PH Question

Hey guys,

I have a question...

When I do water changes and add water to keep my tank at the proper level. The PH of the water is very low in it does come from my RO Unit and its about a PH of 6... How should I go about adding the water at more the PH level of my Saltwater Tank of around 8.2-8.4?

I dont know if I should PH booster to the RO water to get it to a level that is closer to the tank or if I should just not worrie about it and let the tank deal with it.

The reason I ask is I have done some huge water changes of about 30-40% due to some of my levels being extreamly high and when I added the new RO Water it lowerd my PH down to a level I would like to be higher...

So Im just trying to limit my problems down the road.

Thanks for the help!
Cole

 

IMO you should condition it even if its "fresh RO" idk if im OCD or anything but i always double check specific gravity temperature and PH . i dont have the luxury of my own RO/DI system at my home so i buy it premixed at LFS. I have got jugs that the SG was anywhere to 1.017 to 1.029. sometimes they dont mix it right. if ph is low (like it usually is) i just buffer it.

you can use anykind of buffer you would like. i use marine buffer by seachem. it seems to work great for me.

 

Do you use just a PH only buffer or an Akalinity buffer? I was useing Akalinity type PH buffer and I started to kill my fish because the Akalinity was way way way to high like in the 25 range. Hints the huge water change. So the LFS suggested not useing the Akalinity style buffer and use something called PH Plus. That he said was just a PH buffer only. So I dont know like I said just trying not to Kill anything more...

 

Aerate the water to see if it goes back to 7.0. It should come out of the unit at 7.0

 

Don't use the pH plus it is phosphate based. You shouldn't have any problems from adding top off water unless it is a percentage of your total tank volume of 5% or more.

 

It should come out of my RO Unit at 7.0ph? It has never gotten back to that high. Ill test it all again but never 7.0.... I do have a heater in it and a pump that circulates the water. So im not 100% on that...

 

mine does both.

im stumped. lol maybe someone else will chime in

 

It'll come out at 7, but exposure to carbon dioxide in the air will lower it almost immediately. Expect 6-6.5 when you test it.