low ph help

[gotsalt]

i have a 3 month old 24 gal nano filled with ro water and my ph is allway low (7.9-8.0). when i make the water i add buffer to the rite ph and then add to the tank. the ph rises but then it falls. The kh is a little high (11-12) due to over buffering. calcium is 500-550 and nitrate levels are allways low. i tryed big water changes to get the other levels closer to ideal but had to add buffer to get the ph and the cycle repeats. what am i doing wrong????????

 

[gotsalt]

also have a hard time matching the colors on the card to the sample. Are some brands easier to read can anyone recommend a tester?

 

[lbaskball]

Becareful when you check the colors because depending on the lighting, it may look less. Your ph is probably around 8.1, its probabl your color chart. Im guessing your using the same test kit as I am, where you have to see if the color is purple or not right? If its closer to brown, then i think its around 7.8 or 7.9 and if its at 8.2 the color is purple.Get a seachem test kit, they are more accurate.

 

[24aqua]

what salt do you use?do you mix and run your new water for 24-48hrs with a power head and heater?

 

[lbaskball]

Originally Posted by 24aqua
what salt do you use?do you mix and run your new water for 24-48hrs with a power head and heater?

I tried couple of salts...and the best one that I like was Oceanic sea salt. I dont mix and run for 24hours..although ppl recommend it. I just mix it myself..and let it sit for 15minutes for the temperature to be the same, and just dump it in the tank using a small cup.

 

[gotsalt]

i use red sea salt i di not run the water but i don't use the water for a day or two, only shake untill no salt on the bottom. lfs store guy told me that carbon could lower ph. took the bag out , had a bag for a 30gal only have a 24gal tank?????

 

[bonebrake]

Carbon will not have any effect on pH.
7.9-8.0 is not low enough to be a huge concern... Before you go to any drastic measures have someone else take a measurement with a different test kit. Most local fish stores will test your water for a dollar or two or sometimes free if you're a frequent customer.
Check the Archives and FAQ and mix up a calcium hydroxide solution (kalkwasser) and start adding small amounts of it every day.
Also make sure there is plenty of air circulation in the room of your aquarium; if the carbon dioxide concentration is too high in the home it can lower the pH of the aquarium. To test this problem, take a cup of your tank water out, test the pH, let it sit outside for an hour, and test it again. If it is higher after sitting outside, then the air inside your home is stale and is lowering the pH of your tank.
I hope this helps!
:joy:

 

[laddy]

Also to facilitate Co2 exchange have a small powerhead on the water surface--surface agitation promotes a lot of good things!

 

[gotsalt]

i opened the lid to my nano pod and aimed the power head at the side to get a ripple on the top of the water. i can see a difference in only 24 hours
thanks