HELP! Reef Builder to raise pH?

LFS (seems knowledgeable and honest) tested my water today. Everything tested perfectly except the pH being a little bit low, but at home on our test strips the alkalinity is reading pretty high. He said a lot of people will choose the Buffer to raise the pH, but he recommended I get Builder (which also raises alkalinity, too, right?) which would also help with the calcium in the water and reflect positively on my live rock as well.

I am concerned after reading the label. What do you guys recommend and why?

 

No, I don't. But like I said the alkalinity is reading high here (on strips... but apparently fine at the LFS), and the label for the builder claims to raise alkalinity... You'd still use the builder? It says to be careful not to overdose. I have a 40 gal tank. The LFS said to add half a teaspoon in a cup of freshwater to dissolve, then put in the tank.

 

Seachem's reef builder

I use that if it is
yep the packaging says 1/2 a level teaspoon per 40 gallons twice per week
and you mix it well with fresh water (RODI is best) prior to adding to tank

but if your DHK is OK tested ( did the LFS tell you what it was?) and your PH is low- there may be reasons for this not linked directly to alkalinity.

such as
C02 build up in tank
C02 build up in room
lack of surface movement on top of water preventing CO2 and oxygen exchanging

Steve

 

Test strips are notorious for inaccurate readings. Salifert (although a bit involved) is real accurate or API (less involved) is good but just a bit less accurate than Salifert.

I use Reef Builder, it is a fine product that works. In case you mis-understood its' purpose, here is an excerpt from the product site, I will put in bold the key things to be considered;

Seachem Reef Builder raises carbonate alkalinity without immediately impacting on pH. With long term use there will be a tendency to stabilize at pH 8.3. Carbonates and calcium are essential to all coral growth. If either becomes deficient, coral growth will cease, followed by a rapid decline in coral health. Used as directed, Reef Builder will not deplete calcium, magnesium, or strontium which usually tend to precipitate with increasing alkalinity.

I can vouch for this as my PH (which hovered around 8.0-8.1) is stable at 8.3. The half teaspoon per your tank is correct. Dose every day and check every day until you see the result sought, then, don't dose and check day-by-day to understand the "fall off" rate and dose accordingly. If you need a further explanation, let us know.

You can now calibrate your strips. What ever you show on the strip, say 12 DKH and LFS showed say 9 DKH, you simply subtract 3 DKH from the test strip result. I hope this helps you.

 

Very good advice, Steve. That's what I think it is!! Lack of movement on water surface. Fabulous, thank you guys very much. I've learned a ton from these three posts. You guys ROCK!!

 

Wow, thank you, thank you very much unclejed. I hope I can master this like you guys one day!

The spray bar was placed vertical in the tank because I am waiting on a part shipment to be able to place it horizontally. I've moved it up to create surface movement in hopes of this leveling out the pH.

I think I am going to let it chill for a few hours before dosing with the builder to see if it stabilizes naturally from the creation of movement along the surface of the water... HOPEfully it will!

Would you allow it to chill as well? (We have sand, for what it's worth, as far as calcium levels go.)

 

I would wait 24 hours and see where your at with your PH to be honest
and test later on in the day when lights have been on a while

test kits for
Calcium
Magnesium
DKH or Alkalinity

would be ideal at this stage IMO
When you know where all these levels are
then you can take actions required to put them where you want/need them

Steve

 

Awesome, will do. Thank you very much!!