how to raise saltwater ph?

Question

I have a 37 gallon saltwater reef tank. It's been up for a little Liover a year now it alwasy seems to be low. the RO water I use has a 7.0 ph and I either add the instant ocean which will bring the ph to 8.3 or if I'm just topping off, I will buffer with the "reef builder" which I know can raise alk. Corals and fish look GREAT!!!!!

~BUT~
I have noticed that my corals are NOT multiplying. like my zoas are popping new polyps like other peoples tanks,


tank stats:
water volume: 32gallons
LIVE rock: 65 lbs
live sand 45lbs
Temps 77-80
salinity 1.024/1.025
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 10
ph 7.5
phosphates 0
calcium 440
mag: 1330
alk 9

Running one 175 watt 14k halide, 4 22watt t5's, a coralife superskimmer 125 and ALOT of powerhead flow! I am pushing about 1000gph and that is turning my entire tank volume over 35x an hour. Just recently added all that flow.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Crushed coral gravel and any other calciferous objects (limestone and shells) will raise your pH (but may mess with your calcium levels). Just slowly add them in and watch all your stats to make sure nothing goes wrong...

Nosoop4u

Answer 2

For my 36 gallon reef i use a product by seachem which is just a marine buffer. Since i started using it i never have any issues with pH. I just add it with every water change as though i am dosing the entire tank(not just for the ammount of water being replaced) My water out of my RO is like 6.8 or even lower sometimes and since i started using this buffer my pH stays at 8.3 and my dKh is always around 10-11. If you want faster coral growth switch to a 10K bulb. Its not as pretty as the blue from a 14K or 20K but much faster coral growth from the 10K bulbs.
I also have a 250W metal halide with the 2 actinics plus LED moon lights. So that may be more of a reason my corals are growing faster. I actually switched to a 20k bulb so slow them down.
I have also noticed that if you frag out pieces of the zoa's that they tend to reproduse much quicker. Almost seems like a defense mechanisim of zoanthids. If you take cuttings they feel vulnerable so they will spawn more to try to stay alive.

Answer 3

i dont have any corals and only a ten gallon tank with 2 clownfish, one anenome and a feather duster, 3 snails, and 4 hermit crabs, about 14 lbs live rock, 20lbs live sand and i use sea chem reef buffer.
it will not raise it up too high if you use a little bit too much.

i actually havent had to touch my ph for the last month or two. its a 8.4 even with 7.0 RO water topp offs every few days

and i havent had to change my water any in like 2 months.

ammonia 0 nitrates 0 nitries 0

ph 8.4

salt -1.022

i did have to add some stuff the bring up my Kh though for my anneomne.