36 gallon need to raise it a little how much do I use thanks John
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how much kalk to use to raise ph ?
- Thread starter bovsbaitboxes
- Start date
I am a 7.4 need to get between 7.8 and 8.4 thanks John
test kit
mgonz,
Thanks for the vote of confidence. Much appreciated.
John,
Before you go making major corrections, be sure that you are truly getting the measurement that you think you are getting. For pH, I would recommend a portable meter as strips/color kits are not as accurate (since they measure every 0.2 and a meter is accurate to .01). The next thing is to properly calibrate the meter. I compare my meter against a color kit and a second meter. Once you establish that you are truly getting such a low reading, go check again and ask a female to look at the color since us males are much more likely to be color blind (completely serious here). Next, figure out source of problem. Maybe too many windows closed in house. Too much cooking, etc. Are you running a fuge? If so, do you set up reverse light schedule. Do not look to chemicals as the first solution. It should be your last resort. How are you measuring this pH? pH is lowest right before lights turn on and highest right after lights turn off. pH will fluctuate in moving water (well obviously yours is still as you are using colorimeter kit). What's your alkalinity (dKH) in all this? Perhaps you don't have enough buffering. What kind of substrate are you running? Arag based substrate buffers better. Last, kalk would not be what I would use to raise pH. It's much safer to use baking soda (not baking powder). I know you wanted a quick answer but don't go jumping into solving this and that otherwise you can create major problems for yourself.
Thanks for the vote of confidence. Much appreciated.
John,
Before you go making major corrections, be sure that you are truly getting the measurement that you think you are getting. For pH, I would recommend a portable meter as strips/color kits are not as accurate (since they measure every 0.2 and a meter is accurate to .01). The next thing is to properly calibrate the meter. I compare my meter against a color kit and a second meter. Once you establish that you are truly getting such a low reading, go check again and ask a female to look at the color since us males are much more likely to be color blind (completely serious here). Next, figure out source of problem. Maybe too many windows closed in house. Too much cooking, etc. Are you running a fuge? If so, do you set up reverse light schedule. Do not look to chemicals as the first solution. It should be your last resort. How are you measuring this pH? pH is lowest right before lights turn on and highest right after lights turn off. pH will fluctuate in moving water (well obviously yours is still as you are using colorimeter kit). What's your alkalinity (dKH) in all this? Perhaps you don't have enough buffering. What kind of substrate are you running? Arag based substrate buffers better. Last, kalk would not be what I would use to raise pH. It's much safer to use baking soda (not baking powder). I know you wanted a quick answer but don't go jumping into solving this and that otherwise you can create major problems for yourself.
using Jungle 6 test in 1 dip strips what brand should I use to test all. just noticed that my gsp didnt open but I was messin with water flow could have spooked him.other zoos opened some didnt let me know which test is best will pick it up tomorrow mornin thanks John
Strips are very very inaccurate. Basically wasted money. This strip isn't even accurate for pH to 0.2...it's even worse at 0.4. I'm reading the product specs and nothing here is any good at all. It tests 4 things in SW and every test is very inaccurate.
Range for saltwater: Nitrate: 0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 200 ppm. (I would want at a minimum every 5ppm, not every 20)
Nitrite: 0, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 10.0 ppm. (You want resolution of at least .25 especially since nitrite can be fatal)
Total hardness: not applicable for saltwater. (fine...this is useless in SW anyway)
Total alkalinity: 0, 40, 80, 120, 180, 300 ppm. (you need resolution of every 20 ppm. Who uses ppm anyway for alk. Use dkH or meg/l)
Ph level: 7.0, 7.4, 7.8, 8.4, 8.8. (Resolution of at least every 0.1 not 0.4)
Get yourself a Red Sea (no experience with them here) or API reef master kit if you are being cheap and want all the tests. In general, salifert makes the best test kits but are pricy. For pH get yourself a portable meter from Milwaukee or Hanna or just use an API high range pH kit. It's not the best but at least it gives resolution of 0.2 and is better than the strip you got. I am thinking you are closer to 7.8 than you think.
Since you bought this, I can only assume you bought a cheapo swing arm hydrometer. Throw that away. Get yourself an automatic temp correcting refractometer and read carefully how to calibrate it. It usually must be calibrated at 68 degrees ambient temp. They run about $45.
Get the pH meter. Most are calibrated at factory but buy yourself some calibration fluid. Like I said before, if cheap, get the API pH high range kit. 5 drops in test tube and accurate enough when starting out.
Get an API dKH kit. 1 drop = 1 dKH. That's resolution of 18ppm I believe. It comes in the API reef master kit.
If your tank cycled, you can skimp and not get a nitrite kit.
You can skimp on the nitrate kit if you aren't doing SPS. Just keep up on water changes.
Add Ca test if you are doing LPS (comes in API reef master kit). API is good enough but salifert and seachem are better kits.
Range for saltwater: Nitrate: 0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 200 ppm. (I would want at a minimum every 5ppm, not every 20)
Nitrite: 0, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 10.0 ppm. (You want resolution of at least .25 especially since nitrite can be fatal)
Total hardness: not applicable for saltwater. (fine...this is useless in SW anyway)
Total alkalinity: 0, 40, 80, 120, 180, 300 ppm. (you need resolution of every 20 ppm. Who uses ppm anyway for alk. Use dkH or meg/l)
Ph level: 7.0, 7.4, 7.8, 8.4, 8.8. (Resolution of at least every 0.1 not 0.4)
Get yourself a Red Sea (no experience with them here) or API reef master kit if you are being cheap and want all the tests. In general, salifert makes the best test kits but are pricy. For pH get yourself a portable meter from Milwaukee or Hanna or just use an API high range pH kit. It's not the best but at least it gives resolution of 0.2 and is better than the strip you got. I am thinking you are closer to 7.8 than you think.
Since you bought this, I can only assume you bought a cheapo swing arm hydrometer. Throw that away. Get yourself an automatic temp correcting refractometer and read carefully how to calibrate it. It usually must be calibrated at 68 degrees ambient temp. They run about $45.
Get the pH meter. Most are calibrated at factory but buy yourself some calibration fluid. Like I said before, if cheap, get the API pH high range kit. 5 drops in test tube and accurate enough when starting out.
Get an API dKH kit. 1 drop = 1 dKH. That's resolution of 18ppm I believe. It comes in the API reef master kit.
If your tank cycled, you can skimp and not get a nitrite kit.
You can skimp on the nitrate kit if you aren't doing SPS. Just keep up on water changes.
Add Ca test if you are doing LPS (comes in API reef master kit). API is good enough but salifert and seachem are better kits.