tyh Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 is it possible to raise the ph of my tank by doing a 20% water change? 7 gal nano HOB filter 18w 10k and 13w acts mainly softies and LPS Link to comment
Toyfreek Posted March 9, 2003 Share Posted March 9, 2003 I wouldn't even begin to guess the correct formula for your particular situation, but....yes It is possible and even probable. most salt mixes mix at about 8.3 at about .024-5 SG 77' 78'F however, I would think that two or three smaller changes over a short period of time (say, 4 days) would be much easier on your inhabbitants and achieve the same result. My initial question is why is your ph so low? Are you running a Co2 reactor? Do you have a top on your tank? What are your tank perams......etc.? Thnx, Toy Link to comment
tyh Posted March 9, 2003 Author Share Posted March 9, 2003 no there isn't a top on my tank... parameters are fine... just over the past 6 months the pH was silently dropping.. Link to comment
sjpresley Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Water changes probably won't help much. The pH change is a symptom, you need to find the cause and the pH will go back to the low 8's. My first guess is that you have increasing biological activity (which is typical as tanks age) and there has been a concomitant lowering in the oxygen availability in the tank resulting in a build up of CO2 as photosynthetic organisms use CO2 during photosynthesis, producing O2...but then during respiration (at night) O2 is consumed and CO2 produced. This would be fine if it weren't for all the animals in your tank using O2 and producing CO2 as well. Try increasing aeration. If you only surface aggitation is the HOB, and the water really isn't falling far in the return, and your tank is covered, O2 availability may be low. Link to comment
Mnesarchus Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Toyfreek! Haven't seen you around here for ages. Yes, my pH changes a lot when doing a 10% waterchange. I now adjust the pH of the replacement water several hours before adding it to my tank. HTH Link to comment
tinyreef Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 now there's a board member i haven't seen in a while. toy, where'd the heck did you drop off to? tyh, as you already seem to know, wc's are the safest method to raise pH. i also agree with the others' assessments that you need to discover why the pH is dropping to really address the problem. now that is assuming you're already doing regular wc's or alk dosing. if not, then it is the natural tendency for pH (buffer depletion) to head south so it may not be unusual in the sense that the pH drop is something mysterious. (i.e. rotting clump of fish poo and flake food caught somewhere :x or a dead decomposing coco worm : ) Link to comment
Toyfreek Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Hi Guys, Between school and work I have only had time to be a part time lurker. I am on spring break for 10 days, so I am taking it easy and checking out the boards a little. TC, Toy Link to comment
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