7.5 - 7.9 pH in 2 tanks

[immo]

So I have 2 tanks running (same room) a Fusion 15 AIO (has a refugium running in the second chamber 24/7 light currently) and a Deskmate 4.8. Both tanks are running a 7.5 - 7.9 pH, and Alk of 8 (assuming I am doing the Red Sea alkalinity test correctly). I do not currently have a skimmer, and a fresh air line would not be an option. The door is opened regularly in the room, and there's a fan running at all times in the room. I considered using kalkwasser either in my ATO, or on a doser, but I'm unsure if I would end up with my calcium being too high, considering the size of the corals. I do have a reef glass skimmer coming for the deskmate, but don't have any particular plans on putting a skimmer on the Fusion. I have had trouble keeping hermits and shrimp alive in both of these tanks (could pH be the culprit?). What can I do to raise my pH?

 

[Pistondog]

Kalkwasser will also raise alkalinity, so you have to watch that.
If you can, open a window for a couple of hours or day and see if ph goes up. If it does then you know afresh air line will help.

 

[immo]

Kalkwasser will also raise alkalinity, so you have to watch that.
If you can, open a window for a couple of hours or day and see if ph goes up. If it does then you know afresh air line will help.

a fresh air line is not an option

 

[Pistondog]

Id still run the test.
Why is your ph low?
If high co2, then you can try to mitigate that.

 

[immo]

Id still run the test.
Why is your ph low?
If high co2, then you can try to mitigate that.

I'll try it tomorrow, it's supposed to be warm then. I don't think that it's high co2, but I can't really be 100% on that. I tested the ph of some saltwater that I have already made up, and it's 7.6. Coral Pro salt

 

[Garf]

I'll try it tomorrow, it's supposed to be warm then. I don't think that it's high co2, but I can't really be 100% on that. I tested the ph of some saltwater that I have already made up, and it's 7.6. Coral Pro salt

It must be high CO2 or impossibly low alkalinity or test error.

 

[Pistondog]

Most low ph is elevated co2 levels.
I have an air stone in a small tank that has no skimmer for gas exchange.

 

[PotatoPig]

How old are the tanks? Or, more specifically, how long have you been running them?

 

[immo]

what about the premixed water? it's 7.6 in a bucket with a lid on it. I added a limewood airstone to my deskmate earlier to see if it makes a difference in the ph on it. But I'm afraid that even with the airstone, I won't see a massive improvement in pH. I really want to see 8.0+ (I don't mean to chase numbers, but I also want acceptable parameters)

 

[immo]

How old are the tanks? Or, more specifically, how long have you been running them?

The Fusion is at 4 months, and the Deskmate is coming up on 3 months

 

[Garf]

Most low ph is elevated co2 levels.
I have an air stone in a small tank that has no skimmer for gas exchange.

I don’t run a skimmer, just a skimmer pump fed with low C02 air, with kalk admittedly pH still drops when we are all around at weekends.

what about the premixed water? it's 7.6 in a bucket with a lid on it. I added a limewood airstone to my deskmate earlier to see if it makes a difference in the ph on it. But I'm afraid that even with the airstone, I won't see a massive improvement in pH. I really want to see 8.0+ (I don't mean to chase numbers, but I also want acceptable parameters)

try doing it outside, where the CO2 is lower.

 

[immo]

I don’t run a skimmer, just a skimmer pump fed with low C02 air, with kalk admittedly pH still drops when we are all around at weekends.

try doing it outside, where the CO2 is lower.

I will try checking it outside, and when I mix my next batch. I'm not ruling CO2 out, but I have an older house (built in 1972) and my electric bill tells me it's not very air tight.

 

[Garf]

I will try checking it outside, and when I mix my next batch. I'm not ruling CO2 out, but I have an older house (built in 1972) and my electric bill tells me it's not very air tight.

1972 is a new build over here, lol

 

[Pistondog]

I will try checking it outside, and when I mix my next batch. I'm not ruling CO2 out, but I have an older house (built in 1972) and my electric bill tells me it's not very air tight.

Unfortunately, small leaks are not the same as reducing co2 in an environment.
To reduce co2 levels in the house, you need large air exchange, like open windows.

 

[immo]

Unfortunately, small leaks are not the same as reducing co2 in an environment.
To reduce co2 levels in the house, you need large air exchange, like open windows.

I don't disagree with that by any means, but it does however exacerbate the problem of increasing air exchange within the house (electric bill) considering that a fresh air line just simply isn't an option for the location the tanks are in.

 

[Garf]

I don't disagree with that by any means, but it does however exacerbate the problem of increasing air exchange within the house (electric bill) considering that a fresh air line just simply isn't an option for the location the tanks are in.

It’s important for your wallet to ensure your readings are correct. How are you measuring pH? A pen?

 

[immo]

It’s important for your wallet to ensure your readings are correct. How are you measuring pH? A pen?

a pen, and also the red sea test kit appears to be in line with it. the red sea ph test kit arguably has to be the hardest to read color wise in my opinion

 

[Garf]

a pen, and also the red sea test kit appears to be in line with it. the red sea ph test kit arguably has to be the hardest to read color wise in my opinion

If you’ve got some borax you can see how far off your pen is. I’ll find the link if you have got some.

 

[immo]

my wife generally keeps borax in the laundry i'm pretty sure

 

[Garf]

my wife generally keeps borax in the laundry i'm pretty sure

Aquarium Frontiers Biochemistry of Aquaria

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