Low ph

good_reefer

New member
noticed that my (frag polyps) started closing... I checked my phosphates but they were negligible ... so I went to the aq. store to check my levels ....
everything came back good but my PH was 7.4 (I know we want 8.2)
I bought sea alk and am starting half dosages until we reach 8.2 ...

Ive heard of people using baking soda to raise ph ...(explain???)

im just getting back in ... any help is appreciated ....

I have several soft corals including a cabbage coral,finger,toad stool, frogspawn, cloves and GSP.... and one war coral ... (couldn't fight the urge)

what levels should I check and how often??

thanks
 
What are your Calcium and Alkalinity levels? You will want them in balance at about 400-450 and 8-10. It will help Ph stabilize, but low ph generally is the result of a high CO2 level in the water. Are using a skimmer, as you may want to run a CO2 scrubber to decrease CO2 coming into the tank.
 
The result you got at the LFS probably isn't accurate. pH isn't going to be very stable on the trip to the store. If you have sand and or rock in this tank then I can promise that your pH isn't really that low. At 7.4 rock and sand would start to dissolve and that would effectively buffer the pH back up to at least 7.6 or 7.7.
 
And baking soda is for raising alkalinity. It will have a very minimal and very very temporary lowering effect on pH.
 
thanks disc .. need help with this .. I bought a test ... ill let the dose of sea alk alone a couple hours and check it ...

do you recommend the hannacheckers??? and which multi checker by hanna would you recommend if so ...???
OR... what test kit do you recommend

thanks in advance

Jay
 
thanks disc .. need help with this .. I bought a test ... ill let the dose of sea alk alone a couple hours and check it ...

do you recommend the hannacheckers??? and which multi checker by hanna would you recommend if so ...???
OR... what test kit do you recommend

thanks in advance

Jay

For pH? A probe and a calibrated meter. I don't trust the color changing pH tests any further than I can throw them.
 
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