low PH

[slay diggity]

All my other levels are good, everything in my tank seems ok, except my toadstool isn't extending all the way. The guy at my LFS said it was proboley due to my water changes, I do 20 gallons every other week in a 75 gallon tank, he suggested I put in a ph buffer but I haven't added any chemical to my tank yet and would like to avoid it. Any suggestions?

 

[lemonpeel]

Hey Slay. What is your pH at now? I'd be careful adding too much of a pH buffer too quickly. Do you have Aragonite sand or crushed coral, or are you doing a bb tank?

I'm just asking to see what you have and don't have so I can be of better assistance with your pH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Low pH is almost certainly not the cause of the toadstool issue, and you shouldn't add a buffer unless the alkalinity is low.

Also, water changes with a reasonable salt mix are not a cause of low pH. I'd look elsewhere than that LFS for reef chemistry advice.

So as mentioned above, the first things we'd want to know are the measured pH and the alkalinity.

This has more:

The “How To†Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 3: pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

and

Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[slay diggity]

I got live sand? I'm not sure if it's crushed coral or not, some of it is fine, mixed with kind a corse. Well I think the store messed up cause I just tested it and it's at 8.4, I was just being lazy and took it to get it tested, guess I won't do that any more.

 

[lemonpeel]

Most live sand is made up of an aragonite or calcium carbonate and that is a natural pH buffer. I wouldn't worry about your pH. It sounds about perfect. With your toadstool not opening, that could be its natural cycle that they go through every so often, but I would check your other levels. Alk, SG, Nitrates, Phosphates, Mag and calc are the ones I'd focus on since you jest checked your pH and it is alright.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I got live sand? I'm not sure if it's crushed coral or not, some of it is fine, mixed with kind a corse. Well I think the store messed up cause I just tested it and it's at 8.4, I was just being lazy and took it to get it tested, guess I won't do that any more.

Sounds good.

FWIW, the sand won't buffer seawater until the pH drops well down into the 7's, so it generally isn't a useful effect in reef aqauria.

Happy Reefing.