Because my system is relatively tiny, I just buy the premixed water from my LFS. They offer it in two salinity levels 1.0219 for fish only and 1.0245 for reef. My question however is with pH. I've tested it a few times and it always comes up at 7.8. I've added pH up from APT twice and it still seems to hover around that number. I read pH should be at 8.2-8.4, correct? Shouldn't the pH of the shop's water be in that range? Is there something on my end that could be causing it to drop?
Store bought water pH
- Thread starter TMartinez
- Start date
TMartinez;4916859; said:
I assume you are testing it when you get it home.
The ph drops from when you pick it up because it is put into sealed containers and is not being oxygenated.
If you are testing it there it is because they are not aerating it enough.
Either way, you should have an airstone and a heater for when you bring it home. Put the water in a container with the airstone and heater(set to the same temp. as your tank.) and let it stabilize before putting it in your tank.
This also demonstrates the reason to keep your tank highly filtered/moving/aerated.
I'm testing the water in the tank. It's been in there for a couple weeks now...
I don't have an airstone but I didn't see anything about getting one fir a salt tank... Should I? I do have a heater, it's a hydor theo 150
I don't have an airstone but I didn't see anything about getting one fir a salt tank... Should I? I do have a heater, it's a hydor theo 150
thebase#1;4917855; said:
The solubility of gas in water is not related to the solubility of solids. Gas dissolves into salt water at rates nearly identical to that of fresh water.
What is the substrate in this tank? It sounds to me like you need more crushed coral or a similar type of substance in your tank. Do you have any live rock? How small a tank are we talking about here and what lives in it?
TMartinez;4918017; said:
If it has been in the tank for a while it quite obviously has to do with your setup and not the stores.
I would not add crushed coral, it is actually a poor buffer compared to sand, but you don't need more sand either.
Gas may dissolve at the same rate in saltwater, but saltwater cannot hold as much oxygen as freshwater. This is why the water needs to be vigorously circulated.
Turn your powerhead upward so it makes the entire surface of your tank ripple and see if that helps.
Buffering capacity of substrates is overrated. As my brother likes to point out, it takes a pH of 6 or lower to actually do any work on calcium carbonate...which you are never going to have in a reef.
That being said its better safe than sorry, and I would recommend aragonite over crushed coral for other reasons as well.
That being said its better safe than sorry, and I would recommend aragonite over crushed coral for other reasons as well.
Well i'm still getting a reading of 7.8. I've added pH up 3 times and all three times it "bounced back" and the I got the API Proper pH 8.2 which is suppose to prevent "bounce back" did the same thing!
I've tried pointing to circulation pump toward the surface for a few days. No difference.
My fish seem fine but i don't want to be slowly killing them. what else can it be?
I've tried pointing to circulation pump toward the surface for a few days. No difference.
My fish seem fine but i don't want to be slowly killing them. what else can it be?
TMartinez;4929109; said:
It must be inadequately filtered as a whole. I hope you didn't try the circulation pump and then put it back. You definitely need to keep the water moving and aerated.