PH in New Tank?

[jellifishi]

Hello!
I currently have a Biocube 32 with aragonite live sand (1 inch) with about 30 pounds of live rock. I seemed to have just "completed" my first cycle. I have some Nassarius snails, Turbo snails, and one hermit crab in the tank. I just did a water change and noticed the PH dropped in the tank. The PH before the water change was within good range. I was reading into C02 scrubbers, but I don't have much room in the back carriages. In my media, I have these in order of how it flows: Protein skimmer, Biocube regular filter pad, Chemi-pure blue in mesh bag, some bio ceramic ring filter in mesh bag, biocube sponge filter, and an ammonia removing pad that is next to the standard sponge. After water goes into this cycle, it pumps back into the tank.

I have read several opinions about adding any assisting liquid/bacteria to the tank and it's about 50/50. Some people think it's best to solve the root of the problem rather than putting in these liquid mixtures to assist the tank. I have NITE OUT II by Microbe-Lift and Dr. Tim's One and Only, but these were purchased for "emergencies" with ammonia and high nitrites. What do you do to stabilize the PH in your tank?

 

[Doctorgori]

can you run a length of silicone hose from the skimmer intake to a window?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have read several opinions about adding any assisting liquid/bacteria to the tank and it's about 50/50. Some people think it's best to solve the root of the problem rather than putting in these liquid mixtures to assist the tank. I have NITE OUT II by Microbe-Lift and Dr. Tim's One and Only, but these were purchased for "emergencies" with ammonia and high nitrites. What do you do to stabilize the PH in your tank?

Can you clarify what you are talking about that is 50/50?

What liquids or bacteria for what purpose?

pH in seawater is an exact science that should not require trying to evaluate opinions.

What pH are you measuring?

 

[jellifishi]

Can you clarify what you are talking about that is 50/50?

What liquids or bacteria for what purpose?

pH in seawater is an exact science that should not require trying to evaluate opinions.

What pH are you measuring?

People's opinions are half and half (50). Some say not to add anything to the tank for the PH and let it do the work on its own.
I am trying to measure the PH from the Saltwater API kit.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

People's opinions are half and half (50). Some say not to add anything to the tank for the PH and let it do the work on its own.
I am trying to measure the PH from the Saltwater API kit.

Add what? There is no chemical that can raise pH without adding alkalinity, no matter what anyone says. It’s not a matter of opinion. It’s a simple fact.

When you need alkalinity, you can choose to add a high or very high pH alk additive, but that’s it.

There are many things you can do to raise pH if you want, but they aren’t adding chemicals or bacteria.

 

[jellifishi]

can you run a length of silicone hose from the skimmer intake to a window?

Is this in addition to already having activated carbon in the tank?

 

[jellifishi]

Add what? There is no chemical that can raise pH without adding alkalinity, no matter what anyone says. It’s not a matter of opinion. It’s a simple fact.

When you need alkalinity, you can choose to add a high or very high pH alk additive, but that’s it.

There are many things you can do to raise pH if you want, but they aren’t adding chemicals or bacteria.

Thank you for your input. What can I do to raise it? Without the chemicals or bacteria, I mean.

 

[KC2020]

Since just completed cycling the tank there is no benefit from adding more bacteria, yet. Without any additional livestock, fish or corals, in the tank and just a minimal clean up crew there likely wouldn't be any food source for more bacteria unless you feeding the hermit crab a LOT of food. And the existing bacteria in the tank will proliferate as you add more livestock.

Without actual pH values to work with, before and after water change, we can't even discern if you need to worry about pH.

And FWIW, an API test kit for pH may not be accurate.

Randy's reference article on raising low pH is here.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is this in addition to already having activated carbon in the tank?

FWIW, GAC (activated carbon) will not have a significant impact on pH

I discuss ways to raise and lower pH here:

pH and the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION

by Randy Holmes-Farley For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This article will Read more here...

www.reefedition.com

 

[Doctorgori]

Is this in addition to already having activated carbon in the tank?

The skimmer intake from the window is to draw in air with LOWER CO2. …. pardon the caps, I wanted to make sure you know the “bad guy” here for most pH woes is elevated INDOOR CO2 …..
I’m gonna stop here as it may be out of scope of my ability to explain but in short you might want to correct pH as a dissolved gas problem and not with a liquid/dry chemical additive …. RHF has like a zillion threads and articles that explain better and in more detail