I used to have marine sand in my tank and my PH was always perfect but since I switched to black tahitian moon sand I have been having trouble with very low PH. Just wondering if anyone else has experience this issue. I tried increasing auto water change schedule, increase aeration, cut back feedings and PH still very low 6 to 6.4. I probable need to vaccum more often. I put 25lbs of crushed coral in my sump hoping it will serve as a buffer but it may not have any impact on 600 gallon system. Let me know your thoughts.....thanks!
Anyone eperience low PH when using tahitian moon sand?
- Thread starter gavigan1
- Start date
The "marine sand" was buffering your ph, so in a sense switching to TMS lowered your ph but not because of any chemical composition in the TMS... you simply removed your buffer.
I do remember reading somewhere that TMS is inert. My tap water PH is very high (7.8 if not more). Anyone else with large fish have difficulty with low PH and any ideas how to remedy. I am doing 10-15% water changes and tank has a large bio load but not overstocked. I have a few peices of slate/ rocks and 2 peices of driftwood. Feeding every other 2-3 days. I am hoping the crushed coral will be enough to serve as a buffer. thanks
I am going to bump this thread in hope for some additional advice. My PH continues to drop very low around 6.5. despite adding 25lbs of crushed coral to my sump. auto water change removes about 20 gallons twice a day. I am running a Ultima 1000 (after filter socks and sump) and back wash maybe 1 to 2 times a month. I am wondering if it is holding rotting debris and that is driving down PH? I have a ocean clear canister with a few pounds of carbon? I have 2 pieces of drift wood and several pieces of slate not much considering the system is 600 gallons. I am feeding 4 x week no left over food. I dont think the tank is over stocked? I doing light gravel cleaning 1 a month and it doesnt appear to be holding alot of debris. I have 4 8in buble disks for areation. I am usng a bean animal style overflow so not much water/air exchange in the sump. Turnover about 7 x hour. Wondering if anyone with large fish have PH issues.
Worrying about pH will turn you from a rational aquarist into a mad chemist who swings tank parameters daily, which is way more damaging than a steady pH that's "wrong."
Anyway, if you're really worried about it, test your hardness (esp. kH) and post that.
Anyway, if you're really worried about it, test your hardness (esp. kH) and post that.
6.5 is not a bad pH to be at. Some people would be very happy with pH there. I know your tap is 7.8 out of tap, but if you age the water 24hrs what is the pH?
I dont have KH test kit. I was concerned w the PH cause several of my fish had become symptamatic and my ph getting down to 6. My ultima was holding alot of old waste due to insufficient backwashing maybe that was it? I backwashed it everyday for the last 3 days , added salt, and a little baking soda to stabalize and my ph seems to be holding at 7 .