How do these levels look.....

[ICEnVy]

I tested my levels an hour ago and here they are. (as some of you know I am currently having a Nitrate problem).

PH 7.7
Nitrites 0
Ammonia 0

and with Nitrates I am a little unsure because if I hold the thing against the white it looks like 40 and if I pull it away from the white paper a little it looks like 20.

How are these ok, besides the Nitrates.

I have a 60% pwc planned for tomorrow the water is mixing right now and I did as recommend by you guys and added SeaChem Prime to my pwc water since it was tap.

 

[Hara]

The ph is pretty low. Should be at 8.0 minimum.

 

[melosu58]

I nthink you PWC should take care of that. Maybe try to do 30% tomorrow and 30% wens.

 

[ICEnVy]

So is 60% bad? Cuz I am going out of town for several days and I thought I would lower them the best I could before I left. So how do I raise my PH? Shouldnt my pwc be handling that since it is getting a lot of new salt in it?

 

[roka64]

PH is gas exchange. The more surface ripple you have, the higher the pH. Move your ph/s so they point slightly to the surface of the water, this should raise your pH. Another thing on pH, it will drop at night (after lights out) and raise with lights on.

 

[melosu58]

IMO when we do big PWC`s it changes the chemical make up of the tank and sometimes causes stress to fish and corals. I personally think small frequent PWC`s are better.

 

[ICEnVy]

I pointed my PHs both up and at an angle about 2 weeks ago because the LFS said that that would keep waste to the top of the tank and help get rid of my Nitrates so I wonder why my PH is low- it was always perfect before.

I did another pwc and my Nitrates are only at 15 now. This is a slower process than I though- now they will probably go up again before the next pwc and never get much lower at this rate

 

[roka64]

I'm not sure why your LFS says the waste will go to the top and get rid of nitrAtes. The only natural ways to get rid of nitrAtes are PWCs (as you have already seen), and certian types of algaes (I believe cheato....). When are you testing your pH?

 

[ICEnVy]

I test my PH at night. Right before my lights go out usually.

 

[tecwzrd]

Your 7.7 reading could have just been off or you might have had too much water in the test which would give you a lower reading.

Your ph will read highest at night just before "lights out" and lowest in the morning before turning on your lights.

If your tank has glass tops that will trap CO2 which will lower your ph. Short lighting schedules (3 hours or less) can lower your ph over time.

Regular pwc usually will keep your ph in line but you may have to add a little ph buffer to your pwc water depending on the salt brand you use. My salt always tests a little low so I use 1/2 a teaspoon of Seachem Marine Buffer with each pwc.

All tests should be compared to the color chart against a white background. 15 ppm is 100% better then where you were and will come down more eventually. Striving for 0 ppm is nearly impossible but at least keep it 10 ppm or less if possible.

If doing pwc larger then 40% then you do run the risk of hurting the livestock. Matching your change water's ph/temp/sg perfectly to the main is critical either way.