Question about increasing pH?

[<3Oscar]

My pH stays at a regular 8.0 but I would like to increase it so that it stays at a regular 8.2-.3 so that it is closer to actual seawater and hopefully therefore better for my inhabitants. Are there any products on the market that are reccommended for the increase I am looking for and that would stay consistant?

[Cerianthus]

Try raising with pure bicarb (baking Soda: mix it in to new water during wc, not directly into tank) and stablize raised pH by stablizing so called alkalinity (so such term in chemistry) using Kalkwasser extract. Should have alkalinity test kit as well.

[<3Oscar]

Yup I've got test kits for everything except copper at the moment. my Alk is actually higher than normal lately.

[rogersb]

baking soda all by itself will buffer alkalinity and should raise your pH. I would not recommend kalk if you have not done a thorough reading on it. It can spike your pH if you don't know how to mix it properly and how to add it properly.

[Amphiprion]

Baking soda will slightly depress pH, but it will boost alkalinity. The pH of seawater is reasonably variable and what you have is within range of that. In more isolated circumstances, it can be even higher or lower.

[greech]

Baking soda will slightly depress pH, but it will boost alkalinity. The pH of seawater is reasonably variable and what you have is within range of that. In more isolated circumstances, it can be even higher or lower.

^that. Also you may want to test your pH a few times a day to see the actual range. Morning before lights come on, mid day, and shortly after lights out.

[rogersb]

Baking soda will slightly depress pH, but it will boost alkalinity. The pH of seawater is reasonably variable and what you have is within range of that. In more isolated circumstances, it can be even higher or lower.

I meant if he follows the directions for a DIY two part, then adding the baking soda would increase his pH. It didn't really cross my mind that someone would add straight baking soda. I think it's important that a distinction should be made.

[Jstdv8]

do you have alot of surface aggitation? mine went from 7.8 to 8.3 just by taking off my top glass and pointing my powerheads so they get ALOT of ripples.

[mlefessler]

That's an interesting theory, Jst. I think I might pull a little experiment and try that out!

[<3Oscar]

I do have lots of surface agitation. But I haven't tried taking off the glass tops. I think I'll do a sample of water with the baking soda idea when I do my next water change. This way I don't disrupt anything in my tank but can get an idea of the effects.

[Amphiprion]

The lowering effect is exceptionally small--like .02 units or so. Removing the glass tops allows for better exchange of CO2, but that is also somewhat dependent on concentrations in the household. Even in DIY 2 part, the bicarbonate-based version will lower pH. If you use the carbonate-based 2 part (also known as "washing soda"), that will substantially raise pH.

[Jstdv8]

I had really good luck raising my PH by increasing surface aggitiation. I went from 7.6 to 8.3 after I did that. Now I have sump which mixes the water and air more than enough all by itself and not as much surface aggitiation is required.
If you look up a chemist named Randy Holmes-Farley he seems to be the leading contributor to this excact discussion on alot of these boards. I found his article "Low PH: Causes and cures" very helpful.
He offers tests you can perform to determine what might be the matter with your PH.

After reading his peices I'm a firm believer in not using buffers as they are a bandaid for the true problem which is usually easy to fix.
Good luck

[Jstdv8]

That being said I do like to add kalk every now and then when my calcium gets lower than normal. It doesnt seem to spike my PH at all, but I do use it as directed on teh side of the plastic jar it comes in.

[<3Oscar]

i've never used kalk before, but have seen it at the store. I don't want to do anything to severely affect the stability i have now. maybe the .2 isn't a big enough deal to mess with if everything else is stable too?

[Amphiprion]

I missed your original pH. 8.0 is fine and perfectly acceptable. I wouldn't try to do anything unless it drops below 7.8 or so.