Ph dropping issue

[5x5]

My ph seems to be dropping rather quickly and I'm trying to understand what I can do.

It's a 65 gal tank with a nearly filled 15 gal sump. My tap ph is about 7.4, but it seems to drop to 6.4 and below after a couple of days. I have about 7 fish in the tank.

Recently I added a few pounds of tufa rock on the sump, but I haven't noticed any difference. Any recommendations or possible explanations?

 

[Flossie]

My ph seems to be dropping rather quickly and I'm trying to understand what I can do.

It's a 65 gal tank with a nearly filled 15 gal sump. My tap ph is about 7.4, but it seems to drop to 6.4 and below after a couple of days. I have about 7 fish in the tank.

Recently I added a few pounds of tufa rock on the sump, but I haven't noticed any difference. Any recommendations or possible explanations?

Do u have any drift wood or anything in the tank ?

 

[5x5]

No driftwood. I have a few fake plants and some artificial caves. Are there any common culprits such as overfeeding...etc?

 

[Flossie]

U can set out some
Water in a cup or bowl with an airstone ... And test your ph after 24hrs. That should
Be your true ph. Maybe try that

 

[foster53]

If your ph is dropping after only a couple of days after a w/c your KH needs to be increased. The water does not have enough buffering capacity. You can increase the KH(carbonate hardness) by adding crushed oyster shell or dolomite to one of your filters. Put it in a filter bag and place it in the filter wherever you can find room. Be sure to monitor your KH after you start using it so the ph don't get too high.

 

[5x5]

Thanks. I'll have to find a kh testing kit. I think I saw a gh and kh tester by API in the store the other day. Is kh related to the regular hardness of the water or is it completely different?

 

[jcolon]

If your ph is dropping after only a couple of days after a w/c your KH needs to be increased. The water does not have enough buffering capacity. You can increase the KH(carbonate hardness) by adding crushed oyster shell or dolomite to one of your filters. Put it in a filter bag and place it in the filter wherever you can find room. Be sure to monitor your KH after you start using it so the ph don't get too high.

+1 with foster53

Crushed Corals, Dolomite/Dolostone, Limestone and or Marble will work to naturally raise pH

 

[5x5]

I ended up adding tufa rock and the ph appears to be stabilized at 7.4. I couldn't find some of the other suggestions at the LFS.