pH issues

[Angelajean]

After all I have read, I do not know how I did not know this. I bought RO/DI water from the LFS store. I did not know that I needed to buffer it for pH when topping off. Now I have a pH problem. I tested it for the last 3 days.
8/1 7.8 Lights had been on for 5 hours. Retested and same results. Took water sample to the LFS and they tested it same reading. Dosed tank per instructions on Kent's Pro Buffer dKH. Ammonia/NO3/NO4 all 0. Salinity 1.024

8/2 pH higher than 7.8 but not quite 8.0. Wish I had an electronic pH reader. UGH. Repeated dose of buffer.

8/3 pH barely 8.0 a tad too light, but definitely not 7.8.

The bottle says to repeat daily until target alkalinity is reached. Am I doing the right thing? Help and advice is welcome. :frustrat:
Thanks,
Angie

 

[Bifferwine]

I would stop dosing anything. 7.8 is within normal range (yes, it's the lower end of normal) but isn't harmful to anything. I don't know of anyone that buffers their top off water.

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Cheeser]

i would keep testing and dosing until u can get it above 8.0 in the morning. i dose at night when the lights been off a bit so my ph doesnt fall below 8.0 overnight and when ur dt light comes back on the ph should kinda stabilize. i had to dose everyday. and now about every 2-3 days. although 7.8 is not bad.

 

[ErinCahir]

+1 Biffers

 

[Angelajean]

Okay well I will stop dosing. Do no harm is my policy. Doesn't pH affect Calcium?

Also what should I be testing overall.
Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, pH, salinity. I know although not sure how often. Should I be testing calcium, phosphates, and not sure what else.

In my tank, I have a serpent star, porcelain crab, NEW yellow watchman goby. For coral, mushrooms, zoanthids, hammer coral, toadstool leather, xenia, daisy polyps, flowerpot coral, and a green eye chalice.

Thanks,
Angie