ph level jumping a few hours after i test it

[samnmikenj]

hello im not really sure what my problem is with my ph i check my ph with a chemical test and it always comes out with like a 7.8 or so. but i noticed today after i tested it i let it set on my kitchen table for about 3-4 hours. when i looked the second time it went from like 7.8 to like 8.0. any ideas on why my ph would do this?

thanks mike

 

[mallorieGgator]

pH actually fluctuates throughout the day naturally. No worries. I would just not worry about pH honestly. Just make sure you have good oxygenation in your tank and you should be just fine.

 

[lsaint88]

I know PH is allways lowest a few hours after your lights have turned off and the highest after they are turned on

 

[beaslbob]

If a sample just set on the table with no bioload it probably lowered the co2 which increased the ph.

just a thought

worth at most .02

 

[Loki]

I used to work in a lab, and I don't know the reason but I do know all tests can/will change if left and viewed later. That goes for urine, blood, spit, etc. the worste one that I have dealt with is pregnancy tests. They can show a false positive if read to late. It would always worry people

 

[Young Frankenstein]

If the test kit is left for a long time it will change the result, I would say from what you are telling me your PH is 7.8, Not too good, you need to raise PH to about 8.0 to 8.4, solutions are : 1) a bigger skimmer, more oxygen in the room the skimmer is in, more lighting . There are a ton of methods used to raise PH, please tell us a bit more of where your tank is located in the house ? are there any windows there?, list your equipment, skimmer, lighting etc, and I promise we will find a solution

 

[samnmikenj]

ok well first off i have a 56 gallon column tank in a room that is about 10' by 15'. there is a window about 6 to 7'away from the tank. I also have 1- 250 watt metal halide 15k bulb, 2-65 watt power compact actinic blue, and 6watts of blue lunar led as moons. My actinic bulbs are set to come on at 9:45 with the moons untill 10:30 then the moons shut off and the metal halide comes on with the blue actinics untill 5:45 and the halide goes off and its just actinic untill 6:30 then actinic shuts off and moons come on untill 10:30 am. Also my filtration is a truaqua 3 stage cannister filter with built in uv sterilizer 370 gph, my protein skimmer is a 60 to 70 gallon hang on side skimmer{that i only turn on every other day for a few hours}.this tank is for the most part very clean it has been up for about 4 to 5 month or so give or take. all of my parimeters are perfect ph 7.8, nitrate 0, nitrite 0, phos. 0-.25,ammonia 0,calcium 440 to 460,and kh is about 10. any help yall can give me would be very helpful in everyway thanks

mike