maine_guy5
New Member
I have a 55 gallon tank my ph drops to 7.8 or 8.0 i have 50 lbs of aragamax sand the LFS said to put some crushed coral in with it and that should hold the ph up higher does this seem right?
ph level
- Thread starter maine_guy5
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maine_guy5
New Member
its low even at day time once in a while it will come up to 8.1
hatessushi
Active Member
I would not consider your pH low. what you want to be concerned more about is that it is stable. For example if your pH is 7.9 and dips down to nearly 7.8 at night, it's not bad as long as it doesn't dip more then .1.
Seawater ranges from 7.8 to 8.3 but you don't want your pH to swing through that whole range in a short amount of time.
I would not add crushed coral to your substrate. It will only add to nitrate problems and if you get a sandsifting creature it would not be good for them. It sounds like your LFS wants to sell you something. I wouldn't not listen to them at all since that is bad advice that you gave them. Adding a crushed coral will not raise your pH significantly but may add to your calcium. i would say just leave it alone since you will get calcium from water changes. What salt are you using?
Seawater ranges from 7.8 to 8.3 but you don't want your pH to swing through that whole range in a short amount of time.
I would not add crushed coral to your substrate. It will only add to nitrate problems and if you get a sandsifting creature it would not be good for them. It sounds like your LFS wants to sell you something. I wouldn't not listen to them at all since that is bad advice that you gave them. Adding a crushed coral will not raise your pH significantly but may add to your calcium. i would say just leave it alone since you will get calcium from water changes. What salt are you using?
bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by maine_guy5
the LFS said to put some crushed coral in with it and that should hold the ph up higher does this seem right?
Your LFS has fallen into a commonly myth that Aragonite stabilized PH. It doesn't. It will just start to slowly dissolve at PH below 7.7 if Alkalinity and Calcium are also low but most saltwater tanks never enounter levels that low.
Low PH is usually excess CO2. Take a good look at your system and see where CO2 can be better removed. Skimmer, waterflow, overstocking, etc. It common for the indoor air to have excess CO2 in the winter when people close up their houses.
That said, I'd agree with the Sushi Hater that it's not really low enough to be concerned about.
the LFS said to put some crushed coral in with it and that should hold the ph up higher does this seem right?
Your LFS has fallen into a commonly myth that Aragonite stabilized PH. It doesn't. It will just start to slowly dissolve at PH below 7.7 if Alkalinity and Calcium are also low but most saltwater tanks never enounter levels that low.
Low PH is usually excess CO2. Take a good look at your system and see where CO2 can be better removed. Skimmer, waterflow, overstocking, etc. It common for the indoor air to have excess CO2 in the winter when people close up their houses.
That said, I'd agree with the Sushi Hater that it's not really low enough to be concerned about.