Need Help with pH

[lefty]

So I have noticed my pH level has dropped and I'm not sure what to do about it at this point. I have been doing 20% water changes, just did another one on Saturday. My pH has dropped to about 7.8. I checked my pH of the new water that I put in and that was at 8.2. I noticed it had dropped a little before the water change, so I thought by doing the change this should bump the level back up. It however didn't. I added a pH buffer Sunday morning, checked it again this evening and the level increased to only 8.0. Should I be doing anything else for now. I have 2 clowns as only fish, and a small clean up crew at this point, 20lbs of live sand, and 50lbs of rock all in a 65 gallon tan. The other readings are Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 6ppm. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all

Dan.

 

[mike007]

Don't worry about ph too much more important is alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. 7.8 is okay on the low side. At night your ph will go down and during the day when lights are on it will come up. I wouldn't recommend adding ph buffers though.

 

[ritter6788]

7.8 is fine. I wouldn't worry about it. How is your alkalinity?

 

[lefty]

I don't have an alkalinity tester yet. I plan on taking some water to my lfs to have them test the water for me tomorrow.

 

[cope413]

^^ what they all said

I'd also add that it's very easy to fall into the trap of chasing numbers/parameters in this hobby.

Certain numbers are imperative if you want to keep things alive - like zero ammonia and zero chlorine.

Most of the others are more or less guide lines than necessities. You'll read about healthy tanks with 7.8pH and some with 8.3. Some with 8-9 alk, some with 10-12. Some with 0 nitrates, some with 10+... and on and on

Perhaps the most important thing in this hobby is stability. This is why patience is often cited as the most important thing to have in this hobby.

Impatient people chase numbers/parameters, so their tanks are wildly unstable. 7.8pH one day, 8.3 the next. 8dkh one day, 11 the next.

If your tank and its livestock are happy and your pH is 7.8 and has been for quite some time, why would you change it?

 

[Erak82]

Same thing here dont use a ph buffer. I did caused me more problems and wont raise the ph long enough anyway