Raising PH?
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redfishbluefish
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Don’t worry about pH. Just keep alk, calc and mag in line and pH will take care of itself.
I personally use DIY alk, calc and mag using the recipes found HERE. I “cook” my baking soda, which gives me slightly higher pH (sodium carbonate (cooked baking soda), versus sodium bicarbonate (regular baking soda)).
I personally use DIY alk, calc and mag using the recipes found HERE. I “cook” my baking soda, which gives me slightly higher pH (sodium carbonate (cooked baking soda), versus sodium bicarbonate (regular baking soda)).
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Me z
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I just cant keep mine up. Calcium reactor + basement tank = low ph. Mine drops to around 7.7 everynight but my tank does just fine with it. I used to seriously stress out about it and tried finding a way to bring it up. But I quickly learned stable ph keeps stuff happier than fluctuating ph. I just make sure dkh is where it needs to be and stuff stays happy.
Netta Fish
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+1 my corals are happy and ph drops to 7.7 at night i use two part and used to use kalk but hate the mess
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redfishbluefish
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???? If your alk and calc are in line, a CO2 scrubber should be keeping your pH a bit more stable. What are you using to scrub? The common “sponge†is calcium oxide that does need to be replaced frequently. Your pH swings look like a typical house with a CO2 problem (without a scrubber.)
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swannyson7
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+1. Many people have crashed their tanks (As did I, about 10 years ago) trying to chase a magic number for pH.
tomterreefic
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Ph readings are greatly dependent on what time of day you're testing. The photosynthesis process causes Ph to naturally shift throughout the day. Ph is highest @1hr after lights out and lowest @1 hr before lights on. Some folks running a refugium run either a 24hr or a reverse light cycle so that photosynthesis is constantly occurring.
Gas exchange is a big part of Ph balance. Angling a powerhead or return pipe so that is creates ripples on the water surface helps exhaust CO2 from tank and allows O2 to be absorbed in. If rock is stacked to tightly, water doesn't flow between the rocks resulting in oxygen poor dead zones which lowers Ph.
If running a Ca reactor and Ph still low, pipe the reactor effluent upstream of your skimmer. Sometimes a Ca reactor will release excess CO2 into the tank. By running the effluent upstream of the skimmer, the skimmer will blow off the CO2 before it can get into the main tank. Also the skimmer injects tons of O2 into the water which causes the Ph to rise. If no Ph controller, you can also use an electric solenoid for your CO2 and use a timer to turn off CO2 at night to reduce the Ph shift.
If no reactor, I would make sure you clean detritus out of your sump (if running sump). I use a shop vac to clean my sump every 2-3 months. New live rock can have lots of dead algae/bacteria. Decaying matter will lower Ph.
Remove uneaten Nori sheets from the tank each night. A good clean up crew helps get rid of uneaten fish/coral food as well as fish poo. Sea cucumbers naturally help balance Ph as their digestion process produces Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3).
As others have said, I don't test my Ph. I keep my Ca, Alk & Mg in check. My Ca reactor is set upstream of my skimmer. I clean detritus out of my sump every few months.
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Gas exchange is a big part of Ph balance. Angling a powerhead or return pipe so that is creates ripples on the water surface helps exhaust CO2 from tank and allows O2 to be absorbed in. If rock is stacked to tightly, water doesn't flow between the rocks resulting in oxygen poor dead zones which lowers Ph.
If running a Ca reactor and Ph still low, pipe the reactor effluent upstream of your skimmer. Sometimes a Ca reactor will release excess CO2 into the tank. By running the effluent upstream of the skimmer, the skimmer will blow off the CO2 before it can get into the main tank. Also the skimmer injects tons of O2 into the water which causes the Ph to rise. If no Ph controller, you can also use an electric solenoid for your CO2 and use a timer to turn off CO2 at night to reduce the Ph shift.
If no reactor, I would make sure you clean detritus out of your sump (if running sump). I use a shop vac to clean my sump every 2-3 months. New live rock can have lots of dead algae/bacteria. Decaying matter will lower Ph.
Remove uneaten Nori sheets from the tank each night. A good clean up crew helps get rid of uneaten fish/coral food as well as fish poo. Sea cucumbers naturally help balance Ph as their digestion process produces Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3).
As others have said, I don't test my Ph. I keep my Ca, Alk & Mg in check. My Ca reactor is set upstream of my skimmer. I clean detritus out of my sump every few months.
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
Reefltx
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My pH never pass 7.9 and will dip as low as 7.6 without a scrubber. I am using soda lime and buy the media in a 5g bucket, this last me a very long time. My alk & cal are in line and stable, maintained via doser pumps and I test at least twice a week.
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