Another Question About Ph

Can anyone explain what causes ph to drop? The only way that I can keep my ph at 8.2-8.3 is by adding what tangster recommended( arm & hammer ) and it works for a couple of hours and then goes back to 7.9-8.0. Then I have to wait a couple days so my alk can drop to use A & H again to raise the ph. A & H also raises my alk, and it is usually high already. When using A & H, should it be poured in the morning or night when the lights are off or on?
I just tested my water and here are the results:
ph-8.0
amnonia-0
nitrites-0
nitrates-20ppm
cal---440
dkh---16.0
alk--5.71
mag---1420
phos---0

 

If I recall correctly your ph is lowest in the morning before the lights come on, so I guess you should add it in the morning before the lights come on. I would get a second opinion though.

 

I would rather have a steady 8.0 than bouncing back and forth from 8.3-7.9 but thats just my opinion.

I think we get hung up on the "perfect numbers" sometimes when steady as she goes is a better deal. Thats just my opinion too!;D

 

Hey jim, I think your right about that. Thats why this hobby is referred to as an obession, Always trying to get the perfect numbers. In reality, we're just trying to copy mother nature's perfection.;D

 

You can use 'reverse daylight photosynthesis' with a refugium to help stabilize it. Have the lights of the refugium and overlap for about an hour.. fyi.

 

i use wardleys ph up.thats what i used when my calcium was getting very high.i raised ph and calcium went down.my ph also dropped when i put some uncured rock in my tank.once again i used wardleys ph up and it went up and stayed.

 

PH will always go down after the lights go out and therfore will be lowest in the morning. I don't know about A&H but normally you use a PH up just before the lights go out so there isn't as much of a spike.
Are you using a calcium reactor? If yes the PH in your reactor may be too low. When my reacor is working my PH is always 8.0 - 8.1 and when I turn it off my PH goes to 8.3. I think a stable 8.0 is fine. If I use PH up it never stays for long. Also your DKH looks high, so is mine, but I was told 12 should be a max. This may affect your PH also. Just my observations.

 

Hey baxter, No I dont have a ca reactor. I know that ph, alk, dkh, cal all coinside. I also know about the light effect. Its just frustrating to watch one aspect of doing fine and the other going down hill. It seems that I cant find a middle ground.

 

I use kalkwasser and dose it at night when your pH will tend to drop due to photosynthesis shutting down! As Matt suggested, a refugium with reverse daylight will help some.
Again, I like the dosing with kalkwasser as it has a pH of 12 to keep you pH elevated!

 

my sump lights only go out during the 4 hottest hours of the day