Looking for advice on what to do.

[Weed&Reef]

Hey guys. I've always had a low pH for awhile now. I've noticed my pipe organs struggling everything else seems happy. Dkh 8.5 calcium 380 mag 1300 nitrates 5 pH 7.8. what can I do to raise pH without affecting everything else? I finally got everything stable except pH. Thanks

 

[Jekyl]

Hey guys. I've always had a low pH for awhile now. I've noticed my pipe organs struggling everything else seems happy. Dkh 8.5 calcium 380 mag 1300 nitrates 5 pH 7.8. what can I do to raise pH without affecting everything else? I finally got everything stable except pH. Thanks

Do you have a skimmer or sump?

 

[nereefpat]

Are you measuring it with a recently calibrated pH probe?

The general advice on pH in reefs to not sweat over it. It can only be in a certain range, and it is only a product of alkalinity level and CO2 level in the room.

 

[Weed&Reef]

Do you have a skimmer or sump?

I have a protein skimmer but can't get it to work it just overflows constantly and my nutrients are very low so didn't think I needed it. No sump it's just a 10g

 

[Weed&Reef]

Are you measuring it with a recently calibrated pH probe?

The general advice on pH in reefs to not sweat over it. It can only be in a certain range, and it is only a product of alkalinity level and CO2 level in the room.

No it's the saltwater master test kit. My other tanks test normal so I don't think it's faulty or anything. So i should just leave it alone then?

 

[Jekyl]

I have a protein skimmer but can't get it to work it just overflows constantly and my nutrients are very low so didn't think I needed it. No sump it's just a 10g

Skimmer isn't just about nutrient export. The gas exchange will help your Ph value. I would try and research more to get it working.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

7.8 isnt that bad. Thats where my tanks sit in the winter when the windows are always shut. But if you want to raise it trying to get your skimmer to work would be a good way of doing that. Then you can also run the airline outside for a further bump in ph.

But personally i dont think thats your problem. Do you know what your phosphates are at?

 

[Weed&Reef]

7.8 isnt that bad. Thats where my tanks sit in the winter when the windows are always shut. But if you want to raise it trying to get your skimmer to work would be a good way of doing that. Then you can also run the airline outside for a further bump in ph.

But personally i dont think thats your problem. Do you know what your phosphates are at?

.25 or a little lower. Could it be the fact I've been using distilled water for a couple weeks now maybe? My rodi is having issues so I've been using that and dosing trace elements like usual.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

.25 or a little lower. Could it be the fact I've been using distilled water for a couple weeks now maybe? My rodi is having issues so I've been using that and dosing trace elements like usual.

No, top off water does not lower pH.

 

[BanjoBandito]

easiest fixes, put kalkwasser in your ATO if you have one....skimmers on 10 gallon tanks are not needed in my opinion. I use an air stone in my back AIO area, as my PH was always a lil' shy of 8, now it's never under 8.