low ph in 14 g Biocube

[shallow_one]

I have a 14g Biocube with 2 clownfish, a feather duster, some mushrooms, 2 blood red shrimp, and a pink colt coral. I constantly have low Ph. How can I maintain a more stable ph? I add Reef Buffer to raise the ph to 8.3 but it drops to 7.8 within a week. Any ideas would be helpful.

 

[alfred30]

You just need to add buffer more often.

 

[shallow_one]

Does the addition of Reef Builder and Reef Advantage Calcium affect the ph? I also add those 2x/week.

 

[rtspeed]

well buffer is just a mask for the real problem,
Over feeding, poor alk conditions,dead spots, wrong lighting cycle, not enough skimming, all of these can be the reason for it , alo not enough fresh air supply.
Add buffer only solves the problem awhile,and in my opinion it is the last thing that should be added.

 

[shallow_one]

ok. I have a skimmer but it mostly removes water not much solid foam. I have played with the adjustment to get more solid foam but nothing changes. I add CA and Alk supplements 2x/week and Purple up daily. I feed 1x/day and the fish eat everything within 5 min. I have a powerhead that circulates water as well as the return line. I can see the water patterns when I add the Purple up and there aren't any big dead spots. I have the lights on for about 8 hrs.

 

[alfred30]

I thought the one reason for low PH had to do with the topping off with RO water. Didn't think it could be all those things. Then again I only drop down to 8.1 sometimes 8.0

 

[rtspeed]

by skimming i mean where the overflow is to aerate the water. YOu are also adding way to much cakcium additive, purple up is nothing more then calcium, stop the alk dosing as this could be a part of it, also what are you dKH, ans clacium readings.