PH at 8.6

KellyCorals · Oct 13, 2020

So I recently switched over to buying purified saltwater (sea water) instead of using the premixed saltwater from my LFS. When I first set up my tank and it cycled, my PH was 7.6. I used the recommended amount of buffer to bring it to 8.3 over the course of 3 days. It’s stayed that way for months until I did a major water change (60% or so over the course of a week on a 90 gallon tank) and switched over to store bought sea water now my PH is at 8.6 which is a little higher than I like.

Is there a problem with running the tank at 8.6? Or should I try to lower it back to 8.3?
Also if anyone knows if I dose ALK will my PH go even higher?

Daddy-o · Oct 13, 2020

I dont think a lot of reefers add any buffers for PH. I know I checked it years ago but not again since.

joseserrano · Oct 13, 2020

Buffer will raise hour alk. Don’t add things without further researching. In this instance, do you know why you wanted a higher ph? If you can’t answer that question, don’t add

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 14, 2020

How are you measuring pH?

KellyCorals · Oct 14, 2020

Daddy-o said:
I dont think a lot of reefers add any buffers for PH. I know I checked it years ago but not again since.

Wait so your saying you don’t think many people use buffer to raise their PH? So that’s why they sell buffer at like every fish store...because no one is buying it. I think PH is definitely one level to check and adjust from time to time.

KellyCorals · Oct 14, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
How are you measuring pH?

Digital PH meter...I ordered a Hanna checker to compare.

KellyCorals · Oct 14, 2020

joseserrano said:
Buffer will raise hour alk. Don’t add things without further researching. In this instance, do you know why you wanted a higher ph? If you can’t answer that question, don’t add

I don’t make a habit of adding things to my tank unless it’s for a reason. When my ph was at 7.6 I wanted to get it closer to natural seawater which is 8.2 from what I’ve read. I’m slightly confused though because after doing water changes with sea water my ph is now 8.6. Which is still almost in range. I know raising PH should raise ALK but my question was does it work the other way around.

From an article by Randy Holmes himself who was nice enough to chime in on this thread and who I highly respect his opinion based off several responses to threads I’ve read on here:

The acceptable pH range for reef aquaria is an opinion rather than a clearly delineated fact, and will certainly vary with the opinion's provider. This range may also be quite different from the "optimal" range. Justifying what is optimal, however, is much more problematic than is justifying that which is simply acceptable, so we will focus on the latter. As a goal, I'd suggest that the pH of natural seawater, about 8.2, is appropriate, but coral reef aquaria can clearly succeed in a wider range of pH values. In my opinion, the pH range from 7.8 to 8.5 is an acceptable range for reef aquaria

Daddy-o · Oct 14, 2020

KellyCorals said:
Wait so your saying you don’t think many people use buffer to raise their PH? So that’s why they sell buffer at like every fish store...because no one is buying it. I think PH is definitely one level to check and adjust from time to time.

I do believe that higher PH is better for coral growth. I have a 4 year old bottle of buffer that we were told we needed - it has NOT been opened. The absolute best way to increase PH in a reef is to get more "fresh" air to it. That said I would say that you would be hard pressed to find very many successful reefers that add that. Most would probably tell you to throw away the tester and stop chasing PH.
Cheers! Mark

joshwaggs · Oct 14, 2020

Yeah, I don’t think buffer is used by many. Maybe those just getting into the hobby and trying to chase specific parameters, but after a while they just go to kalkwasser. Carbon dioxide is usually why ph drops. Just let some fresh air into the room.

Daddy-o · Oct 14, 2020

KellyCorals said:
So I recently switched over to buying purified saltwater (sea water) instead of using the premixed saltwater from my LFS. When I first set up my tank and it cycled, my PH was 7.6. I used the recommended amount of buffer to bring it to 8.3 over the course of 3 days. It’s stayed that way for months until I did a major water change (60% or so over the course of a week on a 90 gallon tank) and switched over to store bought sea water now my PH is at 8.6 which is a little higher than I like.

Is there a problem with running the tank at 8.6? Or should I try to lower it back to 8.3?
Also if anyone knows if I dose ALK will my PH go even higher?

I would just let it run at 8.6 It should stabilize lower in time.

KellyCorals · Oct 14, 2020

So does anyone here dose ALK then? And will it affect PH? I just don’t want to drive that number up any higher. I want to use a 2 part system to dose CAL and ALK. I don’t really want to set up a Kalkwasser system, maybe in the future, but a 2 part is easier for now.

Daddy-o · Oct 14, 2020

@KellyCorals Question, is the new salt water from the ocean? I only ask because thats what we started using in the beginning and little did we know that the phosphate was at .5
Cheers! Mark

Anubisxii · Oct 14, 2020

I got tricked into buying buffer, you don't want to use it as it leaves the tank quickly and messes with other levers. I changed to kelkeasser and was very happy with the results.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 15, 2020

KellyCorals said:
Wait so your saying you don’t think many people use buffer to raise their PH? So that’s why they sell buffer at like every fish store...because no one is buying it. I think PH is definitely one level to check and adjust from time to time.

Many people do make this bad mistake. He is saying do not do it.

Every pH buffer is an alkalinity supplement, and if you add it to boost pH, without regard for alkalinity, alk gets too high. Only use alk supplements when you need alkalinity.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 15, 2020

KellyCorals said:
So does anyone here dose ALK then? And will it affect PH? I just don’t want to drive that number up any higher. I want to use a 2 part system to dose CAL and ALK. I don’t really want to set up a Kalkwasser system, maybe in the future, but a 2 part is easier for now.

Nearly everyone doses alkalinity. They dose it based on alk need, nto pH need.

I'd suggest starting reading up on reef chemistry here:

Optimal Parameters for a Coral Reef Aquarium: By Randy Holmes-Farley

[note: edited on 5/29/2022 to update the nitrate and phosphate sections with higher recommended levels.] One of the main roles of an aquarist with a coral reef aquarium is to ensure that the conditions are right for their tank inhabitants. There are many different attributes of the aquarium...

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