hiepatitis
In Memoriam
I know this has probably been asked a million times but I was looking at the tank of the month on reefkeeping and I noticed the pH was kept at 7.9-8.1. I always aimed for 8.2. What does you guys keep your pH at?
What pH is everyone aiming for?
- Thread starter hiepatitis
- Start date
I think the key is consistency, although I wouldn't want to go far below 7.7
I shoot for somewhere between 8.2 and 8.4 but like Chris said consistency is the key. I have seen nice tanks anywhere between 7.8 at the low end up to 8.5 at the high end. I personally have had fluctuations (day and night) around .4 and not really noticed but I try to keep it to a little less.
Chris
Chris
REEF-DADDY
New member
I don't aim for anything. I just buffer and keep the tank aerated with high oxygen air
RichConley
New member
I've never checked mine.
) I usualy like it to be 8.3 or 8.4 durring the day. but once again, consistency is key
RokleM
Premium Member
Calcium reactors drop PH. Dosing kalk at the same time will help to raise the PH, but rarely ever to the point where you were before the calcium reactor.
Example: Mine use to be 8.3-8.4, but when I turned my calcium reactor it dropped to 7.9-8 at night and 8-8.1 during the day.
Here's my take on PH. Natural sea water is in the range of 8.0-8.3 depending on what "sea/ocean" you test. Most fall close to 8.2 and that is considered to be the "best/ideal" PH if one could nail it there.
PH for most people will fluctuate with it being low at night and high in the day due to photosynthesis (change in O2/CO2). This can sometimes be counteracted by running a refugium with an opposite light cycle of the display tank.
PH will vary with the amount of O2/CO2 in the tank. It drops with the addition the CO2 in the tank. People who use Calcium Reactors (with injected CO2) will normally have a lower PH because of this. Dripping Limewater/Kalkwater does the opposite and will raise PH. Of course you can only use so much of either of these and you need to watch your levels of Calcium, KH (alk) and PH. Many balance use of the two to try and "nail" the PH at 8.2 or close to it.
Some houses have a higher CO2 concentration then other houses so tanks in these houses will probably be lower then "optimal".
Once you get above a pH of 8.2 you progressively get problematic precipitation of calcium carbonate and drops of alkalinity which causes deposit and clogging of heaters and pump impellers.
Wrap Up:
So idealy you would want to aim for a solid 8.2 if possible. However most people can't achieve this. So IMHO the best it to target 8.2 (no higher) for your "daylight" period and do what ever you can at night (drip limewater) to keep it as high as possible but don't get overly worked up over a "problem" of 7.9-8.0 at "night" because this really isn't a big problem. If you can keep your day/night within 0.20 change then you are fine.
PH for most people will fluctuate with it being low at night and high in the day due to photosynthesis (change in O2/CO2). This can sometimes be counteracted by running a refugium with an opposite light cycle of the display tank.
PH will vary with the amount of O2/CO2 in the tank. It drops with the addition the CO2 in the tank. People who use Calcium Reactors (with injected CO2) will normally have a lower PH because of this. Dripping Limewater/Kalkwater does the opposite and will raise PH. Of course you can only use so much of either of these and you need to watch your levels of Calcium, KH (alk) and PH. Many balance use of the two to try and "nail" the PH at 8.2 or close to it.
Some houses have a higher CO2 concentration then other houses so tanks in these houses will probably be lower then "optimal".
Once you get above a pH of 8.2 you progressively get problematic precipitation of calcium carbonate and drops of alkalinity which causes deposit and clogging of heaters and pump impellers.
Wrap Up:
So idealy you would want to aim for a solid 8.2 if possible. However most people can't achieve this. So IMHO the best it to target 8.2 (no higher) for your "daylight" period and do what ever you can at night (drip limewater) to keep it as high as possible but don't get overly worked up over a "problem" of 7.9-8.0 at "night" because this really isn't a big problem. If you can keep your day/night within 0.20 change then you are fine.
