Done tons of research and have tried all sorts of things to get my ph down and none of it seems to be working.
Details:
30gal acrylic display w/ 20 gal glass sump
40lbs live sand
roughly 12 lbs live rock(dry)
using Reef crystals for salt
total water volume is roughly 40 gallons
ph has been consistently reading at 9.1 to 9.3, all other params are good, tank is starting to cycle, have a diatom bloom currently.
dkh - 8-10
ammonia - close to 0
nitrate - 16-20
i've added super buffer at the recommended dosage, have also added several times ph down, which works for about 15 minutes and gets the ph to mid 8's, but over the course of an hour, it rises back to 9-9.3. i've done 10 gal, 15 gal, 5 gal and another 10 gal water changes throughout the past couple days, ph drops for an hour or so but rises back up to the 9's by the next day. tested my raw water, shows 7.2, tested the water after i mix the salt and its right on 8-8.2.
Need help. can't figure this one out. was thinking of getting some peat to try and buffer it down, but i don't want to deal with change in water color as well as it staining my sand and rock.
Thanks!
Edit: have 2 other tanks, 1 salt and 1 fresh and both of those have no issues with PH.
Details:
30gal acrylic display w/ 20 gal glass sump
40lbs live sand
roughly 12 lbs live rock(dry)
using Reef crystals for salt
total water volume is roughly 40 gallons
ph has been consistently reading at 9.1 to 9.3, all other params are good, tank is starting to cycle, have a diatom bloom currently.
dkh - 8-10
ammonia - close to 0
nitrate - 16-20
i've added super buffer at the recommended dosage, have also added several times ph down, which works for about 15 minutes and gets the ph to mid 8's, but over the course of an hour, it rises back to 9-9.3. i've done 10 gal, 15 gal, 5 gal and another 10 gal water changes throughout the past couple days, ph drops for an hour or so but rises back up to the 9's by the next day. tested my raw water, shows 7.2, tested the water after i mix the salt and its right on 8-8.2.
Need help. can't figure this one out. was thinking of getting some peat to try and buffer it down, but i don't want to deal with change in water color as well as it staining my sand and rock.
Thanks!
Edit: have 2 other tanks, 1 salt and 1 fresh and both of those have no issues with PH.
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