OP
OP
AllSignsPointToFish
"No Longer The Guy Without FaceBook"
So, here is an update. I've tried running skimmer lines to outside the house, but the effect on pH is less than 0.05 pH units. The pH still swings between 7.8-7.9 at night and 8.1-8.3 during the day.
I've also been topping off with limewater regularly, and while the pH responds after a topoff cycle, the pH ultimately recedes at night.
I've also had windows open for longer than 48 hours when the weather allowed with little effect on pH. I would've thought 48 hours of aeration should be sufficient to lower inside CO2 levels if that were the culprit.
Last night, I aerated a sample of my tank water for more than an hour outside using an air pump, and the pH didn't even change 0.1 pH units...which got me thinking. I wonder if the low pH is the result of me living near a busy highway? There are no other large highways near my house, so this particular highway is heavily traveled. Excess CO2 in the area from the traffic would render the skimmer lines ineffective and would explain why neither opening the window nor aerating the water sample produced the desired results.
Another hypothesis is that the CO2 generated from carbon dosing is causing the low pH. However, I would've thought all those dosing carbon would have similar issues.
I'm considering a CO2 scrubber for my skimmer air line as a test. If the high ambient CO2 is the issue, I would think scrubbing the CO2 out of the inlet air to the skimmer should produce a noticeable difference. Thoughts?
I've also been topping off with limewater regularly, and while the pH responds after a topoff cycle, the pH ultimately recedes at night.
I've also had windows open for longer than 48 hours when the weather allowed with little effect on pH. I would've thought 48 hours of aeration should be sufficient to lower inside CO2 levels if that were the culprit.
Last night, I aerated a sample of my tank water for more than an hour outside using an air pump, and the pH didn't even change 0.1 pH units...which got me thinking. I wonder if the low pH is the result of me living near a busy highway? There are no other large highways near my house, so this particular highway is heavily traveled. Excess CO2 in the area from the traffic would render the skimmer lines ineffective and would explain why neither opening the window nor aerating the water sample produced the desired results.
Another hypothesis is that the CO2 generated from carbon dosing is causing the low pH. However, I would've thought all those dosing carbon would have similar issues.
I'm considering a CO2 scrubber for my skimmer air line as a test. If the high ambient CO2 is the issue, I would think scrubbing the CO2 out of the inlet air to the skimmer should produce a noticeable difference. Thoughts?
