High PH

[DaveMorris1]

Currently I am not dosing anything into my tank. It has been up and running for 3 1/2 weeks with 100+ lbs. of live rock from my old tank. The tank is a 125g. The PH fluctuates between 8.3 and 8.4. According to the controller records it hasn't hit 8.5. What is the best way to drop it a notch or two? Do I need to worry about it? 8.4 too high?

 

[IceMan0124]

Personally I wouldnt do anything to it untill its fully settled, broken in, and your ready for serious stocking, even with all the established rock,its going to need time for everything to settle in, with a new tank I only test the salinity and the temp for the first 2 to 3 months, after the first big algae bloom I try out a small cleanup crew, a handful of hearty snails and few hermits, if they take to the tank well I increase their numbers in installments over a two to 3 week period, after that, and problem algea is under control, and you have a nice amount of new coraline growth, I slowly start to add animals, start with 1 or 2, small hearty fish, they do well, add a few hearty frags, zoos,shrooms,stars etc, if they tanke to the tank well, I just start increasing the stocking. I prefer to let the tank be my test kit, when I fist started, I ruined a thriving healthy tank simply by trying to hit the magic numbers, since then, I've gone with minimal testing, only when problems occur, your ph is kinda high, but your tank is really new, I wouldnt try to alter the chemistry just yet as it hasnt reached its balance point yet, thats my method, and I'm not telling you what to do, thats just worked for me very well, good luck with it

 

[DaveMorris1]

That makes sense to me. Chasing numbers sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. It is nice to have the continuous monitoring, but I find myself looking at the display quite often.

 

[ChrisRD]

IMO your pH is fine and there is no need for correction.

Also, keep in mind that the numbers may not be completely accurate. Before you take the numbers too literally you should calibrate the meter and use another source or two (LFS, test kit, a friend's meter, etc.) as a point (or points) of comparison to verify the accuracy.

 

[DaveMorris1]

I use an Aquadyne Octopus 3000 with a lab grade PH probe. When I set up the tank I calibrated the probe and compared it with a Salifert PH test kit. The two fish I have and the hermits seem to be doing great so I'm not too worried.