i am having hell trying to raise ph to 8.3. ive tried dosing alk to weekly water changes with top quality salt and it seems to want to stay at 8-8.07. ive even put an airstone fed from fresh outside air to keep co2 down. the swing is very minimal it never goes below 7.95. could old sand and rock be keeping it down from years of insufficient alkalinity? the highest i got it was 8.15 when i was dosing alk but once i got the alk to 10.5 dkh i stopped dosing and started weekly water changes. i have no sps just softies and a big sump full of live rock. any ideas?
trouble raising ph
- Thread starter Dingodan
- Start date
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Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
It's winter. Ph is directly affected by there being less fresh air in our homes. The day it warms up to open your doors, test your ph before and then after. It will go up.
The bigger question though is why does that number need to be 8.3? If there isn't anything wrong in the tank I wouldn't go chasing a number with additives...just leads to problems. I did this with both of my tanks and ended up with issues. My ph is low and since those that live in my tank aren't bothered by it I'm not either.
The bigger question though is why does that number need to be 8.3? If there isn't anything wrong in the tank I wouldn't go chasing a number with additives...just leads to problems. I did this with both of my tanks and ended up with issues. My ph is low and since those that live in my tank aren't bothered by it I'm not either.
well theres an airstone feeding fresh air from outside into the tank plus the tank is in a closed off room where the window is cracked open so i dont think fresh air is the issue. looking for growth in my tank and heard higher ph helps. also just want to know why i cant raise it
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
If you a feeding it fresh air and it isn't going up, it isn't going to go up. An exact number on ph isn't going to change this or that in terms of growth of your softies. It is already in the general vicinity. Just make sure your levels are stable, that is all you need to be shooting for and you will see the growth you want.
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Could be anything that causes it...but my ph is around 7 and I don't have any issues in my mixed reef. My clams aren't bothered by it either. Worry less about the ph and aim for as pristine water as you can make...and keep it stable. All you need to watch over imo.
jeffaquarius
Aquarium Advice Addict
What time of day do you take your pH readings?
jeffaquarius
Aquarium Advice Addict
Beneficial algae contribute to raising pH with sufficient light. At the same time your alk must also be on the high side. This is the reason why pH is higher during the day when your lights are on. Sump light with macro are turned on at night to balance and minimize pH fluctuations.
Holygral
Aquarium Advice FINatic
As Hank said, the 8.2 is a reference not a set in stone number, it is much more important to keep it stable. Even though you have it in a separate room, there is still going to be Co2 thru out the house, you would have to have the roof sealed up like a clean room to prevent it. If there is air in the room then there is co2 in the room. I would also check the calibration on the probe.
