Low PH Issue

[cdness]

OK, so here's the scoop... I have low PH tank water and I am having difficulties figuring out how to raise it up to where it should be... It is typically ranging between 7.5 and 7.7 but has dropped to 7.35 when we had lots of people over. The tank is a 125G tank with 75G sump. Below is an image from ReefTronics showing the last 7 days of PH:

Apex History « Reeftronics

Here are some bits of info on the tank:

1. I do water changes monthly and they can range from 20 - 30 gallons with Reef Crystals salt and RODI
2. I have calibrated my PH probe and done the drip test to make sure the numbers are accurate.
3. I dose the BRS Alk solution which raises the PH when dosed
4. My skimmer intake has been re-routed to pull air from about 4.5 feet off the ground
5. I have good surface agitation on the display by using the return pumps to break the top surface of the water.
6. My house is mostly closed up as the temps reach below zero at night. I cannot run a tube to fresh air to pull it from outside as no window is near the tank.
7. My tank parameters are maintained constant at 9-10 dkh Alk, 440-450 ppm Calcium, and 1400 Magnesium. Phosphates last I tested were at .02 via Hanna Phosphate pocket checker.

A couple options I have thought about and would like some feedback on:

1. CO2 scrubber... This may get me some PH boost, but will it be effective enough for long term?
2. Raise the skimmer intake to above the tank. Will extending it up to about 8 feet off the ground make that much of a difference?
3. More surface agitation. This will cause major splashing though if I go too much.
4. PH Buffer Powder - This is just a temporary fix and I'd like to stay away from it if possible. I should be able to maintain a good PH without it.

I have a calcium reactor that I would like to look into getting hooked up, but I just do not feel comfortable doing that if I can't maintain a good PH without it hooked up. It is my understanding that it can lower PH even more so that will not work.

 

[Downbeach]

Sounds like high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, with the house all closed up, more people = more CO2. You could try a CO2 scrubber, but the sodalime may get expensive. Have you tried adding any kalk to your top off?

 

[Neon Reef]

or here's a real easy fix...put a couple of plants next to your tank...i did that after reading an article on co2 a few years back and i tried it on my last tank and sure enough..problem solved. good luck.

 

[always reefin]

or here's a real easy fix...put a couple of plants next to your tank...i did that after reading an article on co2 a few years back and i tried it on my last tank and sure enough..problem solved. good luck.

Curious as to what that will do? Size of plants needed? Thanks

 

[Neon Reef]

Plants take in Co2 and in exchange give us fresh oxygen...or here's the longer and more detailed version.

Carbon dioxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[WillKatt]

My pH use to be about the same as yours and honestly it wasnt a problem. I have firmly belived for a while the some tanks just seem to balance out at lower pH than others and as long as everything else is in check and your not droping rediculously low you shouldnt worry about it. I think some people do more damage chasing pH around then just letting eveything find it natural balance. I can say that when I added an ATS, a little kalk to my ATO and spread out my alk/ca dosing to 6 times throughout the day instead of just one big dose my ph rose to 7.9-8.2 and has stayed there.

Sounds like your doing everything else right.

 

[Ms. Mermaid]

or here's a real easy fix...put a couple of plants next to your tank...i did that after reading an article on co2 a few years back and i tried it on my last tank and sure enough..problem solved. good luck.

What size of plants needed to do this because I have a 125 RR with the same issue low PH constantly?

I just started using Mrs. Wages + vinegar inside my topoff container so I am not sure if this has helped any or not. Top surface water is getting lots of movement from my Tunze Turbelle Stream 6085 and return pump is a Ehiem 1262.

 

[Neon Reef]

I had a 90 gallon tank at the time and simply got 3 regular sized household plants. I would also leave my windows open when I was home to let in fresh air..that might not be an option for some of you now that it's winter time though. lol

 

[cdness]

I had the same thought about the soda lime getting expensive. It is surely not cheap stuff.

I do have a couple house plants in the room where the tank is. Unfortunately the tank is on a wall with both sides right next to walkways so I cannot put the plants right next to the tank. I wonder if they would do OK hanging above the tank? Is there anything in the average spider plant that could kill a reef tank?

Windows open is not really an option. I do this to cool off the house every once in awhile as the tank keeps it nice and toasty. Otherwise they need to be shut or it will get too cold. Our temps get to below zero and sometimes significantly below zero at night and don't get much past 20 degrees during the day on a good day this time of year...

I will try the Kalk idea in the top off water and see if it helps a bit. I tried to stay away from that as it isn't a self maintaining system. I will need to add kalk every few days for my top off container. It is not something I really wanted to do, but I may have to try it anyway.

I do understand that some tanks do level off at a lower PH. Chasing PH is a bad thing which is why I want to stay away from buffers. I was thinking there was something I was missing, but maybe it is just a different ph level to stabilize for my tank.