So i have had my 90g for right about 3 weeks now. My water parametes have been stable and my tank's pH was holding steady at 8.4. Then 3 days ago I saw it go up to 8.6/8.8 Well I let it be thinking it was a fluke.I tested it yesterday and it came up 7.8. Thats a crazy swing. Any ideas why this would be happening?
pH swing
- Thread starter TMartinez
- Start date
I know tier is a drop in PH at night...but dont know if it's a drastic drop or a drop that you don't have to worry about. Are you using any addictives to drop/raise PH?
I use seachem as it keep sit at 8.3 even if you accidentally over dose. Also are you using RO water? As pure RO water is at like 6.4....something like that.
I use seachem as it keep sit at 8.3 even if you accidentally over dose. Also are you using RO water? As pure RO water is at like 6.4....something like that.
I buy premixed RODI from my LFS. I used prob 20-25g of it to fill the tank ( i have the rest from when I bought it from the guy)and it stayed level. Its been level for about 3 weeks, I haven't added anything to the tank to balance pH as I have always been told that a stable tank with a pH that was too high or low was better than a tank that swings. The odd thing is it went up and then down all withing a matter of days...
i would test again with other test kit to verify results, those sorts of jumps in ph if correct ,are normally caused by outside influences ie to much calcium hydroxide or to much co2 from a reactor to lower ph.the day /night ph swing imo would not be that great
If your using more than 1 water source for your weekly water changes then you may experience fluxuations like you are experiencing. I've always considered my water source the governing factor in PH stability. I use tapwater @ 8.0 PH - the Alk in the Salt, the leach from the LR and Agronite bring it up to 8.4. If you introduce water into the tank from a different lower or higher PH source you may loose stability. At this piont I could write for an hour against the use of R/O DI water but I'll spare ya.
I buy my water from the same place everytime. The only thing I can think of is I keep it in a container with a lid on it. Perhaps the lack of oxygen lowers it but then i'm only topping off the tank, so how would it make it drop like that?
I store saltwater in moving situation (whether it's a circulating pump, powerhead or airstone). Sitting water will drop in pH. If you add a low pH water to a high pH system, you'll upset the balence. The reaction in the tank will cause the temp spike then drop you saw.
so topping off about 3 or 4 gals of water would drop it that much? damn... How should I keep it then? is tore the water in what is essential a 5g milk jug. Same shape and stuff but not actually milk jug (just for clarification)
I wouldn't store it at all if you don't have to. I'd do the change the day you get the water. If you can't, a big sterlite type container from Target or Home Depot works well. Fill that, and put an airstone or powerhead in it. That way it's moving all the time.