Need help understanding why my PH is low?

rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
Ok so for the past month or so, i have been using a different brand of salt because of the price difference. Now since i started doing my water changes, PH has been low. 7.9 to 8.0 tops. Now i have seen people saying i need to understand what is wrong so i can correct it the natural way. I have been adding PH buffer to my water changes but thats once a week and it drops faster than that. I know temperature can cause changes in it, and different brands of salt can also do the same, and testing at different times of the day can also effect it. But i havent seen a good 8.2 reading since switching salt brands. I hate adding chemicals to my tank, so i want to learn to do this the right way. Before someone says it, Yes i have searched, but didn't find much. Just asking the same questions i have. I have been using walmart distilled water because i don't have an RO unit yet. (Off topic, but my nitrate problem has gotten alittle better. Gone from like 40 to 15-20 without a water change. No sump/fuge.) Because im broke, i cant afford to go get another back of salt to use for about another 2 weeks, so thats outa the question. What i wanna know is if one of you old timers with uncontrollable knowledgabilities can explain how i change my PH without adding buffers. I know someone has to know.
 
rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
Oh and since i don't remember what brand of salt i was using, can someone recommend a good salt brand to stick with? Something that will help my PH problem preferably.
 
wfd1008

wfd1008

Member
try testing around the same time during the day. also, you might want to test your alkalinity. if that's to low, then it's hard to stablize your pH from what i understand. what kind of substrate are you using? i've been told this, but not sure how well it works, but try addind an airstone and see if that helps stablize your pH. this was told to me by someone at a lfs, so i don't know if it actually works. i hope this helps
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Do you even know what your alkalinity levels are?? Cause that's what your increasing when you put "buffer" in the tank.
Anyway, another incredibly common reason for low PH is that your tank is not being oxygenated properly, so how are you oxygenating??
But as a side note, I use Tropic Marin Pro (even though I do not have a calcium reactor) and my pH has been 8.3 consistent.
I just checked.. 8.31
 
rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
Im having a hard enough time eliminating bubbles from my HOB filter, so i don't really want to add a air stone. I have a sandbed of about 1 1/2 to maybe 2 inches of black argonite in my tank. Tank has been running almost 4 months now.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by wfd1008
http:///forum/post/2568871
try addind an airstone and see if that helps stablize your pH. this was told to me by someone at a lfs, so i don't know if it actually works. i hope this helps
increasing oxygen works, but an airstone isn't how to do it in a saltwater tank.

So your LFS guy was...sorta right.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by wfd1008
http:///forum/post/2568887
does a protein skimmer add enough?
If you mean oxygen, no.
In a freshwater tank, you put air in the water...so bubbles work.
In a saltwater tank, the water has to be put in the air. What I mean is, air is absorbed into the water where water and air meet, so the more "surface area" you create, the more oxygen your tank has. Powerheads circulate the oxygenated water, and one on the surface creating turbulence creates more surface area.
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
Oily film on the surface of the water can also reduce gas exchange and lower Oxygen.
Do you have lids on your tank?
Next time you mix up a batch of water aerate it for 24 hours and test its pH. That way we will know if it is your tank or your salt.
 
rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
Well i have a penguin biowheel 350 HOB filter. Its rated for 70 gallons, but its The tank is a 30 TALL, but i have two powerheads in it. One on the bottom under all my rock, and another aboiut midway up pointing across the front of the glass. My HOB filter does a good job of airating the water, i mean it disrupts the surface of the water really well. Ill try changing the direction this powerhead is going, but i don't know if it will help or not. Oh and im only testing for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, temp and salt. I bought the API saltwater test kit. I don't know what my alk is or even what it should be. I guess that would be my question then.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
What does the results of your test give you??
ppm? dKh? Or meq/L
That would help to tell you what number you are looking for.
 
rotarygeek

rotarygeek

Member
I dont have tests for anything but ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and PH. Next month im getting a Skimmer, New lights, and ill probably buy the API Reefmaster test kits so i can test those. What i want to know is what exactly is the relationship between those tests and why my PH is low.
 
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tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by RotaryGeek
http:///forum/post/2569281
I don't know what my alk is or even what it should be. I guess that would be my question then.
That is what my last post was in reference to...
Your alk shoud be between...
2.8 meq/l
OR
8 dKh
OR
140 ppm
AND...
4.3 meq/L
OR
12 dKh
OR
215 ppm...
It can be a little higher or lower and be fine, but those are optimum numbers.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by RotaryGeek
http:///forum/post/2569405
What i want to know is what exactly is the relationship between those tests and why my PH is low.
A pH of 8.3 is a very quick indicator that your system is balanced. Your calcium, alk, magnesium, and oxygenlevels are balanced.
Your PH is an end result so to speak. For example if you have nitrates, your water will over compensate correction and burn up your alk levels. So they drop. Which as a result causes your ph to drop.
That is why it's important to find out WHY your ph is low before you try correcting it. Using a buffer is assuming your alk is low, and it very well may be, but it's better to know first. Cause if it's not and you keep adding buffer, you raise your alk level, which causes your calcium level to drop, then you have a different set of problems.
 
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