ph problems?

[parrotchute]

well, my tank is relatively new, but it's been very stable...I attribute that to the low bioload, skimmer and regular water changes I'm doing. The PH remains pretty stable.

I buffer my water change water, but not my top off water, and it seems to stay in check. Not really sure the chemistry of it all and how the top-off water gets "changed-to" higher pH, if it does at all...

 

[Hornet]

I don't buffer my water change water, as it is always dead on after mixing the salt for 24 hours. But my top off drops my ph so I've started slowly adjusting the ph with some baked baking soda when my ph drops after adding top off. I suppose I should adjust the top off water ph before adding but I don't have a hand held ph meter and I hate ph test kits.

I'm already hijacking this thread so I may make a new one later to see what everybody else does.

 

[DaveA]

Are you dosing ALk? If so it can have a temp effect on the PH. Also, sometime if you crack a window it will help raise the PH of the tank. Also, consider using a different test kit to see if you get the same reading. Kalkwasser tends to drop PH if i remember right.

Just the opposite Kalkwasser raises pH - which is a good thing.

Hi all! I have a problem...ph is constantly low. Usually hovers around 7.5 to7.8.I have tried seachem buffer which rebounds it to 8.3 or so but within 12 or so hrs, it's back to the usual.

You should NOT raise your pH too quickly. Rememberthe pH scale is logrithmic. This means (for example) a 0.1 point increase in pH is a 10 fold increase in ions. 7.5 to 8.3 sounds like too fast a raise.

Is a Kalkwasser drip in my future? This seems like the only solution, and if so what are the typical mixes and dosing as a drip? Thanks in advance as you all have been a great help!

Kalkwasser and ALK (which is what your Seachem buffer is) are both good for pH. Do one after the other - not together. Plenty of aeration also helps - both in your water with an airstone or skimmer or both, and in your house. I was amazed at the climb in pH once we opened the windows for the spring!

The only thing I have dosed is Seachem buffer and occasionally Kent Calcium.

Try the Kalkwasser instead of the Kent Calcium. I don't know about the Kent, but I'll bet it doesn't raise pH. The Kalkwasser raises both calcium and pH.

 

[daugherty]

i use 2 gallons of kalk for top off water and it is keeping my ph at 8.4 and my alk at 9dkh. i have been using seachem kalk

 

[joe]

I had the same problem.I took a mesh bag and filled it with crushed coral substrait. Put that in my filter compartment. In about a week my ph stabilized at 8.2