Forgot rule number 1 (PH is jacked)

GO SLOW! I got overly excited on some good deals on coral and in the past 2 weeks, and have added allot. I got a 6 head hammer coral, a new xenia, a tiny blue xenia, a sun coral, and a medium sized leather toadstool. I checked my water yesterday and my ph is down to to 7.8 (hard to tell). It is normally between 8-8.2ish (hard to tell on the color scale, but it is always this). Last PH check on 11-19 it was 8-8.2ish. Checked on Friday 11-26 and it was down to 7.8! I assume the HUGE drop is due to me adding massive amounts of coral like an IDIOT.

What should I do 50% water change, buy a ph buffer? I do weekly water changes (5 Gallons of the 34 gallon total), and a 50% (17 Gallons of 34 total) monthly. Next monthly change is suppose to be next week and I did do a 5 Gallon change on Friday.

I have a korila nano power head pointed towards the surface to aerate the water,so I dodn't think it's that.

As always thanks for saving my butt!
John

PS other tank readings
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Salinity 1.023-1.0234

Another note, It is a solana 34 and up until last week I had the glass top on it, however I broke the glass top and have been running it with an open top since. It doesn't make any sense since running with no top would result in more air getting in??

 

Update: Added a second Korila nano to increase surface agitation. Hopefully this will increase ph at a good rate. Thinking 50% water change is a bad idea since it is such a huge jump from 7.8 to 8.x.

 

Aeration is good but doubt that is the problem.You need to test the Calcium, Magnesium, and the Alkalinty.8)

 

agreed
it may be an Alkalinity issue and thus your PH buffer reserves have been exhausted.

7.8 is not a major issue
I know from reading / researching that many great looking reef tanks do fine on a PH of 7.8

Reef Builder by Seachem, can address both DKH and PH issues ( there are other products I am sure, its just I use Reef Builder so I know about this product)

but you do need to test, to find out if the DKH is the issue, before adding

Steve

 

Tested KH with the API test kit and it was around (140-200) (turned yellow at 9 drops), I also bought Seachem Reef PH buffer and added .75 of a teaspoon. Waiting to test in an hr to see if PH is up.

Thanks!
John

 

9 isnt too bad on the KH. and 7.8 isnt bad on PH. that said I run mine at 10 - 11 KH and 8.0 on the PH. that said, Dont do anythign drastic like a massive water change. the biggest key is small incremental changes. buffer your water to raise the ph a little at a time. make the change over a 48 hour period or so.

OH, and on your API test, do you count the 9 drops when it does the major color shift? blue to the green? or add another drop to make it yellow?