pH Help Please

[Cox82]

Ok, so I hit mid cycle this weekend, nirtites were dropping, nitrates are still climbing. My pH has always been constant @ 7.4. I've been checking levels every day, and spiking my ammonia. My bacteria was chewing through my ammonia like crazy, I was spiking to 4 at night and by the next evening it would be 0 again. I did a 50%I checking right now and my pH water change on Saturday and everything has been fine. I just checked now and the nirtrites are the same, nitrates are going up (160) and my pH has dropped to 7. Should I be paniced? Help please and suggestions of what I can do to bring it up. Thanks.

 

[Cox82]

Nobody?

 

[TRDfan]

hope this helps

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

 

[Cox82]

hope this helps

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

I read that, it didn't help much. I've read in other areas that pH doesn't have to be worried about until the Nitrites are 0; Nitrates are stable and ammonia are 0. What do you guys think of this?

I'm not sure if I should do another 50% pwc or if I should wait, or even dose it with something to bring up the pH.

 

[carey]

I wouldnt dose the tank with anything just yet. The ph isnt really important while you are cycling. Do you have proper circulation in the tank? it;s odd to see such a low ph..... After you finish cycling when you do your big water change before adding fish that should adjust your ph. the salt mix will or should get your ph where it should be. Also, if you have powerheads try pointing them at the water surface so you have surface agitation, that also helps raise ph.

Good luck

 

[Cox82]

I wouldnt dose the tank with anything just yet. The ph isnt really important while you are cycling. Do you have proper circulation in the tank? it;s odd to see such a low ph..... After you finish cycling when you do your big water change before adding fish that should adjust your ph. the salt mix will or should get your ph where it should be. Also, if you have powerheads try pointing them at the water surface so you have surface agitation, that also helps raise ph.

Good luck

I have two powerheads and the filter in there now, the water level is a little lower so the water falling from the filter can create bubbles. Should I throw the air pump on?

 

[carey]

like an air pump with a stone? No, it will just cause massive salt creep over your tank. You might wanna top off the tank, the air bubbles from the filter will do the same and have no positive effect that I can see.

How are your powerheads aimed and are they on?

 

[Cox82]

like an air pump with a stone? No, it will just cause massive salt creep over your tank. You might wanna top off the tank, the air bubbles from the filter will do the same and have no positive effect that I can see.

How are your powerheads aimed and are they on?

The are in diagonal corners, one in the top left corner and the other in the bottom right corner. The one at the top is aimed up, but maybe I'll aim is further upwards to cause more agitation.

What is a salt creep?

I'm a little concerned because if this is happening now with no fish, I was planning on taking out the filter when I got fish, or shortly before, will this cause a big problem?

 

[carey]

Salt creep will be the salt that solidifies on your tank lids, lights and hoses, it's caused by splashing of the salt water. Not tragic but for sure messy lol

I keep my powerheads in all my tanks pointed upwards a bit and about halfway up on either side of the tank.

I would keep the mechanical filter running, why would you want to remove it?

 

[Cox82]

Salt creep will be the salt that solidifies on your tank lids, lights and hoses, it's caused by splashing of the salt water. Not tragic but for sure messy lol

I keep my powerheads in all my tanks pointed upwards a bit and about halfway up on either side of the tank.

I would keep the mechanical filter running, why would you want to remove it?

Because it's just a 35 gallon and not needed. I have 3.5-4 inches of carbis sea substrate and lots of live rock. Plus, I need another one because it's soooo noisey!

 

[Cox82]

BTW, I do have lots of salt, but I don't have a lid, there is lots of evapouration, and I had the top powerhead really high to cause TONS of agitation. I just sunk it a few inches over the weekend because it was driving us nuts when we were trying to watch a movie. I'll be patient and see how it goes for the next week or so. When should I get really worried? As in, how far can it drop before rushing to do a 70-80% pwc?

Hey Carey, you've really helped me along the way, thanks for that! I really appreciate it!

 

[carey]

Since youre still cycling I wouldnt worry about it at all. Theres nothing living in the tank yet and like I said, the salt mix should fix any low ph.

You know the top off with regular water right, and not salt water? I would keep the water level where it should be so top off when you need to. It will affect salinity if you dont, it doesnt matter very much right now but it will.

If you were gonna change filters I would say do it like you do in freshwater, run both of them at the same time or move the media from this one to the one you will be adding. theres beneficial bacteria in there as well as your rocks and since youre just beginning I would want as much BB as you can get.

 

[Cox82]

Since youre still cycling I wouldnt worry about it at all. Theres nothing living in the tank yet and like I said, the salt mix should fix any low ph.

You know the top off with regular water right, and not salt water? I would keep the water level where it should be so top off when you need to. It will affect salinity if you dont, it doesnt matter very much right now but it will.

If you were gonna change filters I would say do it like you do in freshwater, run both of them at the same time or move the media from this one to the one you will be adding. theres beneficial bacteria in there as well as your rocks and since youre just beginning I would want as much BB as you can get.

I didn't realise that I even needed a filter on such a small tank. Everyone that I have spoken to regarding it have said that I don't need a filter. I was just planning on moving the filter to a new tank to start it cycling for a QT. I guess I can always get a new one, run them both and then throw the old one into the new tank after a few weeks. I won't need a QT for at least a month or more after I get my first tank mates in there.

 

[carey]

The hang on filter is good so that you can get particulate matter that floats around the tank and if you need to run carbon or GFO (granular ferric oxide) for phosphates. I run a hang on back in my 20g and a canister for my 55g still. Never a bad idea.

You can get a cheapo sponge type filter for you qt or even a small aquaclear, they are cheap enough.

Good move planning on a qt tank too, alot of people don't until something happens so you are one step ahead.

 

[Sniperhank]

Yeah, I did poor planning and killed alot of things without having a QT. Then when I set it up and had one of my old filters from my old freshwater setups on it I blew the pumps out of TWO marineland biowheels... so it stepped up to the challenge. I have yet to go and get a new biowheel and the old carbon filter is going strong. Waiting on my pump to arrive in the mail and I will be setting up my sump.

 

[Cox82]

I'd like to get a sump going on this one with a HOB overflow and then once I go bigger (and we all know we will) drill it in. Because my tank is so small now, I don't necessarily NEED it, but it's on my wish list for sure.

My pH came up a little bit (.4) from yesterday, so that's a good sign. Hopefully it will keep raising, although, I'm just going to worry about my No2, No3, ammonia, and salinity for now. BTW I've heard a broad range...what do you keep your salinity at?

 

[carey]

I keep mine at 1.0255, just a hair under 1.026 on my refractometer.

 

[TLTGF]

Same here - between 1.025-1.026

 

[Cox82]

I have mine at 1.026 now, so that should be fine right?

What about calcium? For a reef, or going to be a reef after the 3-6 months that it needs to be established.

 

[carey]

I am battling calcium and alkalinity right now, but I aim for 450 on calc and 8-10 dkh for alkalinity. magensium at about 1300 give or take 50....