Ph levels and maintaining

[Bremenguppie]

So I was doing a little research and I'm curious how others do it and if this idea actually works. So if your ph levels get to low or to high you can always do a water change to try and correct it. There are some sites that suggest using baking soda if you need to raise your ph and vinegar if you need to lower your levels. Has anyone used this method and does it work.

 

[ScottF83]

So I was doing a little research and I'm curious how others do it and if this idea actually works. So if your ph levels get to low or to high you can always do a water change to try and correct it. There are some sites that suggest using baking soda if you need to raise your ph and vinegar if you need to lower your levels. Has anyone used this method and does it work.

Chemically it works because soda is alkaline and vinegar is acidic, so yes they'll raise and lower pH respectively.

A water change will also average out a pH like putting cold water into a hot bath and averaging out as warm.

All that said, large corrections to ph can be very dangerous to the life in your tank, so it's best to aim for stability in the first place

E.g. Fuge light on at night, good aeration, kalkwasser, etc

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[AlSimmons]

I wouldn't worry too much about the pH. Keeping the Magnesium, Calcium & Alkalinity within limits is probably your best bet. The pH should fall in line. GL.

 

[Bremenguppie]

I use to run a sump underneath w filter sock, skimmer and everything. I've since changed to using just a canister filter because of the mess I always had from splashing etc. It seems to do a decent job. But I'm thinking of adding a skimmer. Do you guys find skimmers to be pretty helpful in keeping the junk out

 

[AlSimmons]

I like skimmers, not mechanical filters though. IME there's a place and a time for this. (once you stir things up before a water change)

 

[ScottF83]

I use to run a sump underneath w filter sock, skimmer and everything. I've since changed to using just a canister filter because of the mess I always had from splashing etc. It seems to do a decent job. But I'm thinking of adding a skimmer. Do you guys find skimmers to be pretty helpful in keeping the junk out

Judging by the crap currently in my skimmer Cup, yes they're a good idea haha

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[Bremenguppie]

Lol well I would say once I'm back to putting fish in it. I better get a skimmer

 

[billdogg]

First things first. DO NOT chase any specific pH. The pH of your tank will vary greatly by time of day, time of year, then number of people in the house, etc, etc, etc.

1. Time of day. When the lights are on, photosynthesis occurs. This will release 02 and thereby decrease the amount of CO2 in the tank. This will increase the pH. Conversely, after the lights go out, the CO2 level in the tank will rise, causing the pH to drop.

2. Time of year. Especially in the northern states where homes tend to get closed off from the outside, the concentration of CO2 in the inside air will increase. This will cause an overall lowering of pH.

3. Number of people in the house. Same deal. Increased use of 02 by all the breathers who then exhale CO2 will cause a decrease in pH as well.

The bottom line: If you try to chase pH by adding buffer to increase or decrease the pH all you will end up doing is overdosing your tank and you will end up with the Calcium and Alkalinity levels all out of whack.

Leave it be, it will be just fine. I, for one, have not tested my pH in 25 years or so. I learned the hard way back in the day and ended up with way worse issues than any that would have occurred by having my pH a little to high or low.

HTH!

And yes to skimmer - they are a great tool to have. Not absolutely needed in smaller tanks, but nice to have nonetheless.

As to the canister - They too can be useful but unless you clean it very often can end up creating more problems than they are worth. I ran my 60 cube for 22 years using a canister, and dual biowheel HOB. I was able to keep anything other than Acropora sp. without too much problem. Cleaning out the canister got really old however!

 

[on the spot]

Ph levels and maintaining...
So I was doing a little research and I'm curious how others do it...

Is this just hypothetical, or are you trying to fix something?

My small reef tank is "maintained" with a calcium reactor. Couldn't actually tell you the PH of the tank.

The big tank is currently just fish. This gets regular water changes.

As for the gear, skimmers are useful tools. I've not been convinced a hang on the tank skimmer is worth the expense, mess, and eyesore compared to just changing more water.

Canister filters can be good tools too. I'd rather use them occasionally just run carbon, maybe GFO, or during cleaning to catch the stuff that gets stirred up.

So your tank is drilled? or were you using a hang on type overflow?
Sumps shouldn't be messy. noise and splashing are natures way of telling you something needs correcting.

 

[Bremenguppie]

No its not drilled. On my 30 gallon tank I use to have a 10 gallon sump w a hang up overflow that went down to the sump and ran through everything and pumped back up into main tank. It was splashing all over the walls etc. And just made a mess. I have since switched to a 75 gallon and use a canister filter system instead. I had a bad ick break out and lost all my fish. So my tank is sitting empty other than crabs and snails for 72 days. I have increased my testing supplies to include being able to test nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, phosphate. I have a ph meter and was curious on ways guys regulate the ph. I am thinking of adding a skimmer just to help clean out what the filter system doesnt catch just to try and help keep things cleaned out of the water a little better

 

[hkgar]

Ph is the big brat in your tank (and every bodies). It does what it wants and ther is only 1 thing your can do about it. That one thing is to remove CO2 and you may get about a .2 boost in PH. Other than that there is NOTHING you can do about it.

If it is, as an example, 7.7 you can add buffer and get it to 8.0 but tomorrow it will be 7.8 add more buffer back to 8 then next day down to 7.8.

DO NOT even test or check it. Just let it do what it wants.

 

[nereefpat]

I wouldn't worry too much about the pH. Keeping the Magnesium, Calcium & Alkalinity within limits is probably your best bet. The pH should fall in line. GL.

Yes!

First things first. DO NOT chase any specific pH. The pH of your tank will vary greatly by time of day, time of year, then number of people in the house, etc, etc, etc.

1. Time of day. When the lights are on, photosynthesis occurs. This will release 02 and thereby decrease the amount of CO2 in the tank. This will increase the pH. Conversely, after the lights go out, the CO2 level in the tank will rise, causing the pH to drop.

2. Time of year. Especially in the northern states where homes tend to get closed off from the outside, the concentration of CO2 in the inside air will increase. This will cause an overall lowering of pH.

3. Number of people in the house. Same deal. Increased use of 02 by all the breathers who then exhale CO2 will cause a decrease in pH as well.

The bottom line: If you try to chase pH by adding buffer to increase or decrease the pH all you will end up doing is overdosing your tank and you will end up with the Calcium and Alkalinity levels all out of whack.

Leave it be, it will be just fine. I, for one, have not tested my pH in 25 years or so. I learned the hard way back in the day and ended up with way worse issues than any that would have occurred by having my pH a little to high or low.

Yes!

Ph is the big brat in your tank (and every bodies). It does what it wants and ther is only 1 thing your can do about it. That one thing is to remove CO2 and you may get about a .2 boost in PH. Other than that there is NOTHING you can do about it.

If it is, as an example, 7.7 you can add buffer and get it to 8.0 but tomorrow it will be 7.8 add more buffer back to 8 then next day down to 7.8.

DO NOT even test or check it. Just let it do what it wants.

Yes!


...and also... baking soda (temporarily) lowers pH, instead of raising it.

 

[Bremenguppie]

Okay so it sounds like it best just to not worry about ph and just make sure I keep all my other levels in check.

 

[Daddi0]

The only time I tested PH was when I began to use Kalkwasser. I tested for about a month to see the effects and have not tested for it in the last year. My PH is about 8.5 (I think) and it is what it is.
Cheers! Mark

 

[hkgar]

Okay so it sounds like it best just to not worry about ph and just make sure I keep all my other levels in check.

Yup, that's it. Leave the brat alone.