Should i listen to LFS about PH?

Hi, i have a fish only salt water tank with two small clowns in a 20 gallon tank, my PH keeps dropping to 7.8 - 7.9 on a daily basis, after googling the level, it seems clown fish can be ok from 7.8 ph, LFS suggested its best to use marine buffer everyday and keep it around 8.3, i would think a lower but stable PH would be better, but im new, is LFS right should i buffer it everyday and have it jump between 7.8 and 8.3? fish seem fish and all levels are golden
thanks

 

I don't think a LFS has ever given me good advice in the 40+ years I've ever kept aquariums. The one I use now is owned by a marine biologist, and they still give terrible advice.

A stable pH is always better than a chemically altered pH that jumps around (that said, I noticed after coming in via "unanswered threads" that you're asking about a reef tank- I have never kept saltwater fish, so hopefully someone who has will chime in).

 

I do not know anything about saltwater at all. But I never rely on anything anybody tells me. I always get my information from at least two sources. And I consider the reliability of the source. As a further check, it has to make sense to me.

As I have been learning about water parameters, I have developed the understanding that pH is not as big a deal as people make it out to be and a certain amount of fluctuation is normal. KH is more important. pH is often used as an easier proxy for KH.

Saltwater is a whole different kettle of fish... so to speak. Not sure how salt fits into the KH equation.

I would be curious about why daily buffering is required. What kind of buffering? Why is the buffering being consumed? Is that a reef thing? If it is being consumed, then why does it go down and then stabilize?

If I were you, I would want to understand these dynamics.

So a really long way of saying; I have no idea. One of my talents is using a lot of words to say nothing..... Maybe I have a future in politics....

[edit] Wait actually I can answer the question "should I listen to LFS?" The answer is no. Never take anybody's word for anything. Listen to everybody. Respect everybody's opinion. Weigh conflicting opinions. Consider the evidence and logic of conflicting opinions. Then decide for yourself.

 

I'll be honest, I have NEVER tested pH in either of my marine tanks in over 3 years and never had a pH related problem. I do a small water change on a weekly basis and it takes care of itself. I agree that it's much better to keep it balanced than to chase numbers in many cases as that often leads to more problems. Each tank is different in how it functions. I tend to run my tank dirtier (ie nitrates in the 10-20 range) because my LPS Corals get cranky when the water gets too clean.

 

i guess because any lower than that would be bad for the clownfish i worried, they seem content, are eating like pigs if given the chance, they are next to my computer desk and they constantly swim at the front of the tank wanting me to feed them lol, i do a weekly water change of 10-20% and try to make sure all the food i put in gets eaten, i really love my little tank

 

i guess because any lower than that would be bad for the clownfish i worried, they seem content, are eating like pigs if given the chance, they are next to my computer desk and they constantly swim at the front of the tank wanting me to feed them lol, i do a weekly water change of 10-20% and try to make sure all the food i put in gets eaten, i really love my little tank

Again I know nothing about saltwater, but one thing I do know for sure is that if your fish are healthy, hungry, and active, you're probably doing it right. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

pH "buffers" only raise alkalinity (dKH). Adding buffer to raise pH won't help permanently, and you will end up with too high of alk. Fish store is wrong in this case, and your pH is fine where it is.

 

You're probably fine with the lower pH.

To share a similar example: I have a 10 gallon SW tank with 1 clown & 1 shrimp. Shortly before adding them in early May, my pH dropped from 8.3 to 8.0 over a few days. I added a small dose of Seachem Marine Buffer in RO top-off water to bring it back up. Two days later, added another dose. Haven't had any pH changes since. So Marine Buffer might be worth getting, but I think the pH would have stabilized like yours if I left it alone.

 

thanks everyone, ive decided to just add a little buffer with water changes as i get instability then

 

thanks everyone, ive decided to just add a little buffer with water changes as i get instability then

Only of alk tests low. Typically makeup water is actually high in alkalinity

 

Do you have a sump? Also do you have a skimmer. As stated above chemicals will not help with lower pH. Temporary fix but then alk will jump. Couple of things I read are pH is low with low oxygen. If you have askimmer attach an air line to the air intake and run it outside. Open a door to get fresh air in. Aim to get more surface agitation to get more o2 in your water.

 

Hi,
I agree with all of the above regarding stability over chasing a perfect number.
7.8 - 7.9 isn't bad for fish only, but would be considered too low for most corals.

What is your water source? e.g. RO, RODI
What fresh water do you use for top ups? e.g. RO, RODI
The type of water you use for top ups could influence pH.

Are you using a salt mix or seawater?
What's your SG/salinity?

There is a relationship between salinity and pH, as well as alkalinity and calcium. Generally speaking, the lower the salinity, the lower the pH will be as there are less minerals in the water. Different salt mixes also mix to different levels at the same salinity. E.g. reef crystals at 1.026 will be higher pH, alkalinity and calcium than the standard Instant Ocean salt mix at 1.026.

What do you have as a substrate?
Many SW keepers will use an aragonite based sand as it helps to buffer the water over the long term. Additionally, some live rock types can be beneficial in buffering pH too.

But, as mentioned above, if everything is going well, I wouldn't change a thing, especially with SW where things can go downhill real quick if you're not careful.

 

Consistency is key bro. If ya fish ain't tripping you don't need to.

 

I don't do marine tanks but I can honestly say I only listen to a few guys at one of my LFS stores only because they have multiple tanks at home and actually give decent pointers that I've been given on here. I guess at the end of the day a little research never hurts.