Ph

[Nalaundi]

Hey guys

so I've been having trouble keeping my pH up.. it seems to like to sit at the 7.8 and I cant seem to get it up. Ive tried using seachem reef buffer which raises pH. my problem is that my dKh is at 12 already and my calcium is at 500. I just did a 30% water change... though I have been doing weekly 20% waterchanges diligently. Im using the oceanic salt mix. all my other readings are perfect temp 80, nitrate 0 nitrite 0 ammonia 0 phosphate 0 SG 1.025

any ideas?

 

[Musho3210]

probably a problem with the test kit, just leave it. Ive always found pH to be unimportant.

 

[Nalaundi]

probably a problem with the test kit, just leave it. Ive always found pH to be unimportant.

so it will eventually even out.... im guessing is what you are telling me.... funny thing is I used two different tests for it... the jungle strips and the api liquid tests... both had the same reading. .... do nothing it is.... thanks for the quick reply

 

[quaver]

ph can fluctuate between night and day. do 2 readings one in the morn and one pm

 

[@ombomb]

What substrate are you using?

High CO2 levels can cause your PH to drop, try increasing the surface agitation, more water movement = less CO2.

 

[Nalaundi]

Im using argonite fine grade. I will check tomarrow morning and night and let you know. and move one of my power heads up a bit higher to the surface.. thanks for the help guys!

 

[Nalaundi]

I tested my water this morning and the pH had dropped from 7.8 to 7.4... this partialy confuses me because our tap water is 8.4 untuched... I dont use RO water... though am going to be switching to it as I found out I can get premixed ro water for 20cents a gallon. I just turned on my protein skimmer to airate the water even more to see if that makes a difference... lets hope

 

[kj23502]

I read that magnesium could possible affect it too!

 

[kj23502]

Read this!
[URL="http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php"]http/www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php[/URL]

Ski put it in the realm of knowledge

 

[Nalaundi]

that is a great article... Im going to open some windows too as it suggests ok... I messed around with my pumps moved corals accordingly now ive got much more movement on the surface and I just tested again and it is back up to 7.8 ... I am going to test again around 3 and again tonight at my normal time... to see what happens... wish me luck

 

[kj23502]

Good Luck!!

 

[Musho3210]

I forgot about surface agitation, just agitate the surface more, dont dose all sorts of alk, calcium, magnesium junk and stuff just so some measly test kit tells you your tank is ok, it will probably give you a bigger headache.

 

[dilbert]

Also (too much) food can lower the ph.

My nano is probably overstocked and needs every night some kalkwasser to raise the ph.

My pico stands nearby and the ph swings (ph 8.15 to ph 8.35) but doesn't drop. Only, when I feed the corals thoroughly then I need to add some kalkwasser.

 

[Musho3210]

Watch out, kalk is one of the easiest things to overdose. I used it to keep my pH up, to find that it crashed my tank.

 

[Nalaundi]

ite.. looonnnggg day but just tested pH again and it is at 7.8... still. I dont dose any calcium havent at all not even in my coral supplaments... in the last week it has only gone down from 540 (yes I know that is really high) to 500 last week I did a 20% water change and yesterday I did a 30% water change with the sg at 1.025 letting the mixture airate overnight (airstone and heater puting it at 80F as not to shock the fish with the temp change.).. i feed only once every other days.... making sure none of it reaches the bottom of the tank... so food degrading the water wouldnt be the problem. so Im kinda baffled... I opened my window in my apartment to airate lol my apartment maybe I have too much carbon dioxide in my air ... we will see. Im going to check again in the morning and again tomarrow night.. see if there is any peeks or lows like there should be... and what they are.

I appreciate all your help!
thanks.. still open to suggestions...cause Im kinda at the end of my rope with this problem.