pH

[CluelessInNY]

Hey guys,

two months in now...I have a clown, a goby, 6 snails, and two hermits in my 20g. Today's reading (after a week of being lazy and not taking samples) showed a spike in pH to 8.6. No idea where that came from. Are my fish in danger? My nitrAtes are up too to 5.0, but nitrItes are 0.0 and ammonia is 0.0. All else normal.

 

[roka64]

Wow, what was the reading before? Keep in mind pH fluctuates so it is best to take the reading around the same of day. It will drop a little after lights out and rise after the lights are back on. Stability is best, even if you don't have the "perfect" pH.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree... what time of day did you take the reading?

 

[CluelessInNY]

I took it just now, and I turn on my lights at 10am-10pm. It's the highest it's ever been. I've been slacking off and I waited a full week to take these readings. I usually do it in the mornings.
Should douse the lights? Open the lid?

 

[roka64]

Something else is going on if you have a lid. Usually a lid will cause a lower pH because there is more heat and not as much O2 exchange. Are you dosing the tank with anything? What have your readings been?

 

[CluelessInNY]

I haven't added anything to the tank. The water I've been topping off with and doing water changes with is distilled water (no more tap water for my tank).
Does the buffer in my test kit help here?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

If you mean some type of pH buffer that came with your test kit... no - don't use it.

Are you really not adding anything? No PurpleUp or anything like that? Do you have an alkalinity kit? If so, what is that reading?

 

[CluelessInNY]

I just now tested the pH Alkalinity and it is dead center normal. It has never been anything but normal.
I haven't ever added anything (I wouldn't know what to add) to my tank but food.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

"Normal" means different things to different folks. What is the number, either in dKh or meq/l? What type of test kits are you using for both pH and alkalinity?

 

[CluelessInNY]

My kit has color charts and the Alkilinity is dead center of a scale showing that "normal" is 1.7-2.8meq/l. So center would make it 2.2 meq/l?
That 8.6 is a "solid" bright purple and I say 8.6 only because that is as high as it goes. It might off the chart.
my fish btw are behaving normally and feeding. The inverts are milling about discussing the primaries and the unusually high pH weather in there

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Sorry... should've asked what brand your test kits were.

I don't think most here would consider 1.7-2.8 meq/l "normal". A good alkalinity to shoot would be 2.8-4.2 meq/l, which is the same as 8-12 dKh. Sounds like maybe your alkalinity is a little on the low side, which may be from the fact that your pH is high. You can think of alkalinity as a pH "reserve"... but that's not really accurate. Alkalinity serves as a buffer to guard against pH swings.

Either way... that isn't your problem. I was just asking about alkalinity levels to try and get more data points to try and point to the problem.

You're using a pH kit/color chart for saltwater, correct?

 

[CluelessInNY]

Yah, this is a marine kit by Red Sea. I am leaving on a trip till Sunday. I hope the lil guys are okay

 

[roka64]

I'm not 100% on how alk effects pH (but Kurt is about to educate me). Are you premixing your SW and adding a heater to get the temp and pH as close to your tank's parameters?
Are you using the distilled for top-off only or with your salt mix?

 

[CluelessInNY]

I'm using distilled water for everything that goes into the tank. PWC and top-offs. I am pre-mixing my water and letting the temp reach 78 degrees before adding to the tank. Ask my gf, I've become obsessive about my tank...but in a good way

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I'm not 100% on how alk effects pH ...

I don't think it does, really. I was just asking about alkalinity because if it was really high or really low, that might lead us towards some different questioning.

(but Kurt is about to educate me).

Nope.

 

[Innovator]

Chemistry and the Aquarium

 

[roka64]

Wow, lots of math stuff. After a hard week, a day at the Baltimore Aquarium tomorrow, I have that link bookmarked for later reference....

 

[cmor1701d]

Scott, I can't believe you haven't read that before. Randy's articles on chemistry are 'mandatory reading' IMO.

I would take a water sample to the lfs for testing to confirm your readins. pH can change quickly in a sealed containter so go the nearest lfs. I would also pick up a different test kit to double check the readings.
You should also get an Alk test that gives you a precise number, I use the Salifert kits for Alk, Ca, and Mg.