Fresh Air to Skimmer... Good or Bad?

[PaulPerger]

In a recent discussion with a fellow reefer there was a comment made about using fresh air from outside to feed the skimmer. Basically the discussion centered on how much better outside is than inside air...

This got me to thinking, I could supply my tank with air from outside for less than $15 in supplies from Home Depot. But then I also have read about airborne chemicals doing harm to our tanks. I have read several articles about not using spray paint, insecticides, etc near the tank and that we shouldn't even wash the outside of our glass tanks with windex because the fumes may get into our tanks and reek havoc on them.

So, this has got me thinking... Do I really want to take the risk of feeding air from the outside directly into my tank. For example, I can't control what chemicals my neighbor uses on his lawn. Our property line is 20 feet from my house. I also treat my lawn for bugs and spray around the foundation of my house quarterly to keep the critters in the yard and out of my basement.

All things considered, do the benefits of outside air outweigh the concerns?

 

[Mariette]

My knee jerk reaction is nooo. If I lived in the country, maybe. But not in the city. Lack of control scares me.

 

[AlexG]

I run an outside air line for my skimmer intake and contamination via outside chemicals is a valid concern. I run filter floss on my DIY PVC air intake to keep critters out along with any larger dust particles. On the inside of the basement I cut the air intake line and inserted a DIY carbon filter which hopefully absorb any chemicals in the air that make into the intake line. I replace the carbon in the filter every few months. I have not had any issues yet with this method but if I happened to be outside and know that neighbor was using pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals with a strong smell I would simply turn outside air intake line off for a few hours.

 

[You Got Reef?]

Never even thought of things getting into the air intake of the skimmer. Guess i'd better be more careful cleaning the glass now. Thanks for the info at least!

 

[hart24601]

I run outside air and I don't worry about it, but my yard is over an acre. If one is concerned you can pass the air in a container of activated carbon. It lasts a very long time in air vs water. Honestly I am more concerned with household chemicals, carpet spray, scented candles, air freshener, pet dander, any lotion/makeup/sunscreen/insect repellent on our skin that flakes off even if not putting hands directly in the tank, and anything similar to pesticides if used indoors.

 

[Jay Z]

I run outside air to my skimmer and air lines to my overflows per my HRV.

I know any given day the co2 levels outside my house are around 350. My inside fluctuates between 400 to 600 with me and the dog, 600-900 in the winter with my basement heater. I use a HRV heat recovery ventilator. It pretty much pulls in outside air and vents out stale air. Incoming air is heated or cooled to close to room temp by the exiting air in the coil. Incoming air is ran through a 3 stage hepa filter, electronic air filter, then 2 uv bulbs before the tank gets it. This setup was put in for air quality issues, fish tank being able to utilize them was a added bonus.

I ended up tapping into the havoc system for air because my ph levels were not as stable as I liked. After that its been rock solid.

 

[WVNed]

I run outside air but there are no other homes within 200 feet.

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

I think the most common reason some people advocate for "outside" air is the lower CO2 from the outside air as compared to "indoors" air helps keep the tank pH a little higher. Some people use a CO2 scrubber on their air intake for inside air to achieve the same purpose.

 

[WVNed]

If your PH stays ok you don't need to worry about outside air. There are me and 6 dogs in the basement and My PH needed a little boost. Running outside air did the trick. It's all about the CO2 inside your house.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I think the most common reason some people advocate for "outside" air is the lower CO2 from the outside air as compared to "indoors" air helps keep the tank pH a little higher. Some people use a CO2 scrubber on their air intake for inside air to achieve the same purpose.

This is what I did. I wanted to raise my pH, specifically during the winter months when our house is all closed up. I didn't feel comfortable running an outside line for many of the above reasons, so I just added a scrubber. It's been great, keeps my pH high and on my tank I only have to replace the media once a month.

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

This is what I did. I wanted to raise my pH, specifically during the winter months when our house is all closed up. I didn't feel comfortable running an outside line for many of the above reasons, so I just added a scrubber. It's been great, keeps my pH high and on my tank I only have to replace the media once a month.

Right,
I just feel like the OP seems to think the outside air was in some way "purer" than indoors air, I doubt there is any data to suggest that and the only benefit is the pH.

 

[ca1ore]

Certainly not necessary to feed the skimmer fresh air. As noted, some people do it as a way to reduce the amount of CO2 pulled into the skimmer. In some systems this can result in a slight pH increase, in other systems (like mine) it makes no difference. You’d have to experiment. Otherwise, there’s nothing magical about pulling air in from outside.

 

[PaulPerger]

Thanks for the responses.

I am setting up my first SW tank, but have kept FW for years. My PH in my FW tanks swings wildly so I assume the same will be true with my SW tank which is why I am considering outside air.

I dont know why I didn't think about carbon, it is in every air purifier I have ever had, but reading it here gave me a real "aha" moment. Also the idea of "turning off" the outside air is a good one. A box for some carbon and a valve to switch between outside and inside air would be easy to do.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I saw a very minimal increase in PH by running the skimmer air line outside. For me it was not worth the work or risks mentioned.

 

[theMeat]

If your indoor air has higher c02 that outside, then you will see a slight increase in ph. As far as bug spray and grass stuff... as long as you’re not spraying it onto intake I don’t see it being a problem. Have outside air going into my skimmer. Spray around my house a couple of times a year, never had an issue