Are you supposed to kepp dosing your pH or should it just stabalize eventually?

It seems like every 4 days or so my pH is going back down to 8.0 and starts to go down past that. It's a very slow drop but it is dropping ever so slowly and I am forced to dose it so it goes back up, is this normal?

 

well im pretty sure its not normal.. are your other parameters ok?

try doing a water change rather than dosing chemicals.

 

What is your alk and where do you want it to be. Other things effect PH.

 

I had an issue very similar recently. I added a sand sifter (Diamond Goby) to a tank that hadn't really had one in a long time. The stirring of the sand more than likely caused sodium hydroxide (which can build up in non stirred substrate) to be introduced into the water (an acid, therefore lowering the pH). pH fluctuation is due in big part to your water loosing its buffering capabilities (I used Reef Buffer by Seachem when I was going through my issue, along with water changes)....have you checked your other perams to see where things like ammonia and alk are (these will have an effect on your pH as well)? After reading a lot about pH and saltwater, and realizing it was due to it loosing its buffering abilities...i used the product and did water changes. It took about a week for things to stabilize, but I am good now and have been for a few weeks.

Temp fluctuations can also cause your pH to go a little crazy...make sure you are maintaing your temp throughout the day.

+1 to the mayor on water changes....I would do one every other day to see if that helps stabilize it.

 

+1,definitely check your alk,adding buffer to raise ph can result in a very high alkilinity.