low ph

[Deborah Armay]

Hi all. I'm struggling with a low ph. I have a 90 gallon reef tank with a refugium and sump. I have a protein skimmer and I am running a charcoal and GFO reactor to keep my phosphates under control. I have been dosing sodium ash according to BRS calculator to keep alkinity up. I have a 60 gal water station in the basement that does 3 gal/day auto water changes using the DOS. Here are my parameters
PH: 7.6
alk 8.2
Ca: 532
Mg 1600
phosphates 20 ppb
How can I raise the Ph without raises my alk level? I've been reading about CO2 scrubbers but I'm not very familiar with them. Any suggestions? I never had this problem when I was doing 20 gal water changes weekly. I've also read that RO/DI water and saltwater sitting in a barrel can raise increase acid in the water if not airtight. Thanks for the help.

 

[WIReefer]

What are you using to measure ph?

 

[Deborah Armay]

Apex probe and API

 

[Oscar47f]

CO2 scrubbing is basically a media that removes CO2 from getting into your skimmer it’s like a reactor that has a hose that attaches to the air intake in the skimmer... reducing CO2 helps increase PH so that’s the idea I think you can get a version of the pellets that can take it out of the water not sure... but either is a good way to help bump it up it just may be costly in the long run... other ways include running a line from your skimmer to the outside (if you do that be careful with pesticide spraying outside), and if you can dose kalkwasser as your calcium and alkalinity supplement it can raise PH...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How can I raise the Ph without raises my alk level?

Reducing CO2 in the water somehow is always the only way. There is no other possibility.

i discuss pH here;

pH And The Reef Aquarium
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/

 

[Deborah Armay]

CO2 scrubbing is basically a media that removes CO2 from getting into your skimmer it’s like a reactor that has a hose that attaches to the air intake in the skimmer... reducing CO2 helps increase PH so that’s the idea I think you can get a version of the pellets that can take it out of the water not sure... but either is a good way to help bump it up it just may be costly in the long run... other ways include running a line from your skimmer to the outside (if you do that be careful with pesticide spraying outside), and if you can dose kalkwasser as your calcium and alkalinity supplement it can raise PH...

Thanks I will try your suggestions.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

CO2 scrubbing is basically a media that removes CO2 from getting into your skimmer it’s like a reactor that has a hose that attaches to the air intake in the skimmer... reducing CO2 helps increase PH so that’s the idea I think you can get a version of the pellets that can take it out of the water not sure..

You mean some sort of pellet directly in the water? There's no such thing.

 

[Scorpius]

You more than likely have high co2 in your home. Find a way to permanently air out your house with fresh air.

 

[ChrisNH]

I had a similar issue in my basement when the family started using it more. I ran an airline outside for the skimmer but the best help was turning the air over at night with a fan in a window vent (I left on my small spray booth). It’s better for everyone, fish and people.

 

[Oscar47f]

You mean some sort of pellet directly in the water? There's no such thing.

Thank you Randy lol wasn’t sure if there was a possibility of it, guess not..

 

[Deborah Armay]

Thanks to all. Good advice I will try.