CO2 Scrubber-should I get one?

[Scorpius]

When my house is closed up my ph goes down and my alkalinity rises. Opposite effect when the house windows are wide open. Lower ph means slower calcification of coral skeleton in my system at least.

 

[Diznaster]

I'd recommend getting your lights and running them a few months before adding corals. I bet you will want to cry when you see how much ugly stuff starts growing everywhere. Your pH will go higher due the photosynthesis, then drop as it dies or gets eaten and turned to waste. Eventually it should end and you can be comfortable knowing your system is stable. Since you have an Apex you might want to consider planning for a CO2 scrubber with control to save media. I have seen people put electric valves so they can pull air into the skimmer from the scrubber or open port depending on pH level. I am doing something similar with an air pump pushing air through the scrubber. I have a battery backup that will run my COR-20 at low speed and the air pump in the sump in case of outage. Goal is to keep the water oxygenated. I didn't plan on a scrubber, but realized it couldn't hurt and would actually help in the event of an outage. Also it has only been a day but my pH low last night was 7.8 which is a huge improvement from the night before (7.6). It started climbing at 2am, when it would have been falling. It is 8.1 now in the evening which is about my highest ever and still climbing. I'll let it run for a while and then decide what pH low level I want it to turn on.

 

[glb]

I'd recommend getting your lights and running them a few months before adding corals. I bet you will want to cry when you see how much ugly stuff starts growing everywhere. Your pH will go higher due the photosynthesis, then drop as it dies or gets eaten and turned to waste. Eventually it should end and you can be comfortable knowing your system is stable. Since you have an Apex you might want to consider planning for a CO2 scrubber with control to save media. I have seen people put electric valves so they can pull air into the skimmer from the scrubber or open port depending on pH level. I am doing something similar with an air pump pushing air through the scrubber. I have a battery backup that will run my COR-20 at low speed and the air pump in the sump in case of outage. Goal is to keep the water oxygenated. I didn't plan on a scrubber, but realized it couldn't hurt and would actually help in the event of an outage. Also it has only been a day but my pH low last night was 7.8 which is a huge improvement from the night before (7.6). It started climbing at 2am, when it would have been falling. It is 8.1 now in the evening which is about my highest ever and still climbing. I'll let it run for a while and then decide what pH low level I want it to turn on.

Thanks for the info. Yes I know that my tank still has to go through the “ugly” phase and I’d rather get it out of the way now, way before corals. I’m moving super slowly so I can get the equipment I want. Plus moving slowly is always best with reefing.

 

[pluikens]

I have seen people put electric valves so they can pull air into the skimmer from the scrubber or open port depending on pH level.

I'm one of those people. My skimmer air inlet has a wye allowing for air to come in one of two ways. It either pulls in air from outside through a CO2 scrubber but if the pH is high enough, an Apex solenoid opens allowing for air to be pulled straight in from the room. This is the easier path for air to flow so it's closed by default unless the pH is high enough. Basically set how hard you want your soda lime to work for you!

 

[DRThompson]

I have some sodalime if you want to try it out. You can make an diy reactor with a wide mouth small gatoraid or similar plastic bottle.

 

[glb]

I bought an Odyssea 2 t-5 bulb fixture on eBay. It was cheap and I think it will help the tank go through that “ugly” phase long before I get corals. Plus I can see how it affects ph. It came with white and blue actinic bulbs and all for under $50. I read the reviews for the most recent models and they’re good for a fowlr tank. I’ll keep everyone posted. Thanks again!

 

[Zoafreak80]

My co2 scrubber from brs arrives Monday, my buddy added one on his tank and he also said that his growth tripled and levels dropped from the enhanced growth. I can’t wait aha

 

[glb]

My co2 scrubber from brs arrives Monday, my buddy added one on his tank and he also said that his growth tripled and levels dropped from the enhanced growth. I can’t wait aha

I was looking at that one. Please let me know how it goes!

 

[Zoafreak80]

I was looking at that one. Please let me know how it goes!

Will do

 

[Reefcowboy]

Ive ran a reactor and never found results claimed. I also have an Apex so I monitored closely, and ran it on an all sps tank. Corals grew the same and keeping up with the media at the rate it exhausts is a big $ problem, as it isnt cheap and needs to be replaced every two weeks(my case).

You are better off getting air in the house where the tank is.

 

[flowflezy]

I added the skims reactor a few days ago my ph has risen more then it normally does and it did not fall as low as it usually does. Tank is about six months old. I set it up to come on when the lights shut off .

u can see the day I added it.

 

[Clownfishy]

In my experience (please see https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-experience-raising-ph.394826/), spanning your alkalinity and kalk dosing in conjunction with a C02 scrubber not only raises pH to the desired level but also stabilises it so you don't get the big swings during night and day. The scrubber is definitely doing the heavy lifting though. My pH sits between 8.30 to 8.35.

 

[Rakie]

I'd consider a slow kalk drip instead. Way cheaper.

 

[Clownfishy]

I'd consider a slow kalk drip instead. Way cheaper.

I found with my aquarium, that was not enough to maintain my aquarium but maybe that is because I don't have enough evaporation. I have wondered if dosing kalkwasser would be enough if you could force significant evaporation.

 

[Diznaster]

Something else to look at your DT surface agitation. I had mine moderate/low because I hated the disco ball from my Radions. Then I added the diffusers and it went away (seriously they look 100% blended like incandescent or fluorescent), but I didn't change my return line positions to agitate more after. I was doing some maintenance yesterday and after that my pH went to the basement again. Maybe it was all the uglies I stirred up, or I was in the basement all weekend breathing, or this or that... but I also remembered that I moved my loc-line return. I adjusted it so that it was making heavy ripples on the surface and my pH is climbing again (and I'm down here breathing and the gas oven and stove are on upstairs!). I'm hesitant to be hopeful, or assume that was a fix but as we often say in engineering it is directionally correct. Meaning it might not be the total solution to a problem, but it could be a factor and 'fixing' it shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[Dom274]

I'd consider a slow kalk drip instead. Way cheaper.

You missed the point there. This isn't an alkalinity/calcium issue - This is a "too much CO2 in the tank issue" caused when a house/apartment is well sealed and has a decent amount of meatbags roaming about exhaling CO2. Yes, adding a scrubber to the skimmer air line will increase the PH. It does become cost-ineffective for large tanks (ehhh, guessing 120+) due to the much larger amount of air the skimmer usually uses. None of this matter though becuase you need proper lights on that tank months before you should even be researching CO2 scrubbers. The cart isn't just in front of the horse here - it's a couple blocks down the road lol.

 

[Rakie]

You missed the point there. This isn't an alkalinity/calcium issue - This is a "too much CO2 in the tank issue"

Didn't miss the point -- Kalkwasser significantly raises pH, and it's significantly cheaper than c02 media. Through different actions, it achieves the same goal. And costs pennies by comparison.

A lot of people who have low pH issues run Kalkwasser to help. Especially people who run calcium reactors with only a single CalRx reactor.

 

[Rakie]

I found with my aquarium, that was not enough to maintain my aquarium but maybe that is because I don't have enough evaporation. I have wondered if dosing kalkwasser would be enough if you could force significant evaporation.

I'm suggesting kalk specifically for pH issues -- NOT for Alk/Cal.

 

[glb]

Didn't miss the point -- Kalkwasser significantly raises pH, and it's significantly cheaper than c02 media. Through different actions, it achieves the same goal. And costs pennies by comparison.

A lot of people who have low pH issues run Kalkwasser to help. Especially people who run calcium reactors with only a single CalRx reactor.

I know that kalk raises ph but my Alk is already at 11 and ca is 490.

 

[glb]

You missed the point there. This isn't an alkalinity/calcium issue - This is a "too much CO2 in the tank issue" caused when a house/apartment is well sealed and has a decent amount of meatbags roaming about exhaling CO2. Yes, adding a scrubber to the skimmer air line will increase the PH. It does become cost-ineffective for large tanks (ehhh, guessing 120+) due to the much larger amount of air the skimmer usually uses. None of this matter though becuase you need proper lights on that tank months before you should even be researching CO2 scrubbers. The cart isn't just in front of the horse here - it's a couple blocks down the road lol.

Thanks. For a 40g a scrubber would be manageable costwise? I have a 2-bulb t-5 fixture on the way to help with this until I get coral. I’ll let everyone know how it goes!