Rant about PH and Salt Issues

Elira_6301 · Feb 4, 2025

I have been unable to get a stable PH since I started this nearly 2 months ago. I had semi-stable when using Instant Ocean. My parameters were always around the same when doing a water change. I recently read about "GO-TO Salt brands" here on R2R and decided to switch to Fritz RPM (blue). It's been nothing but trouble for me. My parameters are all over the place. My PH drops dramatically. Nitrites climb, Phosphate climbs, Alkalinity climbs. I'm irritated. Help!

JayM · Feb 4, 2025

I'd love to help, but that's the same salt I use and I have not experienced any of those issues. Not due to the salt anyway.

Elira_6301 · Feb 4, 2025

JayM said:
I'd love to help, but that's the same salt I use and I have not experienced any of those issues. Not due to the salt anyway.

Its only when I do a water change and it only started when I switched salt brands. *sigh*.

How do I raise my ph and get it stable? I've read baking soda, I've used a buffer. It gets tiresome.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 4, 2025

pH has essentially nothing to do with the salt mix, except the alkalinity in it.

No reason to measure nitrite, unless the goal is to eliminate interference in nitrate testing.

Elira_6301 · Feb 4, 2025

Can you mix a reagent too long and get a poor result?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 4, 2025

beehave6301 said:
How do I raise my ph and get it stable? I've read baking soda, I've used a buffer. It gets tiresome.

Never the right plan. Using the buffer is probably why alk is rising. I'd stop worrying about pH at the moment. it's a very secondary concern if you have reasonable aeration.