Declining PH

[brendanstl]

Having a serious issue with my ph dropping.... We typically have four of us in the household, as of two days ago, we have four others that are visiting for the next couple days. As you can see in the attached screenshot, the ph is dropping lower by the day, yesterdays rise was while everyone left to tour the town. This morning, I've opened a couple windows by the tank, as well as added an air stone to my sump with the air pump sitting in the open window, intake facing the screen.

Will my ph rise back up by don't this or should I take other measures?

 

[xiholdtruex]

I would say give it time with what you have done if anything add another air stone, but you do not want it to swing drastically by something you do

 

[Billdogg]

pH is largely a function of the amount of CO2 in the air. If you do as you have, and opened a window or two, that will decrease the amount of CO2 in the house and your pH will rise. It is often a problem in the winter when our homes are sealed up tight. It is also nothing to worry about at all. Your pH will vary depending on the time day, the time of year, the number of people in the house (as you've noticed), and any other number of factors.

It is also something that you should not worry about at all. If you try to chase any specific number, you will inadvertently overdose your tank with pH "buffer" and in doing so, raise your Alkalinity to the point where precipitation of calcium carbonate will become a problem. It seems to have an affinity for electrical items, especially heaters and powerheads, and you will then spend way too much time and effort cleaning them so that they can function properly.

I've been keeping marine tanks for over 30 years now. I have not checked my pH in at least 25. Concentrate, instead, on the big three, Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium to keep your corals happy and healthy.

hth!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Have you checked with a PH kit? It could be the probe needs to be calibrated?

 

[lapin]

You have figured out what is causing the problem. I think what you have done will help. In a few days things will get back to normal. (four others that are visiting for the next couple days.)

 

[brendanstl]

Wow, thanks for all the speedy answers...

Unfortunately it's been 95 and humid down here in Texas, I'm going to rough it today with a few windows open (until the wife notices I'm air conditioning the outside).

The tank I'm referencing is a 110g mixed reef, I bought it used a month ago from a gal on Craigslist, as a 5 year old mature tank. She had let it go a bit, had gha in it and the parameters did not look so great, bought a couple sea hares and a tuxedo to knock down the algae, three days after introducing them to the tank, the algae was gone. I've since added an apex system which I'm dosing with. I was manually dosing up until three days ago, adding alkalinity first, then calcium and began magnesium last night. Below are my params.

 

[lapin]

Take everyone out for lunch and dinner and A/C your whole yard *-*

 

[brendanstl]

That's funny... It's my kids and grand kids here to visit.... Told them they need to find something to do and find it quickly. My daughter said "I get it, tank is more important than your kids, kick your kids out of the house to save the fish" dang right!!

 

[Silver14SS]

If you're using a protein skimmer can you run the intake line outside?

 

[brendanstl]

If you're using a protein skimmer can you run the intake line outside?

Considered this, although I can't find a hose to hook to the air intake of the skimmer without modifying. I have an e shoppes axium s 160 with a condensation drain on the bottom of the intake, think I could take the cap off the drain connect a hose to outside and then close the intake without making the cup overflow?

 

[brendanstl]

Fresh air is working well, even tied the skimmer intake into a hose running outside.

 

[Silver14SS]

Interesting skimmer design, I couldn't find a clear picture of how the air silencer is setup. Sounds like you've got it worked out!

 

[brendanstl]

Interesting skimmer design, I couldn't find a clear picture of how the air silencer is setup. Sounds like you've got it worked out!

I'll post a picture.... Although I ended up stuffing some tube into the intake hole and closing it down a bit.

 

[brendanstl]

I'll post a picture.... Although I ended up stuffing some tube into the intake hole and closing it down a bit.

 

[ScottB]

I just went through the same thing. APEX waking me at night after the ALK has finished dosing. Even reverse light cycle on the refugium could not keep up.

I ended up just lowering my alarm threshold to wait it out. My DT grows too fast as it is. My frag system though... been thinking about adding a CO2 scrubber to feed my skimmer along with the DIY recirculation discussed on BRSTV.

 

[brendanstl]

I just went through the same thing. APEX waking me at night after the ALK has finished dosing. Even reverse light cycle on the refugium could not keep up.

I ended up just lowering my alarm threshold to wait it out. My DT grows too fast as it is. My frag system though... been thinking about adding a CO2 scrubber to feed my skimmer along with the DIY recirculation discussed on BRSTV.

I could solve the issue real quick, by simply buying a smaller house, then no one would want to stay at my place and my co2 levels would hold steady in the house.

 

[rkpetersen]

Yes that works.
The CO2 scrubbers on my systems connect to that same silencer port, with a flanged reducing connector.
Ozone goes in the bottom port that you have capped off.

Another thing - Where is your tank located?
If it's near the kitchen and you have a gas range, try to reduce using the range.
A gas range can pump out huge amounts of CO2, for example if you're boiling a pot of pasta.

And here's another tip if you don't want saltwater refluxing into the silencer whenever you turn the skimmer off.
Get a longer segment of hose to connect the silencer to the venturi, and wrap it once around the skimmer body.