Raising PH

[FishFreak1961]

I have heard that you can use Baking soda to raise ph. I have
a ph of 4.0 in my tap (well) water and use a countertop RO
unit. What is the best way to get the ph up safely so that I can
do water changes/top off. My acclimation tank just crashed and I have
had to start over because my ph spiked over 8.7 or so. HELP!
I don't want to carry water from LFS. I checked his ph and it was
over 9. Thank God I checked it. What about the brightwell aquatics
ph+ liquid, anyone ever used it?

 

[Gti_Leo]

well PH can be effected in different ways. your LR and substrate can buffer the PH as can the lights and movement of the water. my suggestion is put the water in the tank and let it set and see if the PH is good. if not there are PH buffers you can add to balance it out

 

[FishFreak1961]

I will try that and just add buffer to the aquarium. Do
small frequent WC I guess as needed. I was adding buffer
but takes a week and there is an awful lot of residue on
the buckets and at the bottom. Yuk. I use IO reef crystals
or the Crystal Sea Bioassay formula salt. What is your buffer
of choice. I have been using the Kent super buffer.

 

[Gti_Leo]

i've never had to use it, i have a kent super buffer just sitting in my stand. once the water is moving and there is sand and everythign all established it should be fine

 

[FishFreak1961]

Oky doky, I will stop stressing over getting the ph up, thanks. I'll try that.
I hope I am not dying a slow death drinking 4.0 ph well water though.

 

[Gti_Leo]

lol no you're not i think most tap water has a low PH i've never really tested the PH of my water so i have no idea. all i know is the PH levels in my aquarium are good and my fish and inverts are loving it

 

[FishFreak1961]

My ph is about 8.45 or so, its always a little high. I'm doing a major
WC tomorrow since I'm off (thank God) I best keep up with my WC
now for sure cause I'm way overstocked due to a crash in my other tank.
I've got to get that back up and running. I am starting over on that one.
Just put a great big bag of live caribsea sand in it and I am making a
jawfish colony! The are so neat to watch. Gotta let the sand settle!!

 

[nhart608]

I've been wondering about elevating PH too. I've had my tank up and running 7 weeks now and it doesn't rise over 8.0. It's a 10 gallon with 13lbs of LR, 8lbs of crushed coral, 260gph total water flow and I do 2 gallon water changes every week. It just stays a little low and would love to get it in the 8.4 range. So far the 2 zoas, 1 acan and 1 rhodactis mushroom seem to be doing well but figured they'd do even better with perfect conditions.

 

[FishFreak1961]

My ph now is 8.45 or higher, my tank is overstocked now, help.... Yello tang, coral beauty angel, beauty is right,2 algae blennies, red hawkfish and two clowns all nestled in a 36 gallon tank a zoo colony, a Xenia and a chili, 2 nems and a host of housekeepers. Nitrates are too high, calcium off the charts but they seem happy and hungry. Did a 45% wc yesterday didn't budge the nitrates. I'm gonna let em be. I'm in the process of cycling my 20 gal again that just crashed due to ph and have a jawfish colony, they are so neat!!