At what point should I be worried about pH?

Reefin' Alaska · Oct 24, 2020

My pH is steady 7.6 in the AM 7.85 in PM just after lights off. (Apex probe, Red Sea kit, and Hanna checker.)

Been like this for months. Haven't had much luck raising it. dKH is 8.5. I've tried raising it to 10, and still saw about the same results.

Thanks for lookin!

cshouston · Oct 24, 2020

What methods for raising pH have you tried? The most effective methods I have found for my own tank were adding a CO2 scrubber to the protein skimmer, and opening the window nearest the tank during the day. That combination raised my average pH from 7.8 to 8.2.

NatureHold · Oct 24, 2020

Better surface agitation and a fresh air line ran from outside of your house into the air intake on your skimmer should help. Like CS said, letting some fresh air in the house will help with Co2 exchange as well.

Kfactor · Oct 24, 2020

Can a person run a line outside if it’s winter ?it gets down to -40 we’re i live

Reefin' Alaska · Oct 24, 2020

NatureHold said:
Better surface agitation and a fresh air line ran from outside of your house into the air intake on your skimmer should help. Like CS said, letting some fresh air in the house will help with Co2 exchange as well.

I live in Alaska. It was 9 degrees this morning. Lol.

Think I'm leaning towards a CO2 scrubber. But it's only a 40G tank, I may have to build one. The BRS one I think the tubing is too big for my skimmer.

cshouston · Oct 24, 2020

Kfactor said:
Can a person run a line outside if it’s winter ?it gets down to -40 we’re i live

I wouldn’t. A CO2 scrubber will be more effective in that case.

NatureHold · Oct 24, 2020

I wouldn't think so. CO2 scrubber might be only option. Do your power heads or return line break the surface of the water at all?

I moved one of my mp10s up in the tank specifically for this purpose and my PH gradually rose right into the sweet spot from 7.9-8 up to 8.1-8.3

Reefin' Alaska · Oct 24, 2020

cshouston said:
What methods for raising pH have you tried? The most effective methods I have found for my own tank were adding a CO2 scrubber to the protein skimmer, and opening the window nearest the tank during the day. That combination raised my average pH from 7.8 to 8.2.

Which CO2 scrubber did you use?

I run a small skimmer on my tank, I don't even think a 3/8" tube would fit it, like the one on the BRS scrubber.

Mastiffsrule · Oct 24, 2020

Evening, hope all is well.

Great advice already. Fresh air is always great, but not at negativ temps. Brrrrr.

Co2 scrubbers are great. Surface agitation is my favorite. I think one of the biggest impacts is surface agitation. Just breaking the surface tension along the surface of the entire tank will not only allow for greater gas exchange but help reduce temps if that is an issue.

Another suggestion if you have a sump is to run a reverse photo period. A lamp in the sump will help fight PH drops at night.

Hope that helps. Go Heels.

cshouston · Oct 24, 2020

Kurant said:
Which CO2 scrubber did you use?

I run a small skimmer on my tank, I don't even think a 3/8" tube would fit it, like the one on the BRS scrubber.

Yeah, I’m using the one from BRS. I wonder if you can get an airline adapter to connect the two different sizes of tubing. It’s worth looking into. Also, I can’t believe he said “go heels” to a blue devils fan!

Haha

Reefin' Alaska · Oct 24, 2020

cshouston said:
Yeah, I’m using the one from BRS. I wonder if you can get an airline adapter to connect the two different sizes of tubing. It’s worth looking into. Also, I can’t believe he said “go heels” to a blue devils fan! Haha

I'm ignoring him. Lol

Reefin' Alaska · Oct 24, 2020

Mastiffsrule said:
Hope that helps. Go Heels.

I can't even read it.. This is the only thing I see.

Mastiffsrule · Oct 24, 2020

ca1ore · Oct 24, 2020

FWIW, surface agitation only works if the house air is lower in CO2 than the water. With a closed up room and too many CO2 breathers surface agitation may actually make things worse. Same issue with fresh air line or CO2 scrubber .... might work, might not. You could try adding a kalk reactor to your ATO. Ph 12 add water can help.

Reefin' Alaska · Oct 25, 2020

ca1ore said:
FWIW, surface agitation only works if the house air is lower in CO2 than the water. With a closed up room and too many CO2 breathers surface agitation may actually make things worse. Same issue with fresh air line or CO2 scrubber .... might work, might not. You could try adding a kalk reactor to your ATO. Ph 12 add water can help.

I thought about trying Kalk, but I don't even know where to start. It's all of about 45 gallons of water in my IM 50 EXT. I ordered a CO2 scrubber, and we'll see what happens.

Another thing I was thinking about this afternoon. This house has no forced air. It's in-floor heating in on all levels, AC in the summer on the other 2 floors. Basement stays about 66-70 all summer. So there is no fresh air coming in that way. The house was leak tested after it built, so it's a tight home. Which kalk reactor or method would you suggest?

ca1ore · Oct 25, 2020

Finding a way to ventilate the basement would likely help enormously. I have a fan attached to my apex so that when outside conditions are cooperative, it runs. I’m a fan of the avast kalk reactor.

Reefin' Alaska · Oct 25, 2020

ca1ore said:
Finding a way to ventilate the basement would likely help enormously. I have a fan attached to my apex so that when outside conditions are cooperative, it runs. I’m a fan of the avast kalk reactor.

In the summer no problem. There are windows and a couple doors.

In the winter when it's 0 out. Not so much. Lol.