Urgent Help With Corals

[danelam]

I tested water this morning noticed PH was about 7.8 - too low for my corals. I added the recommended dose of PH Up to bring it into acceptable range and almost immediately all my corals closed up and started expelling stuff like long string things.

What do I do????

 

[grundig5]

You mosty likely just stressed them out with a big pH change in a short time. They should be ok after a bit of time, but you should look into the reasoning for your depressed pH. Also, what are you using to test pH?

 

[bigbris1]

I would have waited until my lights went on & were on for a while before testing for PH, as it can go lowerer over night.

You have to figure out why it's going so low, usually due to an insufficient buffer (substrate), higher amounts of acids being released into the water column (decaying food, fish waste, etc.)

Have you been dosing anything regularly?

 

[danelam]

So there's nothing I can do now? Will the stuff they expelled foul my water?

 

[danelam]

B-ionic every day

 

[samksy]

I tested water this morning noticed PH was about 7.8 - too low for my corals. I added the recommended dose of PH Up to bring it into acceptable range and almost immediately all my corals closed up and started expelling stuff like long string things.

What do I do????

PH are usually low in the moring. Recheck your PH, if it's way too high, maybe you should consider a water change.

 

[danelam]

it looks as if they're starting to open up again. Good sign...

 

[KathyC]

Have you retested your PH since you added the PH Up?
What is the reading?

Big PH swings are very dangerous to corals and even more so to your fish.
I believe every bottle of PH Up (and PH Down) should be in the garbage as the use of these 2 products is a VERY temporary fix and your PH will drop to where it was within 24 hours. That kind of rollercoaster ride for your fish & corals is unhealthy at best.

Have you tested your Alkalinity? Low alkalinity leads to unstable PH.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

When you mix up new water what is the PH?

 

[danelam]

Have you retested your PH since you added the PH Up?
What is the reading?

Big PH swings are very dangerous to corals and even more so to your fish.
I believe every bottle of PH Up (and PH Down) should be in the garbage as the use of these 2 products is a VERY temporary fix and your PH will drop to where it was within 24 hours. That kind of rollercoaster ride for your fish & corals is unhealthy at best.

Have you tested your Alkalinity? Low alkalinity leads to unstable PH.

Kathy, I just tested and retested KH, and it's 150. Too high right?

 

[Deanos]

Kathy, I just tested and retested KH, and it's 150. Too high right?

150? What test kit are you using and what scale is that kit using?

 

[danelam]

Using a Hagen test. What do you mean by scale? I just keep adding drops til the water changes from blue to yellow

 

[bigbris1]

Is that 150 a PH reading or Alk?

 

[danelam]

Alk

 

[bigbris1]

OK, so 150 what? meqL, ppm, dKH?

 

[danelam]

150 mg/L

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

When you mix up new water what is the PH?

:bump:

 

[danelam]

I'm not sure, I haven't checked PH on saltwater I've just mixed

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I'd give it a try and se how it reads, something may be out of whack from the start.

 

[bigbris1]

150 mg/L

The optimal range for reef aquaria is shaded in grey.