Help with PH

Brandon9999 · Dec 3, 2017

i started a new Red Sea XXl 750 deluxe about two months ago and transferred all live rock and corals from my old tank. Also transferred cheato. My numbers have been perfectly in line since the cycle except for PH and alk.
My biggest worry is I will dose ph with seachem’s 8.4 at night and get it exactly to 8.2 but by the morning it is always 7.99 and hovers around there. If I don’t die it drops another .2 daily. In the last ten days I’ve gone through 500 ml of 8.4 by Sea chem.

My alk is 10.64 and steady, nitrates .25, phosphates undetectable, calcium 440, mag 1400, and SG 1.025.

I have probably four cups of cheato in my Refugium with an led light on it for 12 hour of darkness and open top aquarium with an MP 40 running at level two overnight. Why am I losing so much PH?

skiergd011013 · Dec 3, 2017

Do you run the chaeto on an opposite light cycle? Do you have a skimmer running to keep gas exchange going? Do you do regular water changes?

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 3, 2017

It's not that big a drop. And if I Mat say, I'd stop dosing the alk.
It's an unbalanced dose.
And you may wind up biting stuff

Are you measuring ph first thing , mid day and at the end?

The tank will settle in. IMO.

Scorpius · Dec 3, 2017

Stop dosing ph buffer. Ph of 7.79 is what my system currently runs in the winter.

2Wheelsonly · Dec 3, 2017

skiergd011013 said:
Do you run the chaeto on an opposite light cycle? Do you have a skimmer running to keep gas exchange going? Do you do regular water changes?

Man, stop buffering pH...you have the most normalist of normals. 8.2 day and 7.99 night is what a LARGE % of reefers have... what the holy hell are you reading that says this is bad? Don't chase pH. Leave it alone before you break something lol. Stop.

skiergd011013 · Dec 3, 2017

2Wheelsonly said:
Man, stop buffering pH...you have the most normalist of normals. 8.2 day and 7.99 night is what a LARGE % of reefers have... what the holy hell are you reading that says this is bad? Don't chase pH. Leave it alone before you break something lol. Stop.

my p.H is fine

Brandon9999 · Dec 3, 2017

Thanks for the replies! I am severely OCD and my original fish tank guy swore by having a completely balanced ph of 8.2 stating that consistency is the key. I am not dosing alkalinity but feel it’s too high.
I do run my cheato light completely off cycle of the normal tank lights.

As for skimmer I have the reef octopus 202 classic. Love the skimmer so far!

skiergd011013 · Dec 3, 2017

Brandon9999 said:
Thanks for the replies! I am severely OCD and my original fish tank guy swore by having a completely balanced ph of 8.2 stating that consistency is the key. I am not dosing alkalinity but feel it’s too high.
I do run my cheato light completely off cycle of the normal tank lights.

As for skimmer I have the reef octopus 202 classic. Love the skimmer so far!

your ph is fine. You don't have a problem. You will create a problem if you keep dumping in additives for ph. Keep good circulation and aeration(skimmer), do regular water changes, and itll be just fine

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 3, 2017

Brandon9999 said:
will dose ph with seachem’s 8.4 at nigh

Yes , you actually are dosing alk.

PastaMario · Dec 3, 2017

get an accurate test kit and test every day if you really want to know your levels

Shigshwa · Dec 3, 2017

7.9-8.2 is completely fine, nothing is at risk from that pH level. If you wanted to bump the pH up for faster coral growth, then I would definitely target CO2 levels in the tank in some way to try to bump it up.

I feel as though a buildup of waste from the livestock can drop pH too, but it seems like your nitrates and phosphates aren't that high though.

2Wheelsonly · Dec 3, 2017

Brandon9999 said:
Thanks for the replies! I am severely OCD and my original fish tank guy swore by having a completely balanced ph of 8.2 stating that consistency is the key. I am not dosing alkalinity but feel it’s too high.
I do run my cheato light completely off cycle of the normal tank lights.

As for skimmer I have the reef octopus 202 classic. Love the skimmer so far!

Trying to keep pH at 8.2 100% of the day is not possible. He is giving you horrible advice, make sure you look at detailed pictures of his tank before you take his advice again!

All kidding aside, be very careful of what advice to take in this hobby; there is A LOT of bad info out there. When you read the advice of experts and people with amazing SPS tanks they will tell you that chasing pH and buffering to manipulate it is one of the worst things you could ever do. Focus all your time, energy and money on keeping your ALK stable as that's the one that truly matters.