PH Level

[sommergurl]

What would make your ph level drop? I used a marine buffer to bring it up to 8.3 but what lowers it?

 

[carshark]

Originally Posted by sommergurl
What would make your ph level drop? I used a marine buffer to bring it up to 8.3 but what lowers it?
run your tests again, check if anything has died recently, how is your surface agitation??
how is your alkalinity? calcium etc. etc

 

[sommergurl]

I have plenty of water flow, running three circulators in a 60 gal tank. Nothing has died that I can see anyhow, checked that out this morning. Even checked all the snails. Unless an emerald crab has died somewhere that I can;t see everything seems alive. I do have some hair alagae that I am trying to control by picking it off the LR myself.
The salinity is fine 1.022. Nitrate is less than 0.3
ammonia is 0
I don;t have any other test for calcium or alkainity. I thought you didn't need those unless you have corals. (??)

 

[carshark]

Originally Posted by sommergurl
I have plenty of water flow, running three circulators in a 60 gal tank. Nothing has died that I can see anyhow, checked that out this morning. Even checked all the snails. Unless an emerald crab has died somewhere that I can;t see everything seems alive. I do have some hair alagae that I am trying to control by picking it off the LR myself.
The salinity is fine 1.022. Nitrate is less than 0.3
ammonia is 0
I don;t have any other test for calcium or alkainity. I thought you didn't need those unless you have corals. (??)
you should always be testing for these as well, especially your alk. which has a direct effect on your ph... calcium is good for fish as well, promotes growth and health, too little not enough nutirients for them, too much is a system overload, and can cause problems as well as death to fish...
if your nitrates are high like 30 ppm, a low PH is also is a scary thing and very toxic to the fish...as well as a high alkalinity
you could have 3 100 gph powerheads and that wouldnt even be close to the proper circulation needed, not to mention if you do not have proper agitation at the surface, it slows and dulls gas exchange which could dramaticlly reduce your ph, also are you testing you ph in the morning. or at night after the lights have been on for a while?

 

[sommergurl]

After the lights have been on awhile

 

[reefnut]

What does the PH drop to??

 

[sommergurl]

7.7 I added marine buffer and will test again tomorrow. Could the pre-salted water that I buy from the LFS have something to do with it?

 

[killergoby]

I'd test the water from your LFS before it goes in to your tank. Then try to narrowdown the possibilities.

 

[lion_crazz]

Yes, test the water you use first and stop using the buffer until you figure out what the problem is. I would also recommend getting an alk test kit as well as a calcium one. This will give you a better understanding of where the problem lies.

 

[reefnut]

I agree... get a alkalinity test kit and a calcium test kit. When you add the buffer what you are really doing is adding alkalinity. A maintained alkalinity level (8-12dkh) will greatly help the PH stability.

 

[killergoby]

After you test it, and your alk and calcium is low, B-Ionic works well to bring up each proportionality (sp).