Can't Get PH to Raise Higher Than 7.8...HELP!

Yes, its at 8.2 b/c you added the buffer. Remember the PH flucuates from night to day and day to night. Your lights dont have a protective cover? You could always use eggcrate to cover the tank to keep the fish from jumping and allowing the tank to breath. I would never cover a tank, but thats just me. As for the WC, how long has it been since you did a WC? Luna

 

the last time I changed the water was about a week ago...should i change it again tommorow or will that make my PH go lower again?...could the PH go down by tommorow that much and that quick? because ive been adding the buffer for a good week and it just showed 8.2 today

 

Have you tested your Alk yet? Are you dosing that buffer without testing for it? If you do a WC, your Alk might go lower and you will be exporting some of the buffer that you just dosed. You need to test for everything that you dose, if not, your just dosing blindly. If your only going to have a fish only tank, you shouldnt worry about most of the elements. Fish are alot more tolerate than corals. As long as you do your weekly/bi-weekly WC, you will be fine. Reef tanks are alot more challenging b/c they require pristine water parameters and consist watch over them. Fish only is the easiest imo. Luna

 

yes i tested teh alk it was about 3.6 meq/l....i think it might have something to do with the salt...i tested the PH of the saltwater that i mixed about an hour ago and it was around 7.4

 

3.6 meg/l is equal to 10.2 which is fine for a FO(fish only). You didnt answer one of my earlier questions. Is your house all closed up? Luna

 

what do u mean is my house closed up?

 

Closed up= no fresh air coming in. I live in Miami and its hot 98% of the time so my house is all closed up due to the fact that my a/c is running to keep my house cool. The a/c recirculates the same air thats in the house, so basiclly, its recirculating C02 that we're breathing out. I had a ph of 7.8-7.9 for the longest until I opened a window(1"-2") and my PH is always around 8.2-8.3 . Luna

 

ohhh i see what ur saying....ummm kinda ya...its kinda cold right now in toronto and the tank is in my room where not much air gets in...plus i have the glass lid over the tank....what should i be doing to help that?..if i take the lid out will they jump out?

 

My pH kept dropping so I took the lid off and it corrected itself pretty rapidly.

 

I've had a tank since 1986 and I only had one fish jump out. I dont understand your fear of them jumping. If I where in your shoes, I would get rid of the lid. If you must have some kind of lid, then just get some eggcrate and cut it to fit the top of your tank.

If you want to know if your air inside your house is good or not, try this experiment. Take a glass of your tank water and place an air pump with a air stone in it for half an hour. Test the ph. Then take the same glass of water and do the same thing outside. Again, test your PH. Tell me what your readings where. Luna