aeroaustin Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I have tried to pull PH to ideal 8.2, right now my PH is somewhere below 7.6, I can't figure what the point for PH, my test kit is Aquarium Pharm. I can't tell what is exact. I use Ocean Pure salt mixer. currently I use SeaGel, Carbon and Phosguard. because I have problem with brown diatom. I using purifed water from Lowes Jug. I keep 10 to 25 percent water change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhayden Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Need to know more info. What is your alk? Test the PH of the Make up water, just in case. How long is the tank set up? What inhabitants, etc.. We need much more info on the tank to try and help. Typically is an alkalinity problem. I know it took me a while to get it worked out. How much are you feeding? Is there die off? If the water you make up with or salt mix is not wacky, I would think something is dieing off in there to hit that low of PH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroaustin Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 The tank just step up last month ago. there is no inhabitants. I added distilled water for top. the water losing about 1 or 1 and half gallons per weeks. water change with mixed salt. There are green algae grew a lot. not serious, just like 1/8 inches. No feeding, there is nobody in tank just 35 lbs live rocks and indio-pacfic sand from Ocean homes Etc. I doesn't have alk test, wait til this friday, I will get the test kit. I only have Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia. Today, I took test, they are all 0, but Ph is low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhayden Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 You can buff it up to 8.3 with buffer, but probably should not unless you know the alk. Ph could just be from some die off from new rock and cycling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceanHomes Posted December 6, 2006 Share Posted December 6, 2006 The brown is a normal thing with your tank- you are in the middle of cycling your tank. You dont need to be dosing any chemicals as 95% of the time the diatom will go away once the cycle is over, Carbon and phosban are ok. I wouldn't worry to much about the PH till your cycling is done and your tank has adjusted to everything in it (sand, Live rock). Do you have a ro/di unit at home or are you buying from somewhere? If you are buying from somewhere where from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroaustin Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 Hi... I don't have Ro/Di, because I lease the rent property, Management dont want any object t on the property. I bought the purifed water 5 gallons jugs from Lowes and Distilled water from wal-mart, not RO machine, bottle ready. I have CS skimmer and one powerhead that I have is 120 gph. wait for backordered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wryknow Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 Certainly test for your salt water mix Ph. Ph tends to fall over time but it shouldn't be that low. You may want to consider using a different salt mix if the Ph is having problems with no inhabitants. I like the Red Sea Reef Crystals and the Seachem Reef salt myself, but there's lots of opinions on which slats are better. BTW - the RO stuff from the machines works just fine and it's cheaper. I've used that stuff a numbers of times and it has always tested out just fine (typically 4 - 8 ppm.) If you're getting started you may just want to do a big water change (50%) with a better salt to get the tank parameters back up to specifications. With a cycling tank you should be doing big water changes anyway. Two other things to help with Ph/alkalinity: kalkwasser and Arm and Hammer baking soda. You can buy a kalk mix from a store (they are all more or less the same) but I get mine from Fiesta Mart for $4 a pound (in the Mexican spices section in 4 oz bags labeled "Cal Mexicana.") The kalk is something that you add to your top off water (1 - 2 tsp per gallon) and add to your tank very gradually. I use the baking soda to increase my alkalinity if ever gets too low, but this has never been an issue for me since I started using the kalk in my top-off. The kalk does three good things for your tank, increases calcium levels, increases alkalinity, and raises Ph. Keep asking questions and welcome to the hobby! Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroaustin Posted December 17, 2006 Author Share Posted December 17, 2006 What is the number PPM for KH ideal ppm for reef?. I use aquarium Pharm test kit. I just bought it from River city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroaustin Posted December 17, 2006 Author Share Posted December 17, 2006 the test for KH is above 214 ppm.. should be 240 ppm, if my assume.. That is too high? Ph is range about 7.6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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