PH problem

[Hookman]

My ph has lowered since I started using RO/DI water and a phosphate reactor. The alkalinity doesn't look too low though. Should I get some buffer to raise it. All my fish look very healthy, and so do the corals. I just added a sixline, yellow watchman, and lawnmower blenny and they are all doing very well. Any ideas?

 

[roka64]

What is the number it's at? PH will be lower after lights out and higher after lights on so take a reading at the same time of day.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I was a little confused by Roka's statement, so I'll restate it this way... should be highest right after the lights go off in the evening, lowest first thing in the morning before the lights come on.

In addition, if you have higher levels of alkalinity, phosphate reducers have been known to possibly lower your pH level. See this article...

Feature Article

 

[roka64]

Kurt, thanks for the assist. I did forget to mention stability is best.

 

[Hookman]

My PH is close to 7, I know that's really low. I just bought the kent marine tech buffer, two-part. I'm gonna dose it tommorrow morning before work. I just changed 5 gallons of water and I'm leaving my phosphate reactor off overnight. After dosing, should I turn the reactor on or leave it off? I would think turn it back on.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I would turn it back on. If you start changing more than one thing at a time, it gets really difficult to troubleshoot what the issue is. I normally try to change just one thing, and then wait a while, when I'm trying to figure things out.

7.0 for pH is really really low... but you knew that. The article I linked to only talked about minor shifts in pH... not ones like you're showing. What was your pH before you started using the reactor? Also... what brand of salt are you using.

Now that I reread your post... if you're switching from tap to RO/DI, I can see how that might effect your pH since the RO/DI water is stripped of everything. But I use DI water (0.0 TDS) which is the same, and I manage to keep my pH at 8.2-8.3 with weekly 10% water changes... so I know it's possible.

 

[roka64]

How much surface agitation do you have?