ways to raise ph in a tank

Ice9Kills

New member
Hello!
So I have about a 2 month old tank atm. when it started my ph would max out at about 8.22 after lights with a low of 8.05 before lights but has been trending down each week to a point where it maxes out at 8.13/.11 but keeping a low of about 8.04. Ive read that this is kinda low and might be due to lack of o2 and too much carbon dioxide in the water. its a new tank all that in there is a clown and a cuc. I added a airstone a few days ago and pointed the power head to get more surface break going but it only gave me about a an extra .05 worth of ph. and I can track the ph slowly dropping each day.
Is there anything else I can do to raise my ph naturally? Im trying to avoid chem dosing since im new to the hobby and dont feel confidant that I can do that yet without harm to my little clown.

Thank!
 
You can run the air intake line from your skimmer outside to boost oxygen. Your home typically has significantly higher carbon dioxide and lower oxygen than outside air. I ran my skimmer air intake tubing through an exterior wall to the outside, sealed it with a bead of silicone, and capped the air tube with a screen to prevent bugs or debris from getting inside.

That's probably the easiest/cheapest/non-additive way to increase the oxygen quality in your tank imo


There's also a reef ph buffer by Seachem you can use without the threat of overdosing. It's a safe and effective product.
 
That range of pH is perfectly fine, I would not worry. Kalkwasser is another option, but you said you didn't want to use any type of chemicals, but you could drip it at night and stabilize your pH swings.
 
The Seachem buffer apparently cannot be over dosed and gives clear instructions on how much to use. Just follow the directions on the bottle and you'll be fine. It may seem intimidating at first, but there's nothing to it.
 
ok. Ill give it a look this week. (gotta knock out them finals first) but I want to make sure I an keep a tank going for about a month after my second clown goes in (hes in the qt for another 13ish days) before I begin exploring coral options. and I read that good ph for corals is 8.1-8.3 so I didnt feel it wise to start that endeavor with slightly off water prams. thanks!
 
I'm with snorvich - leave it alone. I do test mine just to see where it's at (and I actually just bought a used ph monitor - because any test I don't have to run is fine by me! lol) but I NEVER worry about adjusting it. It'll be more of a shock to your system to constantly be fighting with it than it will to just let it be the way it's gonna be. Depending on the salt you use, your WCs will cause a boost in your pH anyway, so I'd leave it.
 
The Seachem buffer apparently cannot be over dosed and gives clear instructions on how much to use

That isn't true. Like any buffer, it should never be used to fix pH problems as the alkalinity will get too high. If you have a low pH problem, using a high pH alkalinity supplement is useful WHEN you need alkalinity.

I agree that the OP range in pH is fine, but more aeration with fresh air and limewater/kalkwasser are the best ways to raise pH.

FWIW, low pH and normal or high alkalinity always means excessive CO2 in the aquarium.

This has more:

Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
 
i run a soda lime reactor on my skimmer intake. i get the 5g airgas buckets and they last about 8 months. without it, ph can drop to 7.6 in the summer and if i have a few people over for a few hours, things get dangerous. with it i get 8.3/8.1 day/night. if your house is well insulated, this might be the way to go to get rid of the long term worry. it can be a little pricey though. i have a digital ph meter on the wall and a co2 air meter to help.
 
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