[sandoval]

what should your PH level be at ? my PH is at 8.0 right now. is that good or bad my PH level has always been between 8.2 and 8.4. how do i get it back around 8.2 if that is supposed to be the right level where its supposed to be ?

[scubadude]

Hi sandoval
Your ok...getting a tad bit on the high side but not dangerous. Have you checked your calcium and alk levels? Do you drip Kalkwater?

[#99]

8.0 is good depending on the time of day.Ph fluctuates depending on the time of day and if the lights are on or off.8.0 low end to 8.4 high end.just a note,the ocean is 8.4 durring its peak time of around noon.
Matt

[sandoval]

i tested my PH level in the early morning. i dont drip kalk water. last time i checked my calcium was at 450. what can i do to get it back to 8.2. would a water change to get le4vel right again where i want it

[Reefland]

I would guess that if you tested it later in the day (after the lights have been on for several hours) you would see that the pH is higher. pH flucuates, lower at night and higher during the day. This occurs due to photosythesis occuring in the tank during the day. 8.0 in early morning is perfectly fine.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by sandoval

what should your PH level be at ? my PH is at 8.0 right now. is that good or bad my PH level has always been between 8.2 and 8.4. how do i get it back around 8.2 if that is supposed to be the right level where its supposed to be ?

There is nothing wrong with your pH. It runs in a daily range. It will measure the lowest just before the lights come on in the morning and the highest late in the afternoon after the lights have been on all day. It would be nice if it stayed between 8.1 - 8.3 all the time but that's not the way it is in most tanks. You don't have a pH problem unless your pH falls below 7.9 or rises above 8.5. You don't have a serious problem unless it falls below 7.8 or rises above 8.6.

[GaryZ]

Since, as I understand it, pH is an idication of water quality, I don't understand what the time of day has to with it. Mind giving an explaination, in laymans terms?

Originally Posted by Reefland

This occurs due to photosythesis occuring in the tank during the day. 8.0 in early morning is perfectly fine.

Nevermind....

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by GaryZ

Since, as I understand it, pH is an idication of water quality...

Not exactly.

Here's the official definition of pH:

pH, term indicating the hydrogen ion (positively charged hydrogen atom) concentration of a solution, a measure of the solution’s acidity. Hydrogen ions are usually represented by the symbol H+. The term (from French pouvoir hydrogène, “hydrogen power”) is defined as the negative logarithm of the concentration of H+ ions: pH = -log10[H+], where [H+] is the concentration of H+ ions in moles per liter.

In more simple terms, it's a measure of the acidity of the water. At night, when your coral's zooxanthellae are in respiration mode they are net consumers of oxygen and net producers of carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide lowers the acidity of the water because it immediately forms carbonic acid. During the daytime when the zooxanthellae are photosynthesizing, they are net consumers of carbon dioxide and net producers of oxygen, thus raising the pH by consuming CO2 and producing O2.

[GaryZ]

Interesting. I just seem to remember someone telling me that using Windex on your tank would pollute the water and affect your pH. I had no idea it was more about carbon dioxide and oxygen. Thanks.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by GaryZ

Interesting. I just seem to remember someone telling me that using Windex on your tank would pollute the water and affect your pH. I had no idea it was more about carbon dioxide and oxygen. Thanks.

Windex will destroy the finish of an acrylic tank. It will also kill your tank's inhabitants if it gets into the water. Windex is not a good idea on any aquarium, glass or acrylic.

[sandoval]

thank you for telling me this information. i guess that could be a reason why some of my snails died because sometimes i spray windex to clean te glass on my tank.

[My2heartboys]

Originally Posted by sandoval

thank you for telling me this information. i guess that could be a reason why some of my snails died because sometimes i spray windex to clean te glass on my tank.

OK, best bet is to not use Windex. It has ammonia in it and that will kill stuff in your tank.

Now with all of that said--I do use Windex-BUT--I use the wipes on the outside of the aquarium only. With the wipes-you do not have ammonia mist floating into the air to land in your tank.

BTW-be sure to wash hands between using Windex and sticking your hands in the tank.

Anne

[ibjmg]

here is a link on water parameters

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/g...al_pagesid=352