So...my Ph Just went way down....

[henryhahn]

When doing my tests, I noticed my pH dropped from 8.4 last week to 7.8 today. Normally, my numbers are pretty constant, and I was wondering if it were cause for concern?

Parameters 12/12/16:
pH - 8.4
Amonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 5ppm
Calcium - 420
KH - 11dKH

Parameters 12/19/16
pH- 7.8
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate- 10ppm (Developed way over 5min because I was retesting the pH that was bugging me out)
Calcium - 440
KH - 12dKH

I did a 10% water change yesterday

 

[TheEngineer]

Did you test your pH at the same time of day for both tests? There is a natural cycle for pH.

 

[henryhahn]

Did you test your pH at the same time of day for both tests? There is a natural cycle for pH.

Ahhh....Thank God - No, I have no idea when the last test was taken. I just thought it was a huge fluctuation

 

[redfishbluefish]

Also, what are you using to measure pH? I'm going to throw out there "testing error" as another possibility.

Either way, 7.8 is just fine.

 

[henryhahn]

Also, what are you using to measure pH? I'm going to throw out there "testing error" as another possibility.

Either way, 7.8 is just fine.

I use the api kit.

 

[lou dog420]

Do yourself a favor, stop testing the ph, its not necessary. Keep your other parameters in line and ph will be fine.

 

[seastar]

The fluctuations as mentioned above can be very normal depending on the time of day that you tested. Also, this will sound silly - have you had additional friends/family in town recently? All of that breathing increases the c02 in a house which in turn drives down ph.

 

[henryhahn]

The fluctuations as mentioned above can be very normal depending on the time of day that you tested. Also, this will sound silly - have you had additional friends/family in town recently? All of that breathing increases the c02 in a house which in turn drives down ph.

No, but that is insane!

 

[FugeTown]

I live in a basement and have low oxygen level / high carbon dioxide level which caused my ph to drop too low every day! It was sooo frustrating until I ran an airline tube from my protein skimmer to outside and my ph hasn't dropped from 8.2 since and it's been two years, thank god cause I was spending money on ph up additives which was expensive. If you live in a warm climate opening a window will do the same thing too.

 

[seastar]

I live in a basement and have low oxygen level / high carbon dioxide level which caused my ph to drop too low every day! It was sooo frustrating until I ran an airline tube from my protein skimmer to outside and my ph hasn't dropped from 8.2 since and it's been two years, thank god cause I was spending money on ph up additives which was expensive. If you live in a warm climate opening a window will do the same thing too.

My tank is in my work from home office so I was mostly to blame for my unstable ph. I did the same thing and ran a line outside and now it's stable in the 8.2's. (Unless I have family in town, then it drops a bit - all in safe ranges though)

 

[FugeTown]

My tank is in my work from home office so I was mostly to blame for my unstable ph. I did the same thing and ran a line outside and now it's stable in the 8.2's. (Unless I have family in town, then it drops a bit - all in safe ranges though)

It's crazy how that one simple modification stabilizes the PH
Gotta love science

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Gotta love science

Can't disagree with that.