Does your tank get fresh air and does it need it?

[Pistondog]

pipe from outside is best long term solution.

 

[Back where it all began]

Perhaps an ignorant question. In a real ocean reef, are there changes in pH during the 24 hour cycle?

 

[JAMSOURY]

pipe from outside is best long term solution.

Any temperature fluctuations from pulling from outside?

 

[Malevolent]

Any idea why this stopped being issued as of 2009??

I’m replying to you because for one, It is a good article and most importantly (I hope) most people have read it or similar articles here.
I think the OP is asking how important is fresh air and how it effects your water quality. Not sure why they are asking unless they are also looking for alternatives, (and I’m using the reference that they have a tank in the basement with low quality air).
I think it’s pretty unanimous that fresh air is required for gas exchange just like every article that’s ever been written about water quality, and I hope most people have read articles like the one you linked.
As you noticed, fresh air is not always an option for some due to cold weather, or in my case, the fresh air and it’s alternatives are not enough to combat the amount of Co2 in my house.
Although I have a large house, I have many contributing factors that depletes the oxygen in my house ie, gas heat, gas stove, pets, poor venting house, cold weather, etc.
I am looking for cheaper options than a $10,000.00 air exchanger for my house. Right now I am looking at certain types of house plants that give off the best oxygen. I am not sure how that’s going to work as I have pretty much kill every plant I have ever owned. Something about watering or singing to them or whatever people do that have living plants. I already neglect my lawn and I have a riding lawnmower, with a cup holder!

Ok I’m getting light headed =p

 

[Malevolent]

Any temperature fluctuations from pulling from outside?

None in my experience

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Totally important. I can see it in Fusion. PH will go up the minute the window near the tank gets opened. I usually sit around 8.0 to 8.1, but if the window is open 8.3 to 8.4 currently. Its lower this week, as my daughter is here visiting, so more Co2 being put in the air, but tanks 2 months from coral anyways, just starting to develop a trend to see if ill need a Recirculating C02 Scrubber or not.

This. Exactly this. If you have a controller, you can immediately see the benefit of fresh air.

 

[Pistondog]

Any temperature fluctuations from pulling from outside?

No, but a surprising amount of noise at the intake on the outside. Enough that I put a small piece of foam in the 1/2 pvc for noise reduction.

 

[DanConnor]

Yes- I ran a 1/2 inch pvc line to my skimmer. It's easy to do and probably beneficial in the winter

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

It matters very little what air your aquarium gets as long as it contains the normal amount of O2.

 

[Pistondog]

It matters very little what air your aquarium gets as long as it contains the normal amount of O2.

True more for a fish only tank if you dont care about ph. O2 levels in the air are 20%, plus or minus a percent.
Co2 however changes by a factor of 4 or more in a tight house (500 to 2000ppm). This has an effect on the tank pH of 0.5 ph or more.

 

[RefreshedReefing]

I live in a small studio apartment with an outdated interior conditioning unit, and poor ventilation. Long story short, when I am home from college on extended breaks, and bring my nano home, I notice distinct differences in the quality of the health of my reef. While home (and more ventilated) the quality of heath observable in my corals, and especially my inverts is unbelievable. There is definitely correlation between the PH, and water health, with the chemical makeup of the surrounding room air. Currently working/ thinking of ways to remedy this on my 90 bow front build I’m undertaking this semester. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

True more for a fish only tank if you dont care about ph. O2 levels in the air are 20%, plus or minus a percent.
Co2 however changes by a factor of 4 or more in a tight house (500 to 2000ppm). This has an effect on the tank pH of 0.5 ph or more.

Very interesting..... Would have never suspected that fresh air would have an effect on the Ph. I was aware that CO2, when used in a reactor, lowers PH.

 

[EakTheFreak]

My tanks with the windows closed will run 7.8-8.0 (via Apex) Windows open 8.1-8.4 . But since this is Minnesota windows are usually closed 8 months per year. We do have a whole house air exchanger and that helps but I also added CO2 scrubbers to both and with windows closed Ph runs 8.1 - 8.3 daily.

How much do you run your air exchanger? I also live in Minnesota and run an air exchanger. I get 8.1-8.4 on my apex year round. I run mine about 70% per hour, our house is only 2 years old and it will get really stuffy in here without running it often.

Where and what type of air exchanger did you purchase? Looking into this option myself.

I Live in Cleveland, OH so windows open is temporary solution and is gone for the next 6 months now lol.

 

[Mical]

Where and what type of air exchanger did you purchase? Looking into this option myself.

I Live in Cleveland, OH so windows open is temporary solution and is gone for the next 6 months now lol.

Ours is a Venmar -> https://www.venmar.ca/82-air-exchangers-constructo-2-0-es-hrv.html

 

[jose hernandez]

I tan a tube from the skimmer out to the window and I run a refugium 24hrs a day here’s my graph

 

[Tom Giddens]

My tanks with the windows closed will run 7.8-8.0 (via Apex) Windows open 8.1-8.4 . But since this is Minnesota windows are usually closed 8 months per year. We do have a whole house air exchanger and that helps but I also added CO2 scrubbers to both and with windows closed Ph runs 8.1 - 8.3 daily.

Does your PH drop at night?

 

[FishTruck]

I was having problems with constantly running AC unit and Dehumidifier in my fish room. I live in the midwest where the outside air is too hot or too cold. This gizmo from amazon can either push air, pull air, or push and pull with fans.

Relevant to this post... I used one of the fans to bring in 90 cfm of fresh air into the fish room. My tank pH went up from 7.9 - 8.0 to 8.1 - 8.2 and I have not yet messed around with putting directly into the skimmer.

I am not sure yet how much this benefits the corals - but I do want them to grow. I like having a controllable point of fresh air entry for the house.

If the cold air is a problem this winter - it would be easy enough to run the intake fan on a timer or thermostat and I can also "keep" the hot moist air from the canopy, instead of dumping it outside. My system is large... and so far I have more heat and humidity coming from it than I need all year.

 

[Tom Giddens]

You could build a scrubber for less than $70 (for reactor & Media) https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-5-single.html , https://www.shopmedvet.com/product/soda-lime-3-lb-bag/anesthesia-respiratory#minicart_a

Can you elaborate more on this please

 

[Tom Giddens]

I'm just worried I would run through the media too quickly. I pull a lot of air through my skimmer. About 10 liters per minute. So I don't know how long the media would last....

Where did you get L/min gauge?

 

[Joeg]

I'm in Maine so I don't have the option of keeping a window open year round and don't have much interest in drilling through the wall to the outside since I have a feeling the small hole would eventually get blocked by snow or water and freeze anyway.

I did buy a BRS co2 scrubber and it certainly helps maintain a stable and elevated PH when the house is closed up. The frustrating part of this solution is that the air going through the media really needs to have some moisture in it. The instructions state to include a tablespoon of water in the bottom of the reactor but that evaporates within a day or two and it's just silly to have to pop that canister open every 3 days and add more water. I've seen some people have run their scrubber intake to a tapped port they add to their skimmer cup so it's essentially recirculating humid air.

I didn't have the stomach to possible ruin a skimmer cup so I took a mason jar and drilled 2 holes in the top for barbed fittings. One of the fittings feeds the scrubber from above the jar and the second one has a short piece of tubing that extends below the water level in the jar. This has proven entertaining to be because it sounds like someone is taking a never-ending bong hit. It seems to work and I'm now going to give it a try without the tubing extended into the water to see if that alone has the same results without the stoner sound

Regardless of how you approach it I think having a stable level, whether 8 or 8.3, is beneficial to the overall stability of the tank.