Low PH issues - will Co2 scrubber help?

[atomic081]

Hey everyone, I'm having issues withe my PH running low. It has consistency ran from 7.6 to 7.8. I know not to chase numbers but I'm considering getting a CO2 scrubber.

A little info:
1200g system.
Aprox 6'x10' of water surface area in the room.
My home furnace is in a adjoining room(no door). Aprox 16 feet away from display tank
I have a fresh air Intake on my skimmer running outside.

Since I already have a fresh air intake, will a CO2 scrubber do alot more to raise the PH?

Also. For a tank of this size. Am I going to be going through massive amounts of soda lime/co2 resin?

Thanks!

 

[Rick Strauss]

Try kalk for your top off water. Should get .2 higher

 

[joseserrano]

It will help, but you are going to use a lot and quick. Your filtration room is probably not ventilated

 

[Backreefing]

I second useing kalk to raise it. Kalkwasser will bind to co2 to create the alkalinity thus removing the co2 raises the PH .

 

[atomic081]

Try kalk for your top off water. Should get .2 higher

It will help, but you are going to use a lot and quick. Your filtration room is probably not ventilated

I second useing kalk to raise it. Kalkwasser will bind to co2 to create the alkalinity thus removing the co2 raises the PH .

My problem with using kalk in my topoff is that I go through so much topoff so fast. I have a 55g drum on a float from my rodi. I cant do it reliability without reworking my ATO

I might be able to dose it in high concentrate form though.....thus making my ATO work less. What do you think about that

 

[Sledgehammer87]

I had a similar issue with my tank, only it usually ran between 7.75 and 7.85. I have an airline run from my skimmer to outside too. I just recently added a CO2 scrubber and now I'm running 7.95 to 8.15. Prepare to buy a lot of media if you go this route...kalk would probably be cheaper in the long run.

 

[Backreefing]

It’s easy . Fill up your ato container, then add 1 teaspoon of kalk for each gallon , then let it set for 2 or more hours. And turn on the ato evaporation regulates your usage. When empty rinse your ato container and repeat if you want .

 

[Backreefing]

Or make a kalk container and drip it in old time style. With a aquarium that big I’d make a 5 gallon bucket into a drip container.
BTW heck of a large tank , cool .

 

[atomic081]

It’s easy . Fill up your ato container, then add 1 teaspoon of kalk for each gallon , then let it set for 2 or more hours. And turn on the ato evaporation regulates your usage. When empty rinse your ato container and repeat if you want .

I think I go through my 55g drum in topoff in about a week. Its too much work to keep mixing that much up every week and if I'm off a day or 2 the tank goes dry. I gotta go a different route than that

 

[DangerDave]

I have a hot water heater in my fish room, I feel your pain. My system is smaller @ 450g. My ph numbers mirror yours if I don’t actively adjust for it.

I use a kalk stirrer to put a few gallons of kalk a day in, the ato handles the rest. This is the cleanest, easiest way to use kalk imo.

I also use a c02 scrubber. Run you air intake to your skimmer lid. The lower co2 level and the moist air from the skimmer cup will extend the life of the media. Buy the soda lime for the scrubber in 5 gallon bucket size to make it cost efficient.

With these efforts I usually see 8 to 8.3 throughout the day.

Good luck!

 

[Reefcowboy]

Dont chase Ph. When I used an algae scrubber my ph barely changed during photoperiod(reverse cycle). I have dosed Kalk for years and still now in the summer with windows consistently closed(AC running all day) my ph swings between 7.6-7.9
If you start dosing more kalk to get ph closer to 8.3, your alk will climb high...
Keep params stable and corals will grow, 7.6,7.8 or 8.3

 

[homer1475]

Dont chase Ph. When I used an algae scrubber my ph barely changed during photoperiod(reverse cycle). I have dosed Kalk for years and still now in the summer with windows consistently closed(AC running all day) my ph swings between 7.6-7.9
If you start dosing more kalk to get ph closer to 8.3, your alk will climb high...
Keep params stable and corals will grow, 7.6,7.8 or 8.3

+1

While we all would like to maintain that magical 8.3, your PH of 7.6 to 7.8 is right where my tank ran for years with 0 issues. I have since put an airline from the outside to my skimmer which puts me right at 7.8 for a low and 8.1 at the max.

You don't always want maximum growth(what you would get with 8.3PH). Sometimes just cruising is better then trying to play mad scientist with your tank.

As a side note:
What are you using to measure your PH, and is it calibrated and accurate? Figure that out first, before you start chasing numbers.

 

[atomic081]

+1

While we all would like to maintain that magical 8.3, your PH of 7.6 to 7.8 is right where my tank ran for years with 0 issues. I have since put an airline from the outside to my skimmer which puts me right at 7.8 for a low and 8.1 at the max.

You don't always want maximum growth(what you would get with 8.3PH). Sometimes just cruising is better then trying to play mad scientist with your tank.

As a side note:
What are you using to measure your PH, and is it calibrated and accurate? Figure that out first, before you start chasing numbers.

I have a Apex setup measuring my PH.

I know my Alk is low and I am just starting to dose it. I know that will jump it from 7.8 to 8.0. I setup a Trident this weekend to monitor it.

Im gonna add a small Co2 scrubber (already have a old media reactor) as a test and dose Kalk water to see if it helps with both the Alk and the low Alk problem. After that the tank will be what it is.