gibs Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Hey guys finally getting my 16g nano tank cycled. PH has been about 8.1 steady the past week finally got all my nitrites down yesterday so I went and bought my CUC today, about 6 hermit crabs and 6 snails. After acclimating them earlier today and putting them in and watching my apex controller the ph has dropped to 7.86! Should I be worried? I have been using seachems reef builder to buffer the PH and did a water change before adding the CUC using premixed saltwater from aquatek. Any ideas what I should do? I am thinking I should just relax and not freak till tomorrow morning but what do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 The short answer is no; although that is a pretty good drop. IMO, pH is not something one should worry about excessively. If you are swinging from 8.1 to 7.8 every day, that would be an issue. If it stays 7.8-7.9, it's ok. Stability is the key. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Forgot to mention. I would not dose in a tank that small. Water changes, on a regular basis, should take care of any issues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bry Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) Don't know if this will help, but check out: http://www.advanceda...02/11/chemistry particularly look at the section for Zone 3. Also, within that article, they refer to this: http://www.advanceda...002/6/chemistry Since you are just breaking in the tank I assume the Apex is newly set up too. If so, do you have another way to test pH in case the Apex is simply needing the probe reset? I also agree that 7.89 is not something to worry about; but maybe measure again 2 - 3 hours after lights out or look at the Apex graph the next morning. -Bryan Edited July 2, 2012 by Bry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Also, did you check the pH level of the pre-mix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Don't know if this will help, but check out: http://www.advanceda...02/11/chemistry particularly look at the section for Zone 3. Also, within that article, they refer to this: http://www.advanceda...002/6/chemistry Since you are just breaking in the tank I assume the Apex is newly set up too. If so, do you have another way to test pH in case the Apex is simply needing the probe reset? I also agree that 7.89 is not something to worry about; but maybe measure again 2 - 3 hours after lights out or look at the Apex graph the next morning. -Bryan I am have been doing a normal chemical test to make sure that the apex is giving accurate readings and it was right on this morning. Haven't retested with my red sea test kit yet was going to wait till morning to see if it stabilizes. It has been extremely stable since I have started cycling the tank going between 8.0 and 8.1 max (usually more like 8.08 to 8.11) Never seen it go below 8.0 and thought the PH was supposed to stay above 8 thats why I am freaking a little. The short answer is no; although that is a pretty good drop. IMO, pH is not something one should worry about excessively. If you are swinging from 8.1 to 7.8 every day, that would be an issue. If it stays 7.8-7.9, it's ok. Stability is the key. Robb and Bryan thank you both I know that sometimes PH will dip a little then come back but it just freaked me a little when it has been so stable then I finally get to put some life in the tank and it starts dropping lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Yes I did check the premix with my red sea test kit it is at 8.1 so it should be fine? Also, did you check the pH level of the pre-mix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerrickH Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 On a tank this small, there is going to be swings due to the low volume. Good luck getting it stable. Would get on a very strict routine of dripping at super slow rate, or like Rob says, lots of water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 On a tank this small, there is going to be swings due to the low volume. Good luck getting it stable. Would get on a very strict routine of dripping at super slow rate, or like Rob says, lots of water changes. I guess that is my problem it has been extremely stable usually only moving a few .01 in the whole day but as soon as I put my CUC in in dropped and I don't know why! It is stabilized at 7.86 and hasn't moved the whole day and I tested with my chemical tests to confirm. I guess now my question is should I do another 3g water change? Just leave it as long as it doesn't keep dropping? Should I do something else to increase the ph? I don't think this is going to bother my snails and crabs much as they have been gorging themselves on the algae that is on my live rock since I put them in and have been moving all over the place. I can already see a dramatic change in my live rock where they have eaten the brown algae, but I want to put some corals in here in the next week and from what I have read the PH really needs to be in the 8.2 area? Temps are rock steady at 78.9 and doesn't really move much and alkalinity is at 2.0. Anything else I should be checking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerrickH Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Would do a very small water change and bring it up slowly. Or you could dose some baking soda at a tiny amount and bring the ph up slowly. Either way your still ok. Mine has been as low as 7.5 and everything was fine. Its the "shock" aka quick changes that really hurt stuff. My skimmer acted up last week and my SG dropped from 1.025 to 1.020 in a matter of 6 hrs. I have a slimer thats not doing so well now. I have since raised my SG up to 1.024 over a course of a few days and the slimer is still not happy. Nothing good happens in the deep blue fast, and when something does happen fast, its not a good thing. Even taking a coral from "nasty" water to pristene water is enough shock to kill them. They dont deal well with change at a fast rate, regardless of the thing your changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibs Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Thanks for the advice! I will do a small dose tonight with a water change and see what happens. Yeah I know it needs to go slowly so I will thanks again to all who responded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerrickH Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 YGPM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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