How low is too Low for pH

Mike1027 · Mar 22, 2018

Hello I have a 90 gallon tank that’s been running for about 10 months now and I have a pH range of 7.9 -8.09. Some of my corals are doing ok (GSP, Xenia and mushrooms) but others seem to be struggling (candy coral, green palm tree and zoanthids ). I checked all my parameters others are good but my cal, mag are a little on the high side. I’ve tried the following to raise the pH but I can get it to 8.3. Keep sump doors open, add air pump to sump, and Open windows on a nice days to let fresh air in the house. I recently got an apex system to monitoring my tank. Before I used to use a Milwaukee pH pen to test the pH and even then I was always @ 8.0-7.9. Should I try and raise my pH or leave as is?
Thanks Mike

tdileo · Mar 22, 2018

I think you’re fine. My pH typically rests around 8.0 for some reason and everything does fine, whether GSP, euphyllia, acros, etc.

Mike1027 · Mar 22, 2018

what could be causing my other to be struggling?

cloak · Mar 22, 2018

Check this out.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/

HTH.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 22, 2018

pH 7.7 and lower warrants action, IMO, because as that point, calcium carbonate skeletons and such can begin to slowly dissolve.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 22, 2018

Mike1027 said:
what could be causing my other to be struggling?

Could be any of the 7,532 other variables in a reef tanks. :D

Seriously, they are not struggling from pH, and not from high calcium or magnesium. Likely something else, and maybe not a chemical thing at all (light, flow, foods, pests, etc.).