PH problem !!

[jackamo55]

So my tank has been up and running now for a week with its new residents , and all seems to be to going well . I have been doing water checks everyday just to be safe . My only problem was my ph , it was steady at around 7.8-9 for most of the week . But the water i am topping off with has a much lower ph and is bringing it down . It is currently at around 7.6 . Im not sure what to do , should i buy some buffer and just add that to the water i am topping off with so it slowly brings it up when i add water ? Or what is another way to bring the PH up , im worried to put the buffer right into the wank in case the jump stresses the fish..

thanks for any suggestions

 

[jackamo55]

I am using distilled water bought form the sure to top up as I currently cant afford anythnig else

 

[old 5k0ol]

You don't want to go up much more than .1 a day when raising it. They sell stuff to raise PH like buffer and there is also stuff called PH up. Buffer will raise you KH if used continuously so watch carefully. You don't need to come up much. A steady 7.8 is fine. If you have aragonite sand that should help maintain ph and alk. Hopefully someone else will chime in who knows a bit more.

 

[jackamo55]

So i guess it would be better to the get the PH up stuff and slowly add that per day to raise it back up , would you add it directly to the tank or to the top up water

 

[old 5k0ol]

I would get your top off to 7.8-7.9 and use that. Its tough to say, I wish I could be certain for you. If your alkalinity is a bit low you could use buffer for a bit. Don't take my word, I'd do some research.

 

[little_fish]

Your pH is fine just like it is, I wouldnt mess with your top off or your tank.

 

[Smitty]

If your ph was a steady 7.8, then it wouldn't be a problem, but since it's around 7.6 now, then I'll say that it is low....and since you already know that your top off water is the issue, then go ahead and get yourself a ph buffer and start adding it to your top off water bucket. Natural waters ph is only 7.0, so you need to bring it up to 7.8-8.2. Now if after getting your ph to where you want it, and it still seem too low, then you may have an alkalinity issue.

 

[Smitty]

Also, what type and how old are your test kits? That can throw your readings off.

 

[old 5k0ol]

+1. But, if you use a buffer to maintain PH too much, you will get high alkalinity. That's not good for corals.

 

[jackamo55]

Im using the liquid PH test kits at the moment and it is only about a few weeks old . But was thinking of going getting one of the indicator which you stick on the tank today to make sure . So should i get buffer or the ph up stuff which old 5kool suggested?

 

[Smitty]

The buffer is just to get the ph up to where it is needed...the alkalinity is what keeps the ph regulated. You're right, too much buffer can raise alk, but not a whole lot. I have to dose alkalinity regularly in my reef tank, and seldom even dose ph.

 

[Smitty]

If you use the api liquid test, then that's a good brand...don't use the paper test strips, they aren't reliable. As far as buffers, I've personally used the "kent" buffer and "seachem" buffer, with great results.

 

[old 5k0ol]

+1 on API and Seachem, I just wanted to make sure caution is used.