PH where does it go?

[oozy]

Hi,
ive got my tank set up, 45g ~25lbs LR 1"LS
ive got 2 percs
10 hermits
standard crappy lighting 20w
My tank seems to be stabalizing around a pH of 8.0
I add B-ionic soultion about 15 mL every few days to bring the pH to ~8.2-8.4
Ive dont have any corals and not much coraline alge to soak up the calcium.
so what happens to the ph as a few days pass?
is it used up as waist is converted down the nitorgen cycle?
thanks!

 

[jdragunas]

well, i looked up that b-ionic, and it seems to be a calcium buffer, which is not something to add to fix your ph.
ph, calcium, and alkalinity are all correlated, so if one's off, the other will be off. If your ph is off, it indicates a problem with either the calcium or alkalinity. you really need to test those two before we can make any conclusion. If you haven't tested them, you really shouldn't be adding any kind of buffer before you can truly identify the problem with your system.

 

[thomas712]

This is a broomerisum:
The natural tendency in our tanks is for the pH to drop over time.
Carbonic acid coversion from CO2 and natural organic acids that are produced from fish wastes and foods both lead to swings/drops in pH.
The best protection for pH control is maintaining sufficient alkalinity. Alkalinity ( bicarbonate/carbonate along with other compounds ) buffers the tankwater - and helps to maintain pH.
Calcium-Alkalinity-Magnesium and pH are all related to each other - in the fact that they all contribute to more stable tankwater chemistry.
Things you can try ...
Increase tankwater circulation
Open a window.
Add a refugium with macroalgae and light it 24/7
Add a protein skimmer
Run activated carbon
Do regular partial water changes
Measure and write down your calcium/alkalinity/pH values often.
Begin a buffer/calcium dosing routine according to the tankwater needs ( from your testing you'll know this ).
Drip kalkwasser at night.
Reduce fish loads
THese things all can help to maintain pH in many systems.
Never buffer to try to change your pH, that is the wrong solution.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...5&highlight=ph

 

[oozy]

thanks for the reply!
ive been using B-ionic buffering system for years and have had gret success with my 20g reef.
ill take your suggestions and try to find out why the new tank is ballancing out around 8.0pH