reef water parameters.

kratos1028

kratos1028

Active member
Here are my reef parameters.

Salinity - 1.027
Alk - 10 Salifert
Cal - 450 Salifert
Mag - 1325 Salifert
Nitrates - 0 API
Ammonia - 0 API
Nitirites - 0 API
pH -7.8 API
Temp. today is 79.2

Can someone tell me why my alk is a little high and pH is low? I didn't check my pH last weekend but my alk last weekend was 9.3. During the week, I did top off with a little salt water and fresh water.

I double checked on my fowlr with the pH test kit to see what reading I got and it was a little bit higher then my reef reading.
 
I keep my salinity usually around 1.026-1.027. Its been that way for a couple of months now. It used to be 1.025 but it went up to 1.027 somehow and I never bothered to bring it back down to .025.
 
Check your PH when your lights are on... there can be up to a .5 swing from lights on/off

I run my Reef at: salinity 1.025, alk 10 to 12, cal 480 to 500, mag to 1400 to 1500
lights on, my Ph is a solid 8.3

hope that helps :)
 
Your alk may be high because of the brand of salt you use...all brands have different parameters. And the ph can be a number of issues, but make sure the house gets some sort of fresh air...low oxygen levels in the house can cause lower ph levels. You may also need more buffering elements in the tank such as live rocks or arogonite sand. Do you have a refugium? if so, running the lights opposite time schedule than the display tank will help keep the ph stable. I hope that helps.
 
My tank runs low on PH in the last few days when my AC is on all the time and windows closed in my house.Once I let some fresh air in it goes up right away.
 
Yeah, I've heard of some people running an airline house from outside to their skimmer, to constantly get some fresh air.
 
Smitty said:
Your alk may be high because of the brand of salt you use...all brands have different parameters. And the ph can be a number of issues, but make sure the house gets some sort of fresh air...low oxygen levels in the house can cause lower ph levels. You may also need more buffering elements in the tank such as live rocks or arogonite sand. Do you have a refugium? if so, running the lights opposite time schedule than the display tank will help keep the ph stable. I hope that helps.
Click to expand...

WOW!! I never heard that about fresh air! That could be why mine is low! I don't like to open the windows....
 
The window doesn't actually have to be open...but some peoples homes are shut air tight, which reduces the oxygen levels in the house, and also the tank. But you have to also make sure your tank has enough buffering capabilities in it to keep the ph constant.
 
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