Low pH and nightly swings

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#1
My tank's pH has continually remained low at 8.07-8.09 during the day and drops down to 7.95-7.93 at night. I have the sump reverse lit at night but it still doesn't keep the pH up. I thought that perhaps the tank wasn't being aerated enough and have considered routing the skimmer air inlet tube out through the wall into my drafty garage. Alk has always been on the high side and Ca stays around 450-470 using only two-part and occasional small doses of kalk in the top-off water.

Tank is a 54g open top with a small 7 gallon sump/macro fuge. 50 lbs of LR, 40 lbs LS, 2 clams, and a variety of small fish. So far I don't have any coral in this tank.
Parameters-
SG 1.026
CA 470
dKH 13.4
MG 1260
NO3 0
PO4 .05

Any suggestions for bringing up the pH and maintaining it without throwing off my other parameters?
 
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#2
Have you tried aerating your water sample before testing the pH? This will tell you if in fact the reason it is low is due to excessive CO2 in the house.
 
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#3
I tried to aerate a sample outside and there was very little change. I am thinking about changing my pH probe which is a year old.
 
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#6
Ken, I've kinda stopped paying too much attention to my pH levels in my 30G tank anymore as long as it doesn't get too high or low. None of my livestock seems to have suffered and everything seems to be doing really well. I used to obsessed over the pH swings.
 
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#7
Maybe if you raise your PH to 8.3 or so, it won't swing as much........................I try & keep mine up in that range, although it's swing from 8.25-8.4..........................Which brings to mind.............Are you using anything else to buffer??? What type of substrate??? CC is a pain as far as detrius & vacumning, but I've found it keeps my ph in that desireable zone...........

Just a though...........
 
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#8
Maybe if you raise your PH to 8.3 or so, it won't swing as much........................I try & keep mine up in that range, although it's swing from 8.25-8.4..........................Which brings to mind.............Are you using anything else to buffer??? What type of substrate??? CC is a pain as far as detrius & vacumning, but I've found it keeps my ph in that desireable zone...........

Just a though...........
I haven't used anything to buffer. My substrate is a medium-fine aragonite sand bed. I've always preferred a sandbed myself.
 

Danger731

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#9
bigger sump w more plants , 54 gal lites vs 7 gal lites. Its like diggin a hole with a spoon.
 

Lagger

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#10
Ken, I've kinda stopped paying too much attention to my pH levels in my 30G tank anymore as long as it doesn't get too high or low. None of my livestock seems to have suffered and everything seems to be doing really well. I used to obsessed over the pH swings.

+1. Unless you notice a drastic change in your corals/tank, why bother worrying?

Ken, seems like you're doing everything right, any adverse affects? You could always try boron. Either borate based buffers or Seachem Reef Salt :rofl:
 

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