Low PH

[Steveg229]

So, for the last 2 years I thought my ph was low..around 7.4 - 7.6. I was using an api test kit. I assumed maybe it was bad regent and never thought anything of it because tank is and has been doing great. I got my Apex hooked up today :) and after calibrating the ph probe, it says the ph is at 7.46. What would cause my ph to always be this low? Do I need to raise it? I am a little confused to say the least....

90 Gallon tank- 20 gallon water changes every 2 weeks

Temp 78.9
Salinity 1.025
Calcium 500
Alk 10
Magnesium 1300

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Co2?
They are just numbers, if nothing is wrong i would not change it.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

What are trates and phates? Dirty substrate.

 

[Steveg229]

undetectable....have always been this way?? I run gfo and carbon in a reactor. would dirty substrate make ph low?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

No.... i don't believe so. I think you would see alot of other issues.
Flow is the biggest. Low flow can cause co2 to build causing the pH to drop.

 

[Steveg229]

I have 2 jebao rw-8's now, so flow is def not an issue. I will recheck params to confirm....maybe raise alk? Should i start dosing kalkwasser?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I would not raise alk off 10.

 

[Steveg229]

Retested
Cal 500
Alk 11
Mag 1300
Ph 7.6

I did 20 gallon water change this morning and tested after couple hours.

 

[JohnVH]

+1 mariobrothersleeve
I would not raise the ALK your level is already fine. Natural sea water has a PH of 7.5-8.4 so your PH is not far off of the mark. Just as mariobrothersleeve mentioned that if there does not seem to be an obvious problem I would not over think it. Also PH levels change from one part of the day to the other (are you seeing any kind of swing in the level at a different time of day or night.) Sometimes just opening a window for a while can help with the PH by removing some of the CO2 from the room. You can even put some plants in the room if you don't already have some to help absorb some of the CO2 in the area.