lid an the sump has partial lid. Water surface is agitated by spray bar an overflow pipe also have power head in dt have a submersible filter in sump.


Hmm. Well, with that many partial water changes, the pH should have came down by now. Something is keeping it high. I don't think 1 rotting plant/algae could hold pH at a tight 10 amongst that many water changes. In a FW tank gobs of algae can deplete the CO2 and cause an increase in pH...not sure that applies here. Do you have gobs of algae? What's your substrate? Is there anything in your tank that could be leeching stuff that would raise the pH? Do you have any cement in there?

I'm just brainstorming really. I'll think on it some more.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Ok, get the lids off everything, let the tank breath, point that power head at the surface, lets get some agitation going on in there. Lets see where this gets us. Also, I like Gobys idea, is your sump full of that Algae? Is it time to cut it back?


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

No I keep the algae to a minimum in the sump. Substrant is argonite live sand. I'll try removing the lid for a couple days. An I'll even add a extra powerhead


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

catfisherpro said:


> No I keep the algae to a minimum in the sump. Substrant is argonite live sand. I'll try removing the lid for a couple days. An I'll even add a extra powerhead


What's the pH of the water you're using for changes and top off? What kind of water is it?


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

I use natural spring water an sometimes rain water


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

catfisherpro said:


> I use natural spring water an sometimes rain water


It may prove beneficial to know the pH of the water your putting in our tank. That sort of gives you a starting point. The Ph of spring water is going to be high...likely not 10 but it could be 9ish. Rain water is acidic so no worries about that being a source of high pH. I do wonder if things from your roof, soffits, rain barrel etc could be contaminating the rain water...might be a bit of a reach but just a thought. I don't actually have a problem with properly collected rain water per say...unless you live amongst gobs of smog I suppose. You're not using ionized spring water by chance? I know it can be bought that way...very high pH.

I agree with RM...open things up Get the gases exchanging. It could very well be as simple as low CO2. When CO2 hits the water it will turn to acid and lower the pH. If I knew for certain that was the case, I'd suggest cheating a little by dosing pure soda water....but I don't, so I won't. If I, however, were going to dose soda water I would do it slowly cuz it's an instant fix. A fast pH change will kill fish. In a 55 gallon tank I'd dose about 10 ounces of pure soda water daily. That would bring the pH down about 0.2ish each day. In the meantime I'd still get the water moving so the gases can exchange because if the CO2 doesn't start dissolving into the water via the atmosphere, you're pH will just go up again and dosing soda water is not something you want to do on a regular basis. To a fish, a yoyo pH is worse than a high pH.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Well the extra powerhead an removing the lid helped a lil it went down im now at 8.8 the spring water is from a natural spring an it ph is a lil low but been using it for yrs an never had a prob. The rain water is always tested first before used but it doesn't come off the roof its sits in open area with big funnel on top


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

catfisherpro said:


> Well the extra powerhead an removing the lid helped a lil it went down im now at 8.8 the spring water is from a natural spring an it ph is a lil low but been using it for yrs an never had a prob. The rain water is always tested first before used but it doesn't come off the roof its sits in open area with big funnel on top


Madness strikes again!
We are ALL lucky to have such a valuable resource.
Thanks RM still learning and you teach me almost everyday!


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Were your lights on or off when you tested?


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

The were on hanging about 6in above tank. Lid still off tested again still 8.8 im thinking 2morro im gonna clean sump tank a lil


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Only reason I was asking is because the PH will be lower when they are out.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

So should I turn the lights off see if it drops the sump lights gonna clean the sump an do a water change


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Na, no need to test for it. Was just thinking out loud. And wondering if you had tested with lights on or not.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

New update cleaned sump out. Did 30% wc tested water before putting in for whoever wanted to know water ph was a lil low about 7.6 wit salt mix in water ph is at 8.4. Will do a check on tank ph 2morro gonna let new water cycle into tank.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Gettin closer


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Tested water in the tank today still at 8.8 when is this going down cause I've never had this prob before


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Time to dose. We've done everything else. I'd suggest Muriatic Acid.

What is your Cal and ALK readings? These being out of whack will have an effect on the PH.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Could a dead crab cause this high ph cause I found a dead one stuck in my over flow


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Never heard of that. Ammonia, yea, but bumping up the PH. Hmm


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

catfisherpro said:


> Could a dead crab cause this high ph cause I found a dead one stuck in my over flow


No...the products of decomposition are acidic.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Ok I didn't dose the tank I did a complete wc left the filter media alone basically just recycling tank so far everything is looking good gonna test 2morro see if problem is fixed


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

water parameters are still good gonna test again tomorrow if still good gonna acclimate fish back into tank. As for the red algae plant it is pretty much dead its falling apart probly gonna remove dont know yet parts are still red.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

Well prob has been solved fish back in tank doing well seem to be moving around more now that the ph is back to normal. Thanks to everyone for the help. Also if ph starts to go up im gonna do the removal of the lid trick


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