is that normal PH

[brianf40us]

When i turn off my lights at night my ph reads 8.6 but before they go on it reads 8.3

Is 8.6 to high?

 

[brianf40us]

what is making this to go up tho. about a month ago my tank was staying a constant 8.3 - 8.4.

Could it be this bucket of salt mix?

I have been doing 5 gallon water changes everyday for my QT that i am currently medicating. Could it be the frequent water changes?

Here are my water params

Ca- 450-500
Mg- 1460
KH-150
trates- 15-20
trites-0
amonia-0

 

[AMDPhenomX4]

It has to do with how the reef produces O2 and utilizes it here are a couple links that explain it a bit better
pH, the power of hydrogen

pH - The Power of Hydrogen

Photosynthesis consumes CO2 and releases O2 during the day. At night, O2 is consumed but CO2 is not, so it builds up. Accumulated CO2 in the water causes pH to drop at night, which is why it's usually lowest in the morning and highest at the end of the day.

A fix would be to have a refugium with a macroalgae on a reverse cycle than of the tank.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

what is making this to go up tho. about a month ago my tank was staying a constant 8.3 - 8.4.

Could it be this bucket of salt mix?

Have you changed salt mix? Different brand?

I have been doing 5 gallon water changes everyday for my QT that i am currently medicating. Could it be the frequent water changes?

Could be. Are you letting the new salt water sit for a day or so before adding? If not, and it's freshly made, the pH will by higher than it normally would. And if you're changing water every day, it might never have a chance to drop down.

Also could be some type of false reading from your meds? Just thinking out loud...

Either way, 8.6 isn't the end of the world. Probably a little high for my taste, but it is what it is - trying to manipulate it in a QT would probably just be asking for trouble.

And yeah... as AMD mentioned, pH is normally highest in the evening just before the lights go out and lowest in the morning, just before the lights come on.

 

[brianf40us]

I have not been letting the water set before adding it so it may be that. I have a refugium on the tank that has the lights on 24/7 think it is that?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I have not been letting the water set before adding it so it may be that. I have a refugium on the tank that has the lights on 24/7 think it is that?

I'd put big money on the fact that the new saltwater is being added immediately... that's what's giving you the high pH. And if you're doing BIG water changes everyday, the QT is always seeing "new" water... it's not getting a chance to settle down. Again... not saying that's necessarily bad - you have to do what you have to do with water changes and a quarantine to keep water parameters OK.

But what might be better is to get a bigger storage container so that you can store 4-5 days worth of water changes before having to make up new water. That way, your QT is getting "aged" water and you don't have to make new saltwater every single night. With my storage container, I try to keep it at least half full - that way if I add freshly mixed saltwater, there's a fair amount of previously made water to dilute it and "calm down" the parameters. If I have to use it right away, there's less of a problem with potentially high pH.

 

[brianf40us]

what do you use for your storage container. I tried a garbabe can but was getting residual off the can.

 

[brianf40us]

OK I have been leaving my water set and it still reads 8.7 in the bucket. I NEVER had this happen before could it be this bucket of salt mix? Im worried because if i do water changes with this and my water is 8.7 without lights on then what is it going to be when my lights are on. probably like 8.9 or so.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Sorry... wasn't ignoring you - just been away from the internet!

Storage container: I use a Rubbermaid Brute storage bin. Holds about 20+ gallons.

Salt: Hmmm... after sitting for 24 hours it still reads 8.7? What salt mix are you using? Is your pH test kit new or old?