Question about increasing pH?

[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.