High phosphate and low ph

[starktw]

My max 250 is about a month and a half old, for the past couple of weeks I've been having an issue with high phosphates and low ph. The following are my water parameters

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates 2ppm
Ph 7.6 (the lowest level my red sea test kit will read), could be lower
KH/Alk 3.5
PO .36ppm
Ca 450ppm
MG 1480ppm
FE 0ppm
Iodine .06ppm

I am feeding verry little. I have 5 small fish 4 small crabs a couple dzn snails, 3 shrimp, one small sea star, one tiny green cuccumber, one small sea urchin, 3 corals and a couple of little mushroom bunches. Ive been changing about 30% of my water a week over several days. I've been adding a buffer a couple of times a week but it only last a couple of days

Any thoughts???

Thanks

 

[RedSeaKev]

My max 250 is about a month and a half old, for the past couple of weeks I've been having an issue with high phosphates and low ph. The following are my water parameters

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates 2ppm
Ph 7.6 (the lowest level my red sea test kit will read), could be lower
KH/Alk 3.5
PO .36ppm
Ca 450ppm
MG 1480ppm
FE 0ppm
Iodine .06ppm

I am feeding verry little. I have 5 small fish 4 small crabs a couple dzn snails, 3 shrimp, one small sea star, one tiny green cuccumber, one small sea urchin, 3 corals and a couple of little mushroom bunches. Ive been changing about 30% of my water a week over several days. I've been adding a buffer a couple of times a week but it only last a couple of days

Any thoughts???

Thanks

Hi starktw, Firstly pH in the Reef Aquarium is very complex, when you sampled your pH what time of day was it ?? the difference between night and day is significant in a relatively new set up like yours altering as much as .3 this then takes you above 7.8 which is fine, anywhere between 7.8 and 8.4 I would class as acceptable.

Your Po4 is high at 0.36ppm how are you controlling your Po4 ? nearly all fish foods fed to your system will carry Po4 so unless it is being controlled it will tend to increase, our No3Po4-X is ideal for No3 & Po4 control.

 

[starktw]

Hi starktw, Firstly pH in the Reef Aquarium is very complex, when you sampled your pH what time of day was it ?? the difference between night and day is significant in a relatively new set up like yours altering as much as .3 this then takes you above 7.8 which is fine, anywhere between 7.8 and 8.4 I would class as acceptable.

Your Po4 is high at 0.36ppm how are you controlling your Po4 ? nearly all fish foods fed to your system will carry Po4 so unless it is being controlled it will tend to increase, our No3Po4-X is ideal for No3 & Po4 control.

I have a sinking pellet that I feed every other day and I ensure that none hit the ground as I feed a few pellets at a time. Every two or three days I put about 2cc of none live phytoplankton during the day and a the same amount of non live zooplankton at night. I have just started up phosban reactor, hoping that will help. My No3 is actually at .25, I had miss stated it in my original post. I have swiched to a nanoreef systems protein skimmer for the 250 due to the noisy stock skimmer and have been having some break in growing pains but I think I have it dialed in. Is the low ph due to the high Po4?

 

[starktw]

I have a sinking pellet that I feed every other day and I ensure that none hit the ground as I feed a few pellets at a time. Every two or three days I put about 2cc of none live phytoplankton during the day and a the same amount of non live zooplankton at night. I have just started up phosban reactor, hoping that will help. My No3 is actually at .25, I had miss stated it in my original post. I have swiched to a nanoreef systems protein skimmer for the 250 due to the noisy stock skimmer and have been having some break in growing pains but I think I have it dialed in. Is the low ph due to the high Po4?

I've tested the ph in the morning, afternoon and evening. with the red sea ph pro and get the 7.6 reading every time.

 

[steved13]

I've tested the ph in the morning, afternoon and evening. with the red sea ph pro and get the 7.6 reading every time.

That's kind of odd, usually there is a variation. You might try a different test kit, just to verify.

 

[starktw]

That's kind of odd, usually there is a variation. You might try a different test kit, just to verify.

I used the api test and got similar results. 7.6 is the lowest possible reading so I am worried that it may be even lower.

Thanks for the suggestion Steve

 

[steved13]

I used the api test and got similar results. 7.6 is the lowest possible reading so I am worried that it may be even lower.

Thanks for the suggestion Steve

read all the words Steve! You did say that in your original post, but I forgotit in my reply. The variation could be 7.6 and varying lower.

If you haven't yet check the pH of your new water change water. Also, make sure the room the tank is in is well ventilated, open some windows and exchange the air as much as possible. Low pH is often due to low oxygen/high co2. If you have no jumpers, even opening the tank lid may help some.

most folks don't like chasing a number with a buffer, but would rather get to the root of the issue.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

If you are doing weekly water changes & have changes 30% in a week... PH this low would be strange... what salt are you using? ro/di?

What does your sw change water read? This might help verify the test kit...

a ph of 7.8 to 8.3 is fine... don't buffer to chase a number...

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

I've been adding a buffer a couple of times a week

what are you using to buffer?

 

[yycguy]

Reading your original post and what do you mean my 30% over "several days" is that a typo?
Have you checked your mag?
and like Glen said test your salt, ie mix up a batch and test that.

 

[starktw]

read all the words Steve! You did say that in your original post, but I forgotit in my reply. The variation could be 7.6 and varying lower.

If you haven't yet check the pH of your new water change water. Also, make sure the room the tank is in is well ventilated, open some windows and exchange the air as much as possible. Low pH is often due to low oxygen/high co2. If you have no jumpers, even opening the tank lid may help some.

Big open room. Thanks for the suggestions Steve, I'll give it a shot

most folks don't like chasing a number with a buffer, but would rather get to the root of the issue.

 

[starktw]

If you are doing weekly water changes & have changes 30% in a week... PH this low would be strange... what salt are you using? ro/di?

What does your sw change water read? This might help verify the test kit...

a ph of 7.8 to 8.3 is fine... don't buffer to chase a number...

I bought kent reef salt originaly to cure the live rock and to set up the tank, it was cheep for the constant water changes in the early stages. I have bought red sea salt but am still using up the last of the kent reef salt. I'm using kent buffer. I'm not excited about buffering but am worried. My kh is in good shape, doesn't that have some impact? I'll test a sample of new salt solution and see what I get.

Thanks

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com



what are you using to buffer?

 

[starktw]

Reading your original post and what do you mean my 30% over "several days" is that a typo?
Have you checked your mag?
and like Glen said test your salt, ie mix up a batch and test that.

Changing about 10% 3 times a week with RO water. I'll test my next mix batch

Thanks

 

[steved13]

Yes Alk will definitely impact pH. Your 3.5 is meq/l and not dkh, correct? I assumed it was.

 

[starktw]

Yes Alk will definitely impact pH. Your 3.5 is meq/l and not dkh, correct? I assumed it was.

Yes, it was 8 or 9 drops of testing red sea testing solution which is = to 3.5

 

[steved13]

Ok, the Red Sea kit gives a meq/l result.

here is a great article on pH and solving low pH problems. Much of it has already been talked about here, but this is very well written, and says much more than I ever could.

Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[starktw]

Ok, the Red Sea kit gives a meq/l result.

here is a great article on pH and solving low pH problems. Much of it has already been talked about here, but this is very well written, and says much more than I ever could.

Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

thanks for the artical

 

[steved13]

My pleasure...keep us updated

 

[starktw]

Reading your original post and what do you mean my 30% over "several days" is that a typo?
Have you checked your mag?
and like Glen said test your salt, ie mix up a batch and test that.

8.2 reading on the small fresh batch I tested, quite a big swing down to 7.6 in my tank.

 

[starktw]

If you are doing weekly water changes & have changes 30% in a week... PH this low would be strange... what salt are you using? ro/di?

What does your sw change water read? This might help verify the test kit...

a ph of 7.8 to 8.3 is fine... don't buffer to chase a number...

Just completed a test using a bach of fresh solution and it was at 8.2 with the kent salt, a long way from 7.6-. After reading the couple of articals you folks provided I think the issue may be lack of O2 levels. I lowered the level in the back of the tank hoping to get more agitation thus introducing more o2 into the system, I had it kind of high. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for the info

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com



what are you using to buffer?

 

[RedSeaKev]

I have a sinking pellet that I feed every other day and I ensure that none hit the ground as I feed a few pellets at a time. Every two or three days I put about 2cc of none live phytoplankton during the day and a the same amount of non live zooplankton at night. I have just started up phosban reactor, hoping that will help. My No3 is actually at .25, I had miss stated it in my original post. I have swiched to a nanoreef systems protein skimmer for the 250 due to the noisy stock skimmer and have been having some break in growing pains but I think I have it dialed in. Is the low ph due to the high Po4?

Hi Starktw, as I said in my previous post, what time of the day are you sampling the pH ?? the level of Po4 you are experiencing is unlikely to have any influence on your pH but many other factors will have, including the balance between you foundation element levels (Magnesium, Calcium and Alkalinity)

Are you running the water cooling fans ? this also helps with gaseous exchange this will help keep the pH higher, is your skimmer now suitably sized ? I have no experience with them, smaller skimmers take in less air, this also can effect Co2 dissipation and hence the low pH.