PH level
- Thread starter yamahaguy06
- Start date
Your alkalinity. I use crushed coral, broken coral branchs, calcium and now only once a week a teaspoon of marine buffer ( seachem ) when i do a water refill due to evaporation.
Helps stabilizing my alk.
Alkalinity is a measure of the buffering capacity of water, or the capacity of bases to neutralize acids
Helps stabilizing my alk.
Alkalinity is a measure of the buffering capacity of water, or the capacity of bases to neutralize acids
I have probs with my pH dropping too. I have been using Seachem marine buffer for about a week to try to bring it up but I'm having a hard time keeping it above 8.0. I have 60 lbs. of aragonite sand and about 20 lbs. of tufa rock in my 46 G tank too (which is supposed to help with water alkalinity). I read that lack of air circulation (causing low oxygenation) could be a culprit of this so I'm experimenting with leaving my hood cover open. Anyone else hear of this?
wow, do you have any fish in your tank? because ph below 8.0 is a little low. umm, leave you question up and check it later, some of these guys on this sight are very smart when it comes to salt water. I dont think leaving the hood up will do anyhting 4 you though. yes I have heard and I am pretty shure that having more LV can bring better balince to your tank though. tell a little more about you tank and set up........
My aquarium specs:
- 46 G with 60 lbs. of aragonite sand
- Fluval 304 cannister filter system
- a small mountain of tufa rocks
- 17W standard aquarium tube light at about 24 in. or so (i only have fish right now)
- heater
- 2 clowns, 1 damsel, 1 firefish
What is LV?
After I add the marine buffer, if I test the water after about 2-3 hours it is fine (8.3). By the next day or 2 though it is back down to 7.9 - 8.0. Maybe I just haven't used enough of the buffer for my volume of water yet, I don't know.
- 46 G with 60 lbs. of aragonite sand
- Fluval 304 cannister filter system
- a small mountain of tufa rocks
- 17W standard aquarium tube light at about 24 in. or so (i only have fish right now)
- heater
- 2 clowns, 1 damsel, 1 firefish
What is LV?
After I add the marine buffer, if I test the water after about 2-3 hours it is fine (8.3). By the next day or 2 though it is back down to 7.9 - 8.0. Maybe I just haven't used enough of the buffer for my volume of water yet, I don't know.
don't use 2 much of this buffer. Salt contains a lot of buffer too. Rely mostly on water changes. I do 10 % max every week with 1.024 salinity. My ph is now never under 8.0 . Today i'm at 8.3 ( Dr. Wellfish high ph range test kit )
Yamaha :http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html , http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/ , http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/ph.htm .
Usefull links.
Yamaha :http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html , http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/ , http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/ph.htm .
Usefull links.
thanks a lot KahluaZzZ, those helped, I think I have a feel about it now. oh Jep LV is live rock. and I guess pumpig air into your tank is good.(bubbles???) I mean I have not had a prob. W/ my ph in a while I was just wondering what could bring it down, I do use RO water and on one of those sights it said that RO water can lower your PH? huh, well no wories, Jep just hang in there and some buffer can take up to a couple of days and it can be a slow process to raighs ph so........good luck w/ it and post your outcome.*PEACE!*
Calcium levels can be measured with a test kit, mine is a cheap Hagen, but it seems accurate. A range between 380-420 is welcome. Calcium is very important for your overall tank health. A lot of corals depend on it. Helps to maintain a high ph + alkalinity. Wait....i gave you a link on that !! Come on, read it. 
Why don't you just get alkalinity/carbonate hardness test kits and measure the thing? The biggest control on pH in your tank is the availablilty of carbonate ions - if these are low, and for you that means anything under about 8 dkh, organic activity in the water , procucing CO2, organic acids and so on will drive your ph down.
How to fix....
1. Cleaner, better water ,lower nitrates and so on. More water changes.
2. Add buffer
3. If you're heavily stocked or over stocked this becomes a rapid problem, so stop it.
Personally I'm buffering my water pretty heavily now. Sometimes I use baking soda, sometimes commercial buffer. You may well find a reduction in nuisance algae when you raise your kH as well.
If your RO is only dropping your kH to 350 you have a problem with your RO.
You need to get yourself a decent textbook and get reading.
How to fix....
1. Cleaner, better water ,lower nitrates and so on. More water changes.
2. Add buffer
3. If you're heavily stocked or over stocked this becomes a rapid problem, so stop it.
Personally I'm buffering my water pretty heavily now. Sometimes I use baking soda, sometimes commercial buffer. You may well find a reduction in nuisance algae when you raise your kH as well.
If your RO is only dropping your kH to 350 you have a problem with your RO.
You need to get yourself a decent textbook and get reading.