ph question

[81Shaun]

hello , I notice that after mixing a fresh batch of salt that my ph raises to like 8.4 then checked my tank and im getting like 8.2 ph atleast from my best guess. why does my ph in my tank have a different reading ? now is it common for a ph to drop in a fresh batch ? my ank is just a nano cube with hood. is putting the mix water in with a high ph like that going to cause alot problems ? im not the best with water chemistry. 8.2 ph is what comes from my tap that i use for my freshwater tank. im using rodi for my salt water tank and the ph is the same as my freshwater tap ph.

 

[mike007]

The salt mix you are using is probably 8.4. If your tank water is 8.2 it will raise it some. It is normal for ph to rise during the day with lights on and then at night it will fall a little. Anywhere from 7.8 to 8.4 is a good level to maintain. Don't worry to much about it. More important is alkalinity and calcium.

 

[81Shaun]

thanks mike. yeah im using reef crystals. its kind of hard to tell for sure if my tank is 8.2 or 8.0 just hard to tell cause of the api color chart but im assuming 8.2 cause i just test my freshwater tested 8.2 according to my lfs guy and my salt tank test looks almost identical. anyhow wonder why the drop from 8.4 to 8.2 or 8.0 ? im just hoping that putting that 8.4 ph into that 8.0 or 8.2 wont harm anything ? anyhow I will test again in a bit thanks

 

[mike007]

No worries. But I would not trust api test kit. Like I said before don't get caught up on chasing ph.

 

[81Shaun]

okay thanks just didnt want to kill my fish with ph fluctuation. im doing a fowlr setup in a nano tank. what brand kit would you reccomend?

 

[gemini9]

Also curious. I have an api master kit lol

 

[mike007]

I don't use test kits for ph since I have a Apex which monitors my ph.
There are lots of good kits Redsea ,Salfiert,Elos just to name a few.

 

[81Shaun]

thanks might try one those

 

[81Shaun]

also just tested the ph with lights on they been running all day well anyhow my ph reading changed. how comes ? now it is more purplish color but wonder wh having lights on has anything to do with it? sorry again not very good with the chemistry stuff.