lowering ph

[Masonk238]

I was wondering if 8.4 is too high for pH and do I need to lower it and how would I do that? Thanks!

 

[20gallonreefer000]

8.4 is great

 

[Masonk238]

8.4 is great

Ok thank you and I noticed my nitrates are low(that’s what it seems to the api kit) would adding nitrifying bacteria creat nitrates?

 

[Fish Fan]

Ok thank you and I noticed my nitrates are low(that’s what it seems to the api kit) would adding nitrifying bacteria creat nitrates?

If your tank is runnning and established, it should have all the bacteria it needs, though adding some more wouldn't hurt, unless you seriously overdose it. You can dose ammonia or nitrate, but simply feeding more fish or coral food will result in extra ammonia that's converted into nitrates. Organics like foods also break down to phosphates too.

 

[Reef.]

I was wondering if 8.4 is too high for pH and do I need to lower it and how would I do that? Thanks!

It’s not easy normally to get 8.4 ph, some people struggle to get close to that, so I an a little doubtful that 8.4 is an accurate reading.

Ph is notoriously hard and expensive to get an accurate reading…how are you measuring ph?

 

[GuillTorr25]

Wow even at night? Is this with a refugium! Following along- curious!

 

[Catawba_Valley_Reef]

Ok thank you and I noticed my nitrates are low(that’s what it seems to the api kit) would adding nitrifying bacteria creat nitrates?

I would toss the API nitrate kit and get something better before making any changes based on the API results. Their nitrate kit is notoriously faulty.

Salifert is a good option or a hanna checker .

 

[Miami Reef]

I can guarantee your pH isn’t 8.4.

pH in the home aquarium will never get too high unless you overdose certain alk additives.

 

[CarpetSurfer]

I can guarantee your pH isn’t 8.4.

pH in the home aquarium will never get too high unless you overdose certain alk additives.

My ph hits 8.73 and it could probably go higher if I didn’t do anything but I have to stop the skimmer at some point. I use perfect corals 2 part but the high ph version(sodium hydroxide I believe) alk is stable to within .15-.2dkh swing per day.

Plus the higher the pH the more alk consumption I’ve noticed which in turn raises pH even more since I have to dose more.

 

[Miami Reef]

Plus the higher the pH the more alk consumption I’ve noticed which in turn raises pH even more since I have to dose more.

This is true.

How are you measuring pH? Have you recently recalibrated it? Probes can drift upwards over time.

 

[Miami Reef]

I can guarantee your pH isn’t 8.4.

pH in the home aquarium will never get too high unless you overdose certain alk additives.

I’d like to clarify this.

The pH can definitely get too high in some aquariums, but it almost always requires multiple high pH approaches coming from different angles. Just dosing hydroxide won’t cause very high pH unless the aeration in the aquarium is very weak; protein skimmers (without CO₂ scrubbers) prevents over elevated pH from hydroxide-based additives.