Do aerators help with pH?

[Royalreef22]

Planning my tank and just a thought with the Apex. If my pH gets low can I have the Apex run an aerator? Would that help raise it back up? Assuming I have problems with that of course! Tank isn't actually setup and I haven't had problems in the past just a thought though.

 

[rmurken]

Plenty of strategies for pH.

Re aeration specifically, what I have read from Randy and others, and also seen in my own experience, is that aeration could take your pH in either direction. You kind of have to try it and see what happens in your circumstances.

In my experience, which may not be yours, aeration drives my tank towards its mean of about 8.1. If pH is lower than that, aeration pushes it up. If ph is higher, aeration lowers it. That may not be typical of anyone but me though.

 

[Royalreef22]

Plenty of strategies for pH.

Re aeration specifically, what I have read from Randy and others, and also seen in my own experience, is that aeration could take your pH in either direction. You kind of have to try it and see what happens in your circumstances.

In my experience, which may not be yours, aeration drives my tank towards its mean of about 8.1. If pH is lower than that, aeration pushes it up. If ph is higher, aeration lowers it. That may not be typical of anyone but me though.

Ok thanks. I haven't had problem with my 70G I am replacing but I am going to setup the aerators anyway and see how the tank does. If I need them then great I have them and if I don't then I just won't turn it on.

 

[DaddyFish]

Plenty of strategies for pH.

Re aeration specifically, what I have read from Randy and others, and also seen in my own experience, is that aeration could take your pH in either direction. You kind of have to try it and see what happens in your circumstances.

In my experience, which may not be yours, aeration drives my tank towards its mean of about 8.1. If pH is lower than that, aeration pushes it up. If ph is higher, aeration lowers it. That may not be typical of anyone but me though.

My exact experience too!!!

I have one tank, a 54-gal corner, that has awful flow issues and is completely covered (on purpose to keep the eel from carpet surfing). It used to drive me bonkers with plummeting pH (down). I swear you could dip that tank in buffer and it would come out 7.9. Added two 8" airstones down the sides and pH hangs in there at 8.1 day after day after...

I have a 90-gal rectangle FOWLR that was running a solid pH 8.3 until one day I decided to try some aeration with a large flat stone. In just one day it dropped to 8.05 and would not come back up. Removed the air and voila!!! 8.3 in 48 hours.

 

[Pistondog]

aeration will increase the exchange of gas between air and water.
If you have a lot of co2 in the room from people, that may lower ph.
If windows are open and low co2, then higher ph.
Fish breath oxygen, generate co2.
Algae consumes co2 and light, raising ph
The more co2, in general, the lower the ph