Low PH.. What to do?

[J Rog]

So my Ph has always been pretty low and i really want to correct it already.. I use a Liter Meter to does BRS 2 part as well as Mag.. My alk, CA, and Mag are in good condition but my PH is usually stable between 7.7 and 7.8.. Everyonce in a while it will hit 7.9 on a rare day.. But for some reason it dropped to 7.5 last night.. I tested my Alk and it was a tad lower then usual. But not by much at all.. So I upped the Alk dose up a bit.. What should I do to correct this constant low PH.. I would really like to have it at like 8.1- 8.2 that way im in the safe range if it decides to drop or fall a bit.. :squigglemouth:

 

[beaslbob]

add macro algae. They consume the carbon dioxide which will raise pH.

FWIW I wold measure pH just before lights out. If it is high then, that means the plant life is fully consumeing the co2.

my .02

 

[J Rog]

I have a refugium with with a good amount of Chaeto.

 

[Troylee]

Top off with kalk or a c02 scrubber would do the job....

 

[J Rog]

I have been thinking about the kalk.. But i remember last time i did this on one of my tanks my alk went crazy high.. The way i did it was i added it straight to my top off water container.. Should i go about it a differnt way?

 

[Troylee]

thats how i do it.... just use a single tsp per gallon instead of 2.... or use like 3 tsp per 5gal or 10gal or what ever the case may be..... my ph was always 7.8 then i added kalk to the top off and now i hold steady at 8.1.....

 

[spscrazy]

I have a refugium with chaeto but after starting months ago with the np pellets my chaeto stopped growing & I had trouble keeping ph & alk up even tho I was dosing read a thread on here about kalk & decided to start dripping it at night wow big difference in my sps tank is so much more stable my corals are loving it think the thread was something like is kalk all its cracked up to be

 

[J Rog]

Thanks guys! i will try the Kalk in my top off water first to see if that helps. I was just reading that thread SPScrazy. Thanks!

 

[J Rog]

SO i ran out on my lunch break from work to the LFS close to my house. I ended up getting the Seachem Marine Buffer instead of the Kalk. He said it was a little safer if im going to use it in my top off water.. Looks like it gets good reviews so im going to give it a try.

 

[Murfman]

What are you using to test your pH with? Is it expired?

 

[J Rog]

What are you using to test your pH with? Is it expired?

Im using the pinpoint PH monitor. I just recalibrated like 2 months ago. So i think it should be good..

 

[spscrazy]

I'm using mrs wages 1tsp per gal r/o water next time try it it is alot cheaper & really works good just try to get the mrs wages in the summer during canning season otherwise it is harder to find

 

[J Rog]

I'm using mrs wages 1tsp per gal r/o water next time try it it is alot cheaper & really works good just try to get the mrs wages in the summer during canning season otherwise it is harder to find

Ya, in the past i have tried to get this stuff but couldn't find it locally and ended up trying something else on a tank i had in the past

 

[Murfman]

Im using the pinpoint PH monitor. I just recalibrated like 2 months ago. So i think it should be good..

Should calibrate it monthly. My old one just decided to start drifting one day.......You can also "recharge" them buy letting soak in pH 4.0 for a few days. That extends their life.

 

[J Rog]

Should calibrate it monthly. My old one just decided to start drifting one day.......You can also "recharge" them buy letting soak in pH 4.0 for a few days. That extends their life.

Cool, I never heard of recharging them with ph 4.0

 

[guy]

What worked the PH or Kalk??

 

[J Rog]

What worked the PH or Kalk??

Not sure i understand your question.

 

[Troylee]

I use brightwells kalk+2 best stuff ever invented haha..

 

[J Rog]

I use brightwells kalk+2 best stuff ever invented haha..

Ya, i have used that stuff. But it was on my small tank maybe over a year ago now and if i remember correctly I have a big Alk spike or decline.. Don't remember.. But i wasnt as experianced as I am now. Im a little better about keeping up on my levels now.. haha But i remember it did help my PH. I just didn't know if that was the best route or I should try a Kalk reactor.. But being that I have a letermeter dosing ALk, Cal, and Mag I don't think i need the reactor..

 

[Troylee]

I use a 7part buble Magnus doser and still top off with kalk lol.... Saves me money on 2 part and for some reason my corals love it.... I have experienced tremendous growth since I started using it... I kick my self all the time for the years I didn't ..