Low Ph

[USMA36]

I can't seem to get my Ph up. I am averaging 7.79. I run Kalk through my ATO at 1.5 tsp per gallon. My Alk average is 10.3 and my Calcium 410. My first thought is that I have high Co2 levels in my house. The house is sealed up pretty tight. Yesterday I ran an airline from my Skimmer to the exterior of my house. It's been about 24 hours so far with little to no improvement. I was really hoping the exterior skimming line would help. If I bump kalk to 2 tsp per gallon my alk get a little too high at about 11.3. Any ideas?

 

[cap232]

do you have power head agitating the top of the water.? if you don't that will let co2 build up

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[saltyfilmfolks]

By more coral.

 

[USMA36]

Ha. I'd love to buy more. Maybe his is the excuse I can give my wife. I have a 3000gph gyre running about 70% (anymore causes a sandstorm) and 2 return lines. My surface looks pretty well agitated.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

"It's for the PH honey. The Internet said I should. "

Lol.

As I recall you had issues with the refugium yea?

Personally I'd give the skimmer line some time and not sweat the ph too hard.

I know. Everyone says don't chase ph. But then they say here's how to do it.

 

[USMA36]

Yes I had my chaeto shrink almost completely even whil having 20ppm nitrates and .8 phosphates. It's. Even about 48 hours since I ran the airline outside with very very little change.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

that's really weird. Both things. imo its light and flow in a fuge. But that said, you've confirmed the PH with a second test?

 

[hhholds]

I am having same issues. Have tried the airline from skimmer to outside, agitating surface, and injecting air via pump and airstones...all to no avail. Alk/Ca stable at 9.4/450 but corals not thriving and no coralline growth and tank is 8mths old. PH fluctuates between 7.8 and 8.0. Would love to find the magic bullet

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am having same issues. Have tried the airline from skimmer to outside, agitating surface, and injecting air via pump and airstones...all to no avail. Alk/Ca stable at 9.4/450 but corals not thriving and no coralline growth and tank is 8mths old. PH fluctuates between 7.8 and 8.0. Would love to find the magic bullet

FWIW, agitating the surface or an airstone with inside air can make things worse, especially if you are bringing in air from outside to a skimmer, because thee tank top and airstone are still aerating with the potentially high CO2 indoor air.

That said, pH 7.8 to 8.0 is OK and is not likely the cause of growth so slow that you think it is poor.

If you really want to raise pH more, use a scrubber on the skimmer intake (still using outside air), use limewater, bring in more fresh air to the room, drive ore photosynthesis (as with macroalgae) and/or reduce the tank top agitation and airstone (unless it uses outside or scrubbed air).

 

[hhholds]

I stopped using air stones, reduced surface agitation, started using Kalk in ATO. PH has increased and stabilized between 8.1-8.2. Alk =9, Ca=420, Mg 1500 all other parameters are stable as well PO4=0ppm, NH4=0 only NO3 seems out of range sometimes rising to 80ppm and after water change drops to 25ppm. Recently harvested chaeto from refugium but saw little change to NO3 levels.

Still not seeing any growth from coralline or corals.