always low ph.

[mrmarie]

Hey,
My ph has always been at about 7.8. i have a very well established aquarium with very healthy occupants. I just have brought this up now because i have recently purchased a blue linkia star ad alhough it is doing amazing the ph kinda worries me. i have never been able to get the ph up. when i test the ph in my tap water, it always renders 8.6 and up and i always get a perfect 8.2 after i change water because of the buffers in the salt. But, the ph quickly diccipates back to 7.8. I have the same problem with commercial buffers, it goes up, but a day later its back to 7.8. Any comments????
Status:
habitants- yellow tang, 2 percs, cleaner shrimp, flame scallop, snails, crabs, blue starfish.
-50 pounds of lr.
-crushed coral

 

[fshhub]

how's you alk? often this will be the problem, andother thing ot check is you test kit, take a sample to your lfs, allow them to test it and see what they get, you could have a bad reagent(it does happen)

 

[mrmarie]

my akl is fine, i test it about once a month. could be the test kit. i always hate how the comparison colors are so close to the same shades. anyone reccomend a good test kit?? the one i have now is by aquarium pharmaceuticals.???

 

[fshhub]

if you have a problem with the colors, this is an expensive alterantive, but they do make tester(auto matic and electronic), not exactly sure how they work
HTH