I'll take a quick crack at this mostly because I disagree with disregarding PH levels. First, I believe that low magnesium levels can contribute to a low PH reading, so that is one thing to keep in mind. Also, if you are one of the reefers who loves technology, running Ozone and U.V can also cause a reaction (read oxidation) which can contribute to low PH. Even if you only run one or the other they can have a malfunction (buildup in the quartz sleeve for example) so you may want to unplug it for a few days to see if that helps. A buildup of detritus somewhere in the system can contribute as well. The problem with ignoring PH is that it is usually indicative of a different problem somewhere- but that is just me.
A calcium reactor will also keep your PH a little lower than it otherwise would be due to the use of CO2. From Eric Borneman (yeah, I quote him and Dr. Ron a lot...)
“The studies I have read on this suggest that higher pH is better for coral growth, even if it not natural. I would have to go back and look, but I think 8.6 was the highest calcification rate for the species studied."
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"Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else." -- Frederick Bastiat
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