Ph 7.9-7.8 is this low

[In the sticks]

My ph is between 7.8-7.9 should I be chasing the magical 8.3. If so how do I go about it. I tried opening all of my windows in the room my tank is is in and it seemed to drop lower for the day the windows were open than bounced back the next‍.( could of been something weird I did). I have a 75 gal rimless with only 5 fish so it’s not over stocked. Any ideas thanks everyone

 

[A Young Reefer]

There is no need to be chasing ph imo. keeping it fairly stable through out the day is what I would recommend.
Ph of 7.8-7.9 is not low.

 

[In the sticks]

There is no need to be chasing ph imo. keeping it fairly stable through out the day is what I would recommend.
Ph of 7.8-7.9 is not low.

Thanks I’ve been thinking about going down the ph rabbit hole for a little

 

[PompanoBeach]

what is it during the entire day?

 

[SlugSnorter]

My ph is between 7.8-7.9 should I be chasing the magical 8.3. If so how do I go about it. I tried opening all of my windows in the room my tank is is in and it seemed to drop lower for the day the windows were open than bounced back the next‍.( could of been something weird I did). I have a 75 gal rimless with only 5 fish so it’s not over stocked. Any ideas thanks everyone

does your tank have corals? and how old is it? what CUC?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

pH 7.8 is on the low end. Lower than that becomes more of a concern, and raising it may boost hard coral growth rates.

 

[In the sticks]

pH 7.8 is on the low end. Lower than that becomes more of a concern, and raising it may boost hard coral growth rates.

Thanks Randy it’s a mixed reef sps dominate. What is the safest way of raising it I hear the ph buffers will spike your alk

 

[In the sticks]

does your tank have corals? and how old is it? what CUC?

Yea I have mostly sps. It’s a 5 year old tank. Use to be a softie tank but recently started it as sps in the last 6months. Sorry I’m not sure what cuc is

 

[gbroadbridge]

My ph is between 7.8-7.9 should I be chasing the magical 8.3. If so how do I go about it. I tried opening all of my windows in the room my tank is is in and it seemed to drop lower for the day the windows were open than bounced back the next‍.( could of been something weird I did). I have a 75 gal rimless with only 5 fish so it’s not over stocked. Any ideas thanks everyone

How are you measuring the pH?

Dye based tests like API are not particularly accurate.

 

[In the sticks]

How are you measuring the pH?

Dye based tests like API are not particularly accurate.

With an apex

 

[gbroadbridge]

With an apex

Okay, first thing I would do is check the calibration with some fresh buffers.
Make sure that the Apex reads the fresh buffers accurately after giving the probe a rinse in some fresh water

 

[mermaid_life]

My pH was always low and I assumed it was because of the water. Had this problem for 5 years.

I use seachem reef buffer to maintain my alk, which also maxes the pH at 8.3. I never have to worry about my pH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My pH was always low and I assumed it was because of the water. Had this problem for 5 years.

I use seachem reef buffer to maintain my alk, which also maxes the pH at 8.3. I never have to worry about my pH.

Because of what water?

If low pH is an issue, Reef Buffer is not the best product to raise pH (i.e., not the biggest pH boost per unit of alk added), although if it give enough effect for a given tank, it is fine.

In general, do not believe any claims from any company that a buffer will maintain a specific pH in the tank when used. That's just ridiculous misleading advertising.

 

[In the sticks]

Because of what water?

If low pH is an issue, Reef Buffer is not the best product to raise pH (i.e., not the biggest pH boost per unit of alk added), although if it give enough effect for a given tank, it is fine.

In general, do not believe any claims from any company that a buffer will maintain a specific pH in the tank when used. That's just ridiculous misleading advertising.

Because of what water?

If low pH is an issue, Reef Buffer is not the best product to raise pH (i.e., not the biggest pH boost per unit of alk added), although if it give enough effect for a given tank, it is fine.

In general, do not believe any claims from any company that a buffer will maintain a specific pH in the tank when used. That's just ridiculous misleading advertising.

What would be the best way to raise the levels. I’ve already tried opening up all windows in the room and didn’t work so not sure if a co2 scrubber would work.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What would be the best way to raise the levels. I’ve already tried opening up all windows in the room and didn’t work so not sure if a co2 scrubber would work.

Id do the aeration test in any of my pH articles in the forum sticky.

It sounds more like test error than real if outside air in the room doesn’t help. But more aeration slime will raise pH if it is low in normal air.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The Aeration Test

Some of the possible causes of low pH listed above require an effort to diagnose. Problems 3 and 4 are quite common, and here is a way to distinguish them. Remove a cup of tank water and measure its pH. Then aerate it for an hour with an airstone using outside air. Its pH should rise if it is unusually low for the measured alkalinity (Figure 2). Then repeat the same experiment on a new cup of water using inside air. If its pH also rises, then the aquarium’s pH will rise simply with more aeration because it is only the aquarium that contains excess carbon dioxide. If the pH does not rise in the cup (or rises very little) when aerating with indoor air, then that air likely contains excess CO2, and more aeration with that same air will not solve the low pH problem (although aeration with fresher air should). Be careful implementing this test if the outside aeration test results in a large temperature change (more than 5°C or 10°F), because such changes alone impact pH measurements.

 

[miguelvega76]

Yea I have mostly sps. It’s a 5 year old tank. Use to be a softie tank but recently started it as sps in the last 6months. Sorry I’m not sure what cuc is

Clean up crew , snails , hermits , etc..

 

[miguelvega76]

The Aeration Test

Some of the possible causes of low pH listed above require an effort to diagnose. Problems 3 and 4 are quite common, and here is a way to distinguish them. Remove a cup of tank water and measure its pH. Then aerate it for an hour with an airstone using outside air. Its pH should rise if it is unusually low for the measured alkalinity (Figure 2). Then repeat the same experiment on a new cup of water using inside air. If its pH also rises, then the aquarium’s pH will rise simply with more aeration because it is only the aquarium that contains excess carbon dioxide. If the pH does not rise in the cup (or rises very little) when aerating with indoor air, then that air likely contains excess CO2, and more aeration with that same air will not solve the low pH problem (although aeration with fresher air should). Be careful implementing this test if the outside aeration test results in a large temperature change (more than 5°C or 10°F), because such changes alone impact pH measurements.

Great explanation , easy to make test. Maskes a lot of sense. Thanks Randy