Water balance.

[Piercy87]

I just done a water test to find why the ph keeps dropping off slightly. I done a 25% water change yesterday as I do every week. I tested the ph just before and it was low at 7.8/8. After the water change it was at 8.2/8.3. I tested it again today to find it was back to 8. So I tested everything and here's the results: kh 12.5 not really sure why its high. Ca 470. Mg 1470 phosphate 0.03 nitrate between 0/5 closer to the 5ppm. I don't really want to add any buffer as the kh is already high. I'm still fairly new to this and from what I gather there isn't much can do to lower the kh except do a water change. Not to sure about the ph. The tank is a reef tank and everything seems happy and growing at a considerable rate. It's only 20 gallon.

 

[Piercy87]

I just done a water test to find why the ph keeps dropping off slightly. I done a 25% water change yesterday as I do every week. I tested the ph just before and it was low at 7.8/8. After the water change it was at 8.2/8.3. I tested it again today to find it was back to 8. So I tested everything and here's the results: kh 12.5 not really sure why its high. Ca 470. Mg 1470 phosphate 0.03 nitrate between 0/5 closer to the 5ppm. I don't really want to add any buffer as the kh is already high. I'm still fairly new to this and from what I gather there isn't much can do to lower the kh except do a water change. Not to sure about the ph. The tank is a reef tank and everything seems happy and growing at a considerable rate. It's only 20 gallon.

Here's a more recent pic. Also I don't have a protein skimmer I just have active carbon. Bio balls ceramic rings and ceramic rock. A sponge and purigen.

 

[erichm20]

Strange that the ph drops that quickly... Your tank looks good though. Do you add anything or have you done anything differently recently?

 

[Piercy87]

Strange that the ph drops that quickly... Your tank looks good though. Do you add anything or have you done anything differently recently?

when i saw the ph was low i did panic and put in a teaspoon of sachem ph buffer. I'm ring to do another test again today to see if anything has changed and if not ill do another water change maybe its co2 build up or something.

 

[erichm20]

Yea most buffers are designed to allow the ph to be risen safely while not affecting alkalinity. How they can claim this is beyond me since carbonate hardness is a function of PH level and stability so hmmm?

I try to add marine buffer for ph weekly. I also dose a little mag, cal, and alk (the next day to avoid precipitation) but I add 1/3 recommended dose. Along with a 5-10% PWC every 7-10 days.

What test kit do you use? I would bring a test into your lfs just to be on the safe side. I have read that a swing in ph by even .2 can be very stressful or even fatal to fish. Have you noticed a change in behavior from the inhabitants?

 

[Schism]

I just done a water test to find why the ph keeps dropping off slightly. I done a 25% water change yesterday as I do every week. I tested the ph just before and it was low at 7.8/8. After the water change it was at 8.2/8.3. I tested it again today to find it was back to 8. So I tested everything and here's the results: kh 12.5 not really sure why its high. Ca 470. Mg 1470 phosphate 0.03 nitrate between 0/5 closer to the 5ppm. I don't really want to add any buffer as the kh is already high. I'm still fairly new to this and from what I gather there isn't much can do to lower the kh except do a water change. Not to sure about the ph. The tank is a reef tank and everything seems happy and growing at a considerable rate. It's only 20 gallon.

Well your a bit over concerned actually. A ph of 8.0 is perfectly acceptable, as is a kh of 12.5. These numbers are within ranges, the key is stability. The best thing you can do for your ph is to open a house window by the tank for a good 30-60 minutes. CO2 buildup in the home (especially during the winter months) will depress pH. Also surface agitation will further enable gas exchange.

 

[danbstrong]

Well your a bit over concerned actually. A ph of 8.0 is perfectly acceptable, as is a kh of 12.5. These numbers are within ranges, the key is stability. The best thing you can do for your ph is to open a house window by the tank for a good 30-60 minutes. CO2 buildup in the home (especially during the winter months) will depress pH. Also surface agitation will further enable gas exchange.

Agreeing those are acceptable params mine are as follows on consistant basis ph 7.9 alk 12 cal 420 mag 1350 nitrate and phosphate undetectable