How to raise ph?

[Kolby’s Reef]

I have done a little research saw by simply opening a window it could help raise PH. However what are some other ways to raise it? Will water changes raise it or lower it? It is currently at 7.7 and I am wanting to be around 8.3.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I’m in the same boat. How old is the tank? What’s the goal? Sometimes chasing numbers is bad…slow and steady wins the race. Consider looking into carbon dioxide scrubber they aren’t cheap but are more natural compared to dosing if opening windows isn’t an option.

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

You could dose kalkwasser to supplement alkalinity and calcium rather then two part or other options. It has the added benefit of raising ph.

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

You could dose kalkwasser to supplement alkalinity and calcium rather then two part or other options. It has the added benefit of raising ph.

my alkalinity is high at 9.6 I usually like to keep it around 8.5. I have shut my auto doser off for alkalinity, so I don’t think Kalkwasser will be a option.

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

my alkalinity is high at 9.6 I usually like to keep it around 8.5. I have shut my auto doser off for alkalinity, so I don’t think Kalkwasser will be a option.

You would have to dose kalk and stop dosing whatever is on your auto doser if you wanted to go that route. It would undeniable raise your ph. But it would be a bit of work transitioning so I understand wanting to use other options to raise ph.

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

You could dose kalkwasser to supplement alkalinity and calcium rather then two part or other options. It has the added benefit of raising ph.

It is currently hot and humid where I’m at, opening a window prob isn’t a option. All of my parameters are good except PH and Alkalinity is a little high for me. Tank has been running about 2 months now. I used Bio-Spira when I first started the tank to speed up the cycling process. So aquarium is cycled considering no nitrite nitrate or ammonia.

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

You would have to dose kalk and stop dosing whatever is on your auto doser if you wanted to go that route. It would undeniable raise your ph. But it would be a bit of work transitioning so I understand wanting to use other options to raise ph.

How would it be a bit of work transitioning? I’m unfamiliar with dosing Kalk I just thought it would raise your alkalinity?

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

I’m in the same boat. How old is the tank? What’s the goal? Sometimes chasing numbers is bad…slow and steady wins the race. Consider looking into carbon dioxide scrubber they aren’t cheap but are more natural compared to dosing if opening windows isn’t an option.

It is currently hot and humid where I’m at, opening a window prob isn’t a option. All of my parameters are good except PH and Alkalinity is a little high for me. Tank has been running about 2 months now. I used Bio-Spira when I first started the tank to speed up the cycling process. So aquarium is cycled considering no nitrite nitrate or ammonia. What is a carbon dioxide scrubber and how much?

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

How would it be a bit of work transitioning? I’m unfamiliar with dosing Kalk I just thought it would raise your alkalinity?

Kalkwasser is essentially a 1 part that raises calcium alkalinity as well as boost ph. The work in transitioning would be not only figuring out how you want to dose kalk(the easiest being a dripper up to the expensive kalk stirrer and dosing pump options) and also figuring out what saturation you need(the a mount of kalk powder added to the liquid being dosed).

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

A co2 scrubber is a device filled with co2 scrubbing media that typically hooks to your skimmers air intake. It takes co2 out of the air being mixed in the skimmer chamber. Ph is directly effected by the amount of dissolved co2 in the water. So skimming in air lacking co2 raises ph considerably.

However it can be very expensive as you can go through the media very quickly. People usually set up recirculating scrubbers with special attachments that are often 3d printed. This saves a ton on media replacement costs.

 

[AydenLincoln]

It is currently hot and humid where I’m at, opening a window prob isn’t a option. All of my parameters are good except PH and Alkalinity is a little high for me. Tank has been running about 2 months now. I used Bio-Spira when I first started the tank to speed up the cycling process. So aquarium is cycled considering no nitrite nitrate or ammonia. What is a carbon dioxide scrubber and how much?

How big is the tank? I can’t open window either. It’s so hot too. You could run your skimmer line through a window though. It’s a reactor that holds media that absorbs the carbon dioxide in the room that is a contributing factor to low pH. Depending on the tank between less than a hundred and several hundred dollars. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/small-co2-scrubber-1-1lb-capacity-icecap.html

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

How big is the tank? I can’t open window either. It’s so hot too. You could run your skimmer line through a window though. It’s a reactor that holds media that absorbs the carbon dioxide in the room that is a contributing factor to low pH. Depending on the tank between less than a hundred and several hundred dollars. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/small-co2-scrubber-1-1lb-capacity-icecap.html

90 gallon

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

Kalkwasser is essentially a 1 part that raises calcium alkalinity as well as boost ph. The work in transitioning would be not only figuring out how you want to dose kalk(the easiest being a dripper up to the expensive kalk stirrer and dosing pump options) and also figuring out what saturation you need(the a mount of kalk powder added to the liquid being dosed).

So if i drop it slowly it shouldn’t raise calcium or alkalinity levels?

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

So if i drop it slowly it shouldn’t raise calcium or alkalinity levels?

drip*

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

drip*

It still will. You would need to either stop or reduce your other method of dosing alk and kalk. You would probably want to test alk and ph every day til you find balance if you try it. Are you currently dosing two part?

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

It still will. You would need to either stop or reduce your other method of dosing alk and kalk. You would probably want to test alk and ph every day til you find balance if you try it. Are you currently dosing two part?

Yes, I can shut off of alk doser tho, also if I went the opening a window route how long would I need to have the window open for?

 

[Kristopher Conlin]

Yes, I can shut off of alk doser tho, also if I went the opening a window route how long would I need to have the window open for?

The idea is replacing the co2 filled air on your house with fresh air from outside. If it's not to hot or humid out leaving it open for an hour or so would help. But you would need to do it regularly to make a permanent difference.

 

[Kolby’s Reef]

The idea is replacing the co2 filled air on your house with fresh air from outside. If it's not to hot or humid out leaving it open for an hour or so would help. But you would need to do it regularly to make a permanent difference.

I bought a apex system used, I ordered some calibration solution for the PH probe. I was considering though if that probe could be bad? If it is do the new apex PH probes come calibrated already?

 

[AydenLincoln]

And there’s this one. It’s only about $30 and on sale. You just have to buy the media for it. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-universal-co2-scrubber.html

 

[wculver]

I have done a little research saw by simply opening a window it could help raise PH. However what are some other ways to raise it? Will water changes raise it or lower it? It is currently at 7.7 and I am wanting to be around 8.3.

The pH is going to fluctuate over the course of the day. Mine for example goes from about 8.25 - 8.38 or so daily. If it weren't for my chaeto in the fuge it would vary more as the the chaeto runs opposite of the tank. Couple things that can vary this number:
1. If you open a window it does make a big difference. I've actually had it get to nearly 8.5 and worried that's a little high when the weather is nice. I'm in Texas though so summer time windows are closed and the Ph is still on target.
2. The occupants in your house, including animals, will change the CO2 dynamics. If the CO2 is that high you can either run outside air from an air hose to the skimmer or a scrubber. The scrubber is going to be an expensive option though.
3. Not sure how old the tank is but as the coral find their stride and grow they will consume more CO2 thereby self-managing the pH. (pH goes up when the dissolved CO2 goes down)
4. Like somebody said in the posts, try not to chase numbers. You may well be just fine where you are.