HELP
- Thread starter Davek410
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Partial water change is your quick fix.
What size tank? How much live rock? How much live sand? Do you have any macro algae? How old is the tank? Do you have an alk/carbonate hardness test kit? Check your alk, if your levels are too low, it will drag your ph down. Really, 7.8 isn't drastically low, it's still within the acceptable parameters, although any lower than that and your inverts will suffer. Ph swings are more worrisome than maintaing a perfect 8.2. Do you have a refugium? Is it lighted? Does your aquarium have a glass cover over it, or is it open to the air?
What size tank? How much live rock? How much live sand? Do you have any macro algae? How old is the tank? Do you have an alk/carbonate hardness test kit? Check your alk, if your levels are too low, it will drag your ph down. Really, 7.8 isn't drastically low, it's still within the acceptable parameters, although any lower than that and your inverts will suffer. Ph swings are more worrisome than maintaing a perfect 8.2. Do you have a refugium? Is it lighted? Does your aquarium have a glass cover over it, or is it open to the air?
jasno999
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Run some carbon filtration. Better yet add some phosphate remover to the filter media and run a filte o nthe tank. Also do water changes.
In my experience when I mix my salt and my RO water I get a PH that is 8.2 or 8.3 and everyhting works out great. So after you mix your freshwater with yoru salt try to get a PH readign and see if it is at the proper level or if it is low.
If it is low you need to get some PH buffer to get it up to the proper level.
In my experience when I mix my salt and my RO water I get a PH that is 8.2 or 8.3 and everyhting works out great. So after you mix your freshwater with yoru salt try to get a PH readign and see if it is at the proper level or if it is low.
If it is low you need to get some PH buffer to get it up to the proper level.
I am relatively new to the marine world and am constantly learning, I have a 75 gallon tank (1 year), glass cover (hood), lighted with 48" marine-glo (40W) and 48" power-glo (40W), about 50 lbs live rock, 20 lbs live sand (I guess?), no alk test kit but will make a trip to pet store tonight. If I understand completely, I believe I have macro algae, red/maroon algae sometimes on my sand and green algae on my live rock, and back glass of tank!?!? Will simple water changes help my nitrate levels?
Fluff
Aquarium Advice Addict
Davek410 said:
Water changes are the best thing you can do for your tank. The algaes you speak of sound like cyano and hair algae. The water changes will also help eliminate those nuisance algaes as well. The glass cover could be part of your ph issues. Removing will help with gas exchange. Old bulbs can also help contribute to algae issues. Your nitrates aren't that high and the water changes will help with that as well.
Fluff
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh, I also want to add, if this is a fish only tank, 7.8 isn't ideal but it's not that bad either. Your ph readings can change also depending on the time of day you take the readings. Remember it's more important to have a stable ph than a proper one and adding chemicals to fix it and having it constantly fluxuate may be more detrimental to your tank than helpful. JMO
