PH

[andyg1960]

Dont chase pH. Your pH is fine where it is

 

[Charterreefer]

I hope I’m posting in the correct area. I’m struggling to get my PH up as close 8.3 as possible. I’m dosing every few days with reef builder. I just done a water change, and my PH is 8.14. My PH ranges between 7.9-8.15. Any ideas on how to get it closer to 8.3?

If your trying to correct pH with chemicals you're going down a slippery slope! Try getting rid of any excess CO2 by aeration, scrubbing your skimmer air or increasing water flow. You're only looking for trouble by upsetting your chemistry with chemicals. Every system is happy at a certain pH. What you have is a good range. Stability is more important. Chasing numbers can cause a wipeout!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I hope I’m posting in the correct area. I’m struggling to get my PH up as close 8.3 as possible. I’m dosing every few days with reef builder. I just done a water change, and my PH is 8.14. My PH ranges between 7.9-8.15. Any ideas on how to get it closer to 8.3?

I don’t disagree with others that your pH is fine, but I do disagree that chasing the pH up will likely lead to problems. That’s no more true than saying if you drive to the store you will be killed in a car crash. If you know what you are doing, there are many safe and effective ways to raise pH.

All involve reducing the CO2 in the water. Fresher air in your home or to a skimmer inlet (using outside or scrubbed air) are often effective. So can be using hydroxide as an alk supplement when you need alk (you would want to dose slowly if you use a lot).

 

[Jmarbeach]

I hope I’m posting in the correct area. I’m struggling to get my PH up as close 8.3 as possible. I’m dosing every few days with reef builder. I just done a water change, and my PH is 8.14. My PH ranges between 7.9-8.15. Any ideas on how to get it closer to 8.3?

The most commonly known method is to introduce outside air to the skimmer, which very can increase PH by .1. I introduced bubbles into my system via Bubble Magus skimmer pump with short pipe runs to direct the bubbles where I wanted them (supplied with outside air as well). I ran this for about 8 hours a day via my Neptune Apex controller. This can increase PH another .1. Keep in mind I am up in the Great White North (Canada), where house is pretty sealed tight for winter months.