How to get pH up and stable?

[spectral_ranger]

Have had a Reefer 250 setup for about two months now, aiming for SPS dominant. Have my Alk, Ca, Mg stable where I want them, but having trouble getting pH over 8 and staying there. It had been around 7.7-7.8. A couple weeks ago, I setup a chaeto reactor (Poseidon Reef Systems) on a reverse photo period, and started using kalk in my ATO reservoir. Saw a definite bump from the kalk, and MAYBE a bit from the chaeto, hard to know. Put a pH plot below for the past few weeks with significant events:

#1: Add kalk to my ATO reservoir.
#2: Starting running the chaeto reactor.
#3: Family leaves on vacation.
#4: Monitoring while on vacation, I'm stoked that measures I've taken seem to be working great.
#5: We return from vacation (six of us in single family house).
#6: The "what the heck?!?" feelings kick-in as I watch the pH fall off a cliff.

I'm feeling like it's gotta be the CO2 from everyone being back in the house (warm in New England, house sealed up with AC on). Or is it? Is there something else I should be doing? Do I need to figure out how to get an air line from outside to my skimmer (don't think wife will like me drilling a hole through the wall to the outside)? Really struggling with pH, any help appreciated!

Oh, and I did harvest a big ball of chaeto from the reactor, seems to be growing great, for whatever that's worth.

 

[Jekyl]

Running chaeto on a reverse lighting schedule and running an airline outside for your skimmer would do the trick.

 

[spectral_ranger]

Yeah, the chaeto doesn't seem to be making a big difference. And an airline would be problematic based on my setup. Was hoping there was something else I was overlooking.

 

[mtraylor]

Don't chase ph. Don't worry about it. It will settle. Your tank is young.

Try to open windows in house and see if that makes a difference. Sooner or later it will level out. Where exactly is yous alk?

 

[Gtinnel]

A co2 scrubber should help raise it as well. You just have to decide if the increase in pH is worth the added cost of having to replace the media frequently.

My pH would always stay between 7.8-8 and when my family went on vacation recently it bumped up to around 8-8.2, so I’ve decided to try a co2 scrubber. I figured my only option is that or to make my family live in tents in the yard.

 

[Gtinnel]

I’m also considering adding a HRV to my homes hvac to reduce the co2 inside the house. Which is just a way to replace some of the air inside the home with outside air.

 

[bnord]

You are following all the best. advice, and indeed 1) its the ambient CO2 in the house/room and 2) pegging the pH at 8.3 is not the most important thing in the whole wide world.

FYI, Kalk in the ATO is both inconsistent and potentially scary, I run it on a doser, cheap and reliable Kamoer

I have tried almost everything except a scrubber (too many reliable people said tried and gave up) but I have at least stabilized with a combo of (a very hard to create) airline for the skimmers and cracking the window during the day and a little wider at night.

oh, and a air pump with a stone in the return chamber was added the same time as the airline from outside, cannot refute or support its role.

AND buying a a room CO2 monitor to support my actions.

 

[jhuntstl]

I’m also considering adding a HRV to my homes hvac to reduce the co2 inside the house. Which is just a way to replace some of the air inside the home with outside air.

Well that escalated quickly! Sbb thread did a number on you. Any particular one you're looking at?

Regardless, I vote tents.

Have had a Reefer 250 setup for about two months now, aiming for SPS dominant. Have my Alk, Ca, Mg stable where I want them, but having trouble getting pH over 8 and staying there. It had been around 7.7-7.8. A couple weeks ago, I setup a chaeto reactor (Poseidon Reef Systems) on a reverse photo period, and started using kalk in my ATO reservoir. Saw a definite bump from the kalk, and MAYBE a bit from the chaeto, hard to know. Put a pH plot below for the past few weeks with significant events:

#1: Add kalk to my ATO reservoir.
#2: Starting running the chaeto reactor.
#3: Family leaves on vacation.
#4: Monitoring while on vacation, I'm stoked that measures I've taken seem to be working great.
#5: We return from vacation (six of us in single family house).
#6: The "what the heck?!?" feelings kick-in as I watch the pH fall off a cliff.

I'm feeling like it's gotta be the CO2 from everyone being back in the house (warm in New England, house sealed up with AC on). Or is it? Is there something else I should be doing? Do I need to figure out how to get an air line from outside to my skimmer (don't think wife will like me drilling a hole through the wall to the outside)? Really struggling with pH, any help appreciated!

Oh, and I did harvest a big ball of chaeto from the reactor, seems to be growing great, for whatever that's worth.

It is absolutely the co2 levels in your home. Reduce them and your pH will increase. Open windows, run a skimmer line outside, sell your wife on the health benefits of an HRV(remember it's for your family, not the reef).

I recently watched this video with Mike Paletta. He details each small step he took to reduce co2 and raise pH without spending much money.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

You are following all the best. advice, and indeed 1) its the ambient CO2 in the house/room and 2) pegging the pH at 8.3 is not the most important thing in the whole wide world.

FYI, Kalk in the ATO is both inconsistent and potentially scary, I run it on a doser, cheap and reliable Kamoer

I have tried almost everything except a scrubber (too many reliable people said tried and gave up) but I have at least stabilized with a combo of (a very hard to create) airline for the skimmers and cracking the window during the day and a little wider at night.

oh, and a air pump with a stone in the return chamber was added the same time as the airline from outside, cannot refute or support its role.

AND buying a a room CO2 monitor to support my actions.

I added the BRS CO2 scrubber to my Bubble Magus Curve 5. I honestly cannot say that I saw a difference. I did not even see the media get used..never changed colors. I ran tubing outside...again, no real change. I have reverse photo period fuge...not really seeing a difference. I totally get the frustration!!

 

[Gtinnel]

Well that escalated quickly! Sbb thread did a number on you. Any particular one you're looking at?

Regardless, I vote tents.


It is absolutely the co2 levels in your home. Reduce them and your pH will increase. Open windows, run a skimmer line outside, sell your wife on the health benefits of an HRV(remember it's for your family, not the reef).

I recently watched this video with Mike Paletta. He details each small step he took to reduce co2 and raise pH without spending much money.

I’ve been thinking about it since getting back from vacation a few weeks ago. Last night I ordered the smaller CO2 scrubber from BRS. I also run an outside airline so I’m not even sure how much it’ll help me.
If I install a HRV then my wife won’t even know that I want it because of the aquarium. I believe they help reduce humidity in the house also which is another benefit. It seems like I can claim the HRV is for the health of the family. I watched an interview with Adam of Battlecorals and he talked about the benefits of one.

 

[SPR1968]

Have had a Reefer 250 setup for about two months now, aiming for SPS dominant. Have my Alk, Ca, Mg stable where I want them, but having trouble getting pH over 8 and staying there. It had been around 7.7-7.8. A couple weeks ago, I setup a chaeto reactor (Poseidon Reef Systems) on a reverse photo period, and started using kalk in my ATO reservoir. Saw a definite bump from the kalk, and MAYBE a bit from the chaeto, hard to know. Put a pH plot below for the past few weeks with significant events:

#1: Add kalk to my ATO reservoir.
#2: Starting running the chaeto reactor.
#3: Family leaves on vacation.
#4: Monitoring while on vacation, I'm stoked that measures I've taken seem to be working great.
#5: We return from vacation (six of us in single family house).
#6: The "what the heck?!?" feelings kick-in as I watch the pH fall off a cliff.

I'm feeling like it's gotta be the CO2 from everyone being back in the house (warm in New England, house sealed up with AC on). Or is it? Is there something else I should be doing? Do I need to figure out how to get an air line from outside to my skimmer (don't think wife will like me drilling a hole through the wall to the outside)? Really struggling with pH, any help appreciated!

Oh, and I did harvest a big ball of chaeto from the reactor, seems to be growing great, for whatever that's worth.

Our breathing does affect pH and I always notice it when Ive been away. Im officially bad for my tanks!

If everything is healthy I wouldn’t worry or mess around with pH as you can do a lot of harm. Mine is often anywhere from 7.7.8 upwards.

Also remember error margins from test or monitoring kits as they are generally hobby grade.

I would leave it alone and enjoy the tank

 

[gbru316]

With the BRS CO2 scrubber, pH went from 8.7-8.8 to 8.0-8.2. I get about a week out of the media before I need to replace it.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I found that, running tubing to the outside, wasn’t enough. I modified an old pump, I had. Later I went to new two port, self modified pump. During hot humid weather, my pH drops a bit. Cooler, Cold weather it’s up. When I get everything moved over and out of my shop area. I’m going to build a Condenser, for the outside air to see if getting the moisture out will help.

 

[joseph scott]

Maybe a bunch of house plants would help? I’m thinking of trying this approach. I’ll report back.

 

[spectral_ranger]

Wow, great conversation! Thanks for all the ideas, folks. Interesting about the HRV! Something to keep in mind for future, especially come winter when I can convince the wife more easily of it being for the house efficiency! For now going to try a scrubber and see how well it works at what cost in media. There's also an attic access door in the ceiling near the tank I could run an airline to more easily than a window. Not sure CO2 would be any better there, though. It DOES have an attic fan, but only runs in the summer.

To the question above, my alk has been fluctuating a bit last few weeks from 6.8 to 8 as I just started measuring and hand dosing (and going on vacation, etc.). But with the Trident running and doser coming online soon, I'm aiming to peg it at about 8.5.

And interesting input on kalk in the ATO. Will have to read up on that some more. Could easily use my third ATO reservoir for kalk instead of Mg, and just do the Mg by hand.

 

[Tiki_Reef]

Wow, great conversation! Thanks for all the ideas, folks. Interesting about the HRV! Something to keep in mind for future, especially come winter when I can convince the wife more easily of it being for the house efficiency! For now going to try a scrubber and see how well it works at what cost in media. There's also an attic access door in the ceiling near the tank I could run an airline to more easily than a window. Not sure CO2 would be any better there, though. It DOES have an attic fan, but only runs in the summer.

To the question above, my alk has been fluctuating a bit last few weeks from 6.8 to 8 as I just started measuring and hand dosing (and going on vacation, etc.). But with the Trident running and doser coming online soon, I'm aiming to peg it at about 8.5.

And interesting input on kalk in the ATO. Will have to read up on that some more. Could easily use my third ATO reservoir for kalk instead of Mg, and just do the Mg by hand.

For the Kalkwasser you might want to look into a Kalk stirrer with a dosing pump feeding it, the ATO method is very inefficient seeing that the Kalk will settle in the bottom where with a stirrer the solution is always at max saturation.

 

[Justdrew]

For the Kalkwasser you might want to look into a Kalk stirrer with a dosing pump feeding it, the ATO method is very inefficient seeing that the Kalk will settle in the bottom where with a stirrer the solution is always at max saturation.

The kalk does not settle out of solution once mixed in. What you see at the bottom is impurities and extra kalk that is above and beyond the solubility threshold. There have been several articels and posts lately that show mxing the kalk into solution delivers stronger kalk than a stirrer.

 

[Tiki_Reef]

The kalk does not settle out of solution once mixed in. What you see at the bottom is impurities and extra kalk that is above and beyond the solubility threshold. There have been several articels and posts lately that show mxing the kalk into solution delivers stronger kalk than a stirrer.

Just going by personal experience and testing the solution in a stirrer versus mixed in a resevoir, mileage may vary from user to user. I have had great success using a stirrer versus when I started out dosing Kalk via ATO.

 

[reddogf5]

If you decide to use a CO2 scrubber, find a way to recirculate the skimmer exhaust into the scrubber's air intake, essentially the difference between scrubbing the CO2 out of the tank vs the house.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Well that escalated quickly! Sbb thread did a number on you. Any particular one you're looking at?

Regardless, I vote tents.


It is absolutely the co2 levels in your home. Reduce them and your pH will increase. Open windows, run a skimmer line outside, sell your wife on the health benefits of an HRV(remember it's for your family, not the reef).

I recently watched this video with Mike Paletta. He details each small step he took to reduce co2 and raise pH without spending much money.

I watched this and have a question if anyone knows. The 'simple addition of the airstone to the over flow'....does this need to be ran from outside air or simply adding the airstone using the ambient air will work? My PH is running exactly like Mike said in the video..toping out at 7.9 in the day and bottoming out at 7.5/7.6 at night. For some reason it doesnt make sense to me just running it with the ambient air as it is just pushing the internal Co2 in the ambient room directly into the tank. Am i missing something?