PH keeps dropping

[Yazoo1970]

Hello all i have another quick question everything else in the tank is just right amonia is at 0 nitrite is 0 but my PH keeps dropping to about 7.8 i have used buffer on it twice now but about every 3rd day it is back down again any idea what could cause this thanks

 

[wayne]

Guessing by history I would imagine it's accumulated organics in your tank driving down your pH. The natural trend for cycled nitrogen compounds and organics is to form dissolved acidic compounds. If you have an inadequate kH alkalinity or if it's just been exhausted you'll experience what you're getting.

1. What is your kH? You need this testkit
2. What's in the tank now, including what substrate, how deep
3. How much is your skimmer producing
4 Done any water changes? You likely need to do a couple of biggies

 

[yamahaguy06]

Wayne?, if you mix your water the right way and perfict it should be fine to do realy big changes huh, because your new water should have normal peramiters or same as your tank right??

 

[Yazoo1970]

Thanks for your reply i currently have crushed coral on the bottom about 20 pounds of live rock 3 damsals 10 turbo snails 10 hermit crabs. The tank is a 55 gallon 18 inches deep my protien skimmer is taking about a cup every three days i have done 4 big water changes in the last month 1 almost 80 percent and 2 50 percent then 1 20 percent last week after things started to calm down

 

[Yazoo1970]

I just got home from work i buffered the tank this morning and the ph was 8.2 i tested it now 10 hours later and its 7.8 i am worried about killing my crabs and snails with this big ph swing should i do another big water change?

 

[1979camaro]

what is your kH?

 

[Yazoo1970]

kh is 30 or 537ppm i just bought a testing kit today water hardness test could never get it to register i guess thats the prob huh