PH question

[newhere]

I am wondering how everyone controls their ph. What type of chemicals and how often you use them. I’m using Kent Marine ph buffer almost every day, but I can't get ph any higher than 7.8.

[Cyclone123]

I heard that the sand and salt helps keep the ph up. But I use Seachem pH buffer it keeps it steady a 8.3

Hope this helps.

[chocolateblnt]

I use Seachem Reef Buffer that is suppose to maintain if dosed alone at no more than 8.3 however with coinciding chemicals my actual pH ranges at 8.3-8.6 ... if you cannot get your pH above 7.8 there is something battling against it or not supporting it at proper levels ... perhaps another chemical out of whack or deficiency such as calcium & alkalinity. Check both and get back to us buddy! Also let us know if you're dosing calcium?!

Here is a direct question asked on Seachem's Website:

Q:The pH in my reef is low, what could be causing it?
A: The pK of the bicarbonate buffer in seawater is influenced by the calcium & magnesium content. With higher calcium levels, the buffer pK is shifted to a lower range; with high magnesium levels, the buffer pK is shifted to a higher range. Another factor to consider is that certain commercially available salt mixes contain too little carbonate and/or borate buffering and to much bicarbonate; this results in a shift to a lower buffering pK and an inability to buffer above 8.0. Additionally, certain organic acids being sold for the reef aquaria, can cause a constant battle with low pH.

[markandkristen]

i was using cheap kits to check my calcium when i used the seachem it showed mine low. when i added bionic two part it raised my ph today to 8.1 so i am going to try that for a while. i used the buffer as well and it would raise but never sustain. my hagen test kit would always say calcium is 400 but highly inaccurate. calcium and alkilinity work together. just athought

my ph would stay 7.8-7.9 constantly. i would get so mad when people said thier levels were 8.3 as well . i tried everything. so i am trying this now

[Shrimp_Killer]

EDIT - - - NM - read that wrong

[flameangel88]

PH in my tank is constantly around 8.0 and even adding Seachem buffer I still can't get above 8.1 and I've tested with both Aq PH and Seachem test kit. Calcium flutuate from 380-420 and haven't tested magnesium yet. I was dosing buffer everyday to bring it up and it just won't come up and now I'm adding buffer every 2-3 days.

[chocolateblnt]

Flame are you using seachem's marine buffer or reef buffer?

If you have some time read this ...
http://seachem.com/support/Articles/Art_Science.html

[flameangel88]

I'm using Seachem Reef Buffer. Thanks for link and I'm off to reading.

[flameangel88]

I've been running wet/dry and ext canister since day 1 but just started protein skimming last thursday. The PH issue been there from the begining before I added fish into the tank. I'm running RO but using Aq Phar Tap Water Filter. I've about 35lbs of LS and 60lbs of LR in the 24g tank and flow is about 1,000 gph.

Amonia and nitrite are both near 0 but nitrate flutuate around 20-40 even with 2 wcs per week of 2.5 g each time. I wonder if the mantis is killing stuff in there that I can't see that's causing the high nitrate. I feed very little of frozen Spriulina Brine Shrimp and alternate next day with Mysis Shrimp.

As for live stock: a clean up crew, 1 pygmy angel, 1 royal gramma, 2 percula clowns amd 1 lawnmower blenny.

[flameangel88]

Need to made a correction but don't see EDIT function here.

I'm not using RO water but using the AqPhar Tap Water Filter.

[chocolateblnt]

Well it's good that you got a skimmer because it'll take out bad stuff before it get's a chance to break down so your nitrates will be lower especially at that flow. Another thing is WC's won't help you with ridding nitrates if your nitrates aren't located in free floating water, that's the skimmer's job. However, you might have impacted nitrates in aerobic areas (less than 3-3.5 inches deep sand) that aren't being taken care of, being broken down, in your sand bed from before; especially with your bio load. I have suggested gravel vaccing to other's who have had an unkown nitrate problem and it's worked for them. If you are unfamiliar with the process it is simply a cylinder with a hose that you stick into your sand bed and suck out junk using gravity as your siphon. You shouldn't gravel vac the entire sand bed at once because you could pull out all the good bacteria, hence it should be done a few times in a few spots at a time to allow for the bacteria to re-populate. Of course along with gravel vaccing comes a WC. I guarantee you will test less nitrates. It's also important to use RO water or some sort of purified water because of the nasty stuff coming out of your faucet. You should have read about this in the article I linked you to.

As far as buffing I use the same buffer as you in conjuction with Seachem's Reef Advantage Calcium ... which is primary over just Seachem's Reef Calcium because it allows for calcium to be made more readily available and your corals don't expend as much energy to suck it up. R.A.C. also helps you maintain pH at 8.3-8.6. I do not use Seachem's Reef Carbonate because I don't have a problem with pH however I suggest you do ... "too little carbonate and/or borate buffering and to much bicarbonate; this results in a shift to a lower buffering pK and an inability to buffer above 8.0."

There is also on pg. 3 or 4 of the article I sent you info about wet/dry's and nitrate's ... read on!

[flameangel88]

I've the following that I spread out using and off course after testing water parameters: Seachem Reef Calcium, Seachem Reef Complete, Seachem Reef Plus, and Seachem Reef Carbonate (this one I haven't added any yet). My interpretation on the wet/dry is that more surface area for the nitrify bacteria the better. Unless I misinterpreted it didn't say it was not good but will go back to read 1 mor time.

Thanks again for you help!