raising PH past 7.8

[alienspacepirate]

My ph is basically consistently at 7.8 no matter what I do. I've been adding Kent superbuffer daily to my system for the last 4 weeks with no change whatsoever. (2 teaspoons) This last week ive added superbuffer twice daily.

My calcium levels are high past 450ppm. I change out 5 gallons every week. (55 system with sump).

I just don't see anything i'm doing is changing PH. If I leave the system alone the ph would stay the same.. so not sure what this superbuffer is doing but it doesn't seem to raise my ph.

[alienspacepirate]

ps always use RO/DI water. use red sea coral pro salt

[Europhyllia]

what is your alkalinity?

[alienspacepirate]

I don't have a tester which I guess I need to get one. *sigh* got to test everything. lol I also have macroalgae I grow in my sump, I heard that can help. My aeration is very good and as good as it will get in my apartment.

[alienspacepirate]

stupid question but is that also known as carbonite hardness? KH?

[Europhyllia]

the buffer will increase alkalinity along with pH. Since you are dosing it so much you definitely want to check on how high the alkalinity is right now.

[alienspacepirate]

My KH is ~ 10.5 according to my handy-dandy chart my Co2 concentration in mg/l is around 6

[Bill S]

First thing I would do is check your test kit. They've been know to be wrong. Take a sample from your tank and put it into a ziplock WITH NO AIR. Take the sample AND your kit to your LFS. You check your water, and then they check your water. Also check a sample of the store water.

BUY GOOD KITS. Salifert is the only one I buy.

[aquasport24]

I would just leave it as that if nothing is bother by it. My old tank could get as low as 7.6 with no effect to livestock.