Battling low ph. What to do?

[Jayguerra909]

Hey guys. So ive tried the last 2 days leaving amm my windows open and still no change. Only thing I can think of is a c02 scrubber but rrad its very expensive to run constantly media wise. I found why ive most likely had the even worse ph drop over my all ready normal low ph. My alk took a big drop after adding 4 big colonies of gonis which I knew to monitor and it looks like they all had a delayed alkalinity absorption. I sit at 8.4 dkh on average and im down to 7.7 dkh. Even at 8.4 dkh my ph at noght was 7.8 and during the day 8 to 8.1 max. Should I maybe consider making my dkh 9 dkh as the new normal? Will that even help my ph out.(read alkalinity and ph play together)

 

[JAMBR231]

Try running a fan to circulate the air around the tank. I wouldn’t be to concerned with ph close to 8 and keeping your alk close to 8-8.5. Keep the alk steady and don’t adjust too quickly.

 

[Jayguerra909]

Try running a fan to circulate the air around the tank. I wouldn’t be to concerned with ph close to 8 and keeping your alk close to 8-8.5. Keep the alk steady and don’t adjust too quickly.

Thanks. If thats the case I'll try to slowly get back to 8.5 range and see where my ph is at at that time and try using a fan.

 

[BryanM]

You didn't really note where your PH was and where it is now.

Anything from 7.8-8.4 is fine. If you're in that range I wouldn't change anything.

 

[Peer.Boerner]

I plumbed outside air through a co2 scrubbber and into my skimmers airline. The outside air has lower co2 making the co2 media last longer. But from I see, your pH looks great. Yes, 8.3 seems to be better, but before I was carbon dosing, my pH too would hit a high of 8.4. Now my pH max is 8.1. Interestingly, my coral looks better now likely due to bacteria availability and slightly lower NO3 and PO4. Is it growing faster? Who knows? But I’m in no rush to change.

 

[Reds_Reef]

If you're dosing for ALK anyways, you can look into something like Brightwell's Alkalin8.3 (Topic Marin makes one too)

It will raise your DKH while also holding your PH at a steady 8.3. Works great, just be sure to start slow and raise the DKH over time. I overdosed it and burned a few corals that are still recovering.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you're dosing for ALK anyways, you can look into something like Brightwell's Alkalin8.3 (Topic Marin makes one too)

It will raise your DKH while also holding your PH at a steady 8.3. Works great, just be sure to start slow and raise the DKH over time. I overdosed it and burned a few corals that are still recovering.

That is a false marketing claim. Don’t believe it. It is just a mix of bicarbonate and carbonate that will not keep pH at any particular level. pH in a reef tank is determined mathematically by the alkalinity and the CO2 level. High home CO2 will drive down pH.

It also is not the best alk additive to raise pH. Hydroxide wins that contest, with a pure carbonate additive second best.