How do I raise pH

[Booboo33062]

I have tried to raise my pH with Kent marine superbuffer dKH. I tested this morning before doing a w/c and my test results were:

pH--8.0 Nitrate--0 Nitrite--0

Amonia--0.15 Calcium--440 Alkalinity--214.8

Phosphate--0

This was the first time my amonia has been anything except 0 since my beginning cycle was over. Everything else seems to stay the same. I just seem to never get my pH up to 8.1 or 8.2 so I can keep softies.

[Sprayin70]

I use seachem buffer it seems to work well.

[Hendersonracing]

are you adding enough ph buffer use this calculator to make sure??

http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/chemcalc.html

[Nyles]

Do you know what your ph swing is? (I.E. ph 8.0-8.2)

Only reason I ask is I don't think 8.0 is bad if thats the low side of your swing.

as for the buffer, never used it. sorry. I usually use baking soda. It will lower the ph, and more importantly raise your alk to help stabilize your ph problem. revise: to raise the ph its recommended to use wash soda, check the chart posted and its all there.

[Booboo33062]

I couldn't get the page to work. It said it had errors. I already have the calcium, and alkalinity levels I want. I just need to raise my pH from 8.0 to 8.1---8.3. I have noticed that there is some crusting of some of my sand.

[Nyles]

page worked fine.

[Hendersonracing]

how many people use baking soda???? I have heard this alot does it work good/ also how do you do it?

[Nyles]

1 teaspoon per 50 gallons of water will raise the alk 0.4 meq/l or 1.2 dkh

In my 200 gallon I used a few teapoons once when my ph dipped (add slowly, drip in preffered with a 2 gallon ro mix). Since my alk has been normal (added calcium reactor) I have never had to do it again.

[Hendersonracing]

how much will it raise the ph per teaspoon?

[Nyles]

that depends on a veriety of factors, including your tanks size and current chemical balance.

Also I might add that wash soda does the same thing but it will raise the ph instantly.

Use the calculator you posted, it has the details, just drip slow and monitor your ph like a hawk. I personally have never used wash soda.

[Wiskey]

My PH right now is 7.65 to 7.99, and my coral are doing fine.

For me the cause is indoor CO2, if you have allot of pets, big family, have the tank on the bottom floor of the house or apartment it is likely do to the same for you. If I open my doors and windows for a day, my PH jumps to 8.3, but while the house is closed up it runs very low. Try opening your house up for a day, see what your PH is then.

HTH,
Whiskey

[Nyles]

or run your skimmer intake tube outside.

[Nyles]

and hope your neigbors don't burn nasty stinky firewood. Im now reflecting on the past...

[Wiskey]

Originally Posted by Nyles

or run your skimmer intake tube outside.

I did that to get it as high as it is.

Whiskey

[Booboo33062]

What about the sand crusting? What should I do? I have good flow on it now, but in the beginning I didn't.