Chasing the Ph???

DarthSimon · Aug 25, 2018

So Question for Randy or crew...

I have been posted about my pH issues before. Using a Co2 scrubber I achieve pH range of 8.0 to 8.2 give or take. Without the scrubber I run about 7.8 to 8.0. Would you or wouldn't you use the Co2 scrubber at this point??? I recently upgraded my over all water volume in my tank, and run about 240 total gallons of water in system. I also upgraded to a giant Reef Octo 300SS skimmer which is pulling a ton of air through skimmer, virtually crushing the media in turning in purple with 2-3 days...

So what are your thoughts?? Keep the ph up or just go without??

Thanks in Advance!!

Crabs McJones · Aug 25, 2018

DarthSimon said:
So Question for Randy or crew...

I have been posted about my pH issues before. Using a Co2 scrubber I achieve pH range of 8.0 to 8.2 give or take. Without the scrubber I run about 7.8 to 8.0. Would you or wouldn't you use the Co2 scrubber at this point??? I recently upgraded my over all water volume in my tank, and run about 240 total gallons of water in system. I also upgraded to a giant Reef Octo 300SS skimmer which is pulling a ton of air through skimmer, virtually crushing the media in turning in purple with 2-3 days...

So what are your thoughts?? Keep the ph up or just go without??

Thanks in Advance!!

Instead of a scrubber, could you attach an airline to the air intake of your skimmer and run it outside somehow? Free fresh air

I would run a trial, run it out a window temporarily and see how much of a ph boost you get, and if it's a significant difference, a more permanent install could follow

GoVols · Aug 25, 2018

You know, I'm with Crabs.

And a ph of 7.8 is not all that bad.

Crabs McJones · Aug 25, 2018

GoVols said:
You know, I'm with Crabs.

And a ph of 7.8 is not all that bad.

Nope

most tanks sit around 7.8 to 8.2 so you're within the norm

saltyfilmfolks · Aug 25, 2018

I haven’t tested this year. It’s a lot less stress.

I mean, I could get an ekg every day but...

Crabs McJones · Aug 25, 2018

saltyfilmfolks said:
I haven’t tested this year. It’s a lot less stress.

I mean, I could get an ekg every day but...

Stability>chasing numbers

WV Reefer · Aug 25, 2018

DarthSimon said:
So Question for Randy or crew...

I have been posted about my pH issues before. Using a Co2 scrubber I achieve pH range of 8.0 to 8.2 give or take. Without the scrubber I run about 7.8 to 8.0. Would you or wouldn't you use the Co2 scrubber at this point??? I recently upgraded my over all water volume in my tank, and run about 240 total gallons of water in system. I also upgraded to a giant Reef Octo 300SS skimmer which is pulling a ton of air through skimmer, virtually crushing the media in turning in purple with 2-3 days...

So what are your thoughts?? Keep the ph up or just go without??

Thanks in Advance!!

i vote for not chasing ph......it will only break your heart.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 25, 2018

DarthSimon said:
So Question for Randy or crew...

I have been posted about my pH issues before. Using a Co2 scrubber I achieve pH range of 8.0 to 8.2 give or take. Without the scrubber I run about 7.8 to 8.0. Would you or wouldn't you use the Co2 scrubber at this point??? I recently upgraded my over all water volume in my tank, and run about 240 total gallons of water in system. I also upgraded to a giant Reef Octo 300SS skimmer which is pulling a ton of air through skimmer, virtually crushing the media in turning in purple with 2-3 days...

So what are your thoughts?? Keep the ph up or just go without??

Thanks in Advance!!

If cost was a significant concern for you, I would not use it.
If faster hard coral growth is a significant goal, I would use it.

I'm not sure what else you have tried, but some other options will be much less expensive (outside air, limewater, macroalgae is reverse lit refugium).

DarthSimon · Aug 25, 2018

Randy,
You have helped me in past with this issue. My sump used to be in my living room under my tank. High Co2 levels in that room... I ran all my filtration down to the basement and have a control room now. I installed a turf scrubber about 2 months ago that does a great job on nutrients. I can try and run another air line outside. Corals will grow better at 8.3 compared to 7.8?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 25, 2018

DarthSimon said:
Corals will grow better at 8.3 compared to 7.8?

Yes, that seems to be the scientific consensus, but they generally still grow at pH 7.8.

DarthSimon · Jun 5, 2019

I bring up my thread from last year, and find this ironic. BRS just did a study on higher ph, and found a 32% difference in weight growth after a time period.

smartwater101 · Jun 6, 2019

I've been slowly increasing my alk along with my pH to get more coral growth. Running the tube outside did nothing for me (I keep windows open almost year round so I wasnt expecting much difference anyway)

In the end I went with a scrubber (two chambers) and not only has it gone up, it's made the up and down swings much tighter. I'm definitely a fan.

People throw around the line "dont chase pH" but that's a pretty broad statement and could be applied to a number of different parameters. As long as you're taking your time and able to keep it stable (and isnt weighing down on you're wallet) it's not a "chase" and there is little issue with shooting for a higher number.

That said: if growth isnt the goal, it will be of little value to you.

blasterman · Jun 6, 2019

I've been reefing for 30+ years and have migrated to small tanks from larger tanks because I don't have the room anymore. pH, in my humble opinion, is the biggest problem right now with reefing, and far more problematic in smaller tanks than bigger ones. A bigger issue is we've been brain washed to test for it rather than fix it so the industry can sell worthless test kits that do little other than give a rough measurement of H+ concentration levels. Or, baking soda in a bottle of water at 1,000% markup. It's far, far more complex than that. Ask our dying coral reefs.
I blast my small tanks with airstones at night on a lamp timer *and* dose kalk directly in my tanks at night, and it's the only way I can keep healthy coraline growth and fat polyp extension like my bigger tanks. If I stop dosing my tanks suffer within days while my water params appear unaffected, and this is with my condo having windows open 24/7. So, I don't chase pH either, and that's because I'm constantly attacking c02 / carbonic acid. Thought about a scrubber, but I don't have the room.

hart24601 · Jun 6, 2019

smartwater101 said:
I've been slowly increasing my alk along with my pH to get more coral growth. Running the tube outside did nothing for me (I keep windows open almost year round so I wasnt expecting much difference anyway)

In the end I went with a scrubber (two chambers) and not only has it gone up, it's made the up and down swings much tighter. I'm definitely a fan.

People throw around the line "dont chase pH" but that's a pretty broad statement and could be applied to a number of different parameters. As long as you're taking your time and able to keep it stable (and isnt weighing down on you're wallet) it's not a "chase" and there is little issue with shooting for a higher number.

That said: if growth isnt the goal, it will be of little value to you.

I think the whole don't chase pH thing really got started because of the 'pH boosting additives' that used to be sold frequently that also claimed to not impact alk, which were flat out lies. In order to dissuade people from buying these BS products over time the mantra became 'Don't chase pH' whenever there was a question asked.