PH always at 7.9

[klim]

Hi,

Hope any reefer can advice.

I have been dosing PH buffer 8.3 and baking powder, but after testing my PH using aquapharm, it seem to be always at 7.9

As my tank is 4ftx1.5x1.5, I dose about 7 capful of PH Buffer, tried twice, and it is still at 7.9.

Wondering is there something wrong?

I also used Baking Powder (Armstrong), dose for 3 days consecutively with about 2 tablespoon each time, still the same result.

Please help and advice howcan I achieve 8.3.

Note: Testing is done during off-light (in the morning)

[aStRoBo|]

u can try topping ur water with kalkwasser. It may boost ur PH up. just based on my experience. maybe wrong.

[FuEl]

Long term use of baking powder can lead to water imbalances like magnesium deficiency. Suggest you perform regular water changes till everything returns to normal.

[strat]

What;s your PH levels on your lights are on?

The PH levels during off-lights periods are lower as CO2 is released more than O2.

You can try to have a fuge to with 27/4 lighting to reduce the PH fluctutaion.

[keithtanbb]

I found that using kalkwasser increases the ph...you may like to try it.Tap water is around 8.0 to 8.20, if you run the water thru a filtration like under -sink cannister type, it will be around 7.7 to 7.9. Of course if the ph is high....one alternative is C02.

[yellowtan]

hehe juz a tot... maybe something wrong with yr test kit??

[FuEl]

I found that using kalkwasser increases the ph...you may like to try it.Tap water is around 8.0 to 8.20, if you run the water thru a filtration like under -sink cannister type, it will be around  7.7 to 7.9. Of course if the ph is high....one alternative is C02.

Hmm..I don't think tapwater is so alkaline in Sg is it? I think it's more on the neutral side?

[madmac]

klim, i'm jus wondering if... you find that at 7.9, your LS is suffering, is something happening to your tank thats the cause of this one concern... just that it seems normal to me...you're tested in the early morning, thats perfectly normal.

the pH at 8.3 is the optimum.. it doesn't mean we don't strive to achieve it, its a marker... but I believe there also a level of pH tolerance(7.8 to 8.3???) that your tank inhabitants can take without detrimental effects(I may be wrong here, but that jmo). There a commonly accepted range of parameters that eases our lives in the husbandry aspect... you can choose not to accept it and keep strictly to 8.3, 24/7, (more resources are needed of course).

[Ekia]

Hmm..I don't think tapwater is so alkaline in Sg is it? I think it's more on the neutral side?

The pH of our tapwater is about 7.0. Yup, about neutral.

[hotlemond]

I dun know but i use seachem to raise PH and its not like an immediate result that will let PH stay constant at 8.3/5. it takes some regular dosing.

maybe you wan to observe for some time, and change to a Salifert testkit if you ain't sure about your current one.

Bro Fuel had a point there,

do a partial water change and see how it goes. baking soda dunknow got magnesium or not but it seems you need that for the PH issue.

[Reefbum]

Agreed with bro fuel.Incorrect usage of buffer or baking soda tends to decrease pH rapidly due to imbalance of the water chemistry.Water changes may bring the ions back into balance.

[klim]

Thank you to all the brother out there....I will take ur advice to work on it.

Agreed with bro Macmad, as long as fish got no problem, I will leave PH at 7.9.