Needing help finding permanent PH cure

[Chikpeas]

Hi guys! Looking for some experienced help here!!!

I came home, my tank smelled like cat urine…
Tested ammonia and had a hunch on PH, my ammonia spiked to .2 and my PH dropped to 7.6 (originally 8.1) I think that the acidic water made it smell that way.

I got an Airstone and am currently running it from outside my room and into my Display. It raised the PH to 8.2 !
Now, the problem I’m having is how do I keep it that way?
My room has no ventilation and 0 airflow and I can’t keep the door open all day. (Cats.)
What would be able to bring more O2 in or did I just need more flow in my tank?

Here’s a video of the agitation I had before the Airstone.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

More gas exchange. Get a skimmer, open a window, add macro alage, increase surface agitation.

 

[Chikpeas]

More gas exchange. Get a skimmer, open a window, add macro alage, increase surface agitation.

Would phytoplankton help as well? Bleh I was trying to avoid a skimmer

Time to start hunting!

 

[GARRIGA]

Bringing O2 in wasn't what raised your pH. Was letting co2 out. As mentioned there are options. Google Randy Holmes Farley on pH.

Refugium or ATS likely best option if skimmer not. Run it opposite display lights or 24/7 as I do and that will pull out co2 if sized properly although you'll be amazed how little is needed.

Phyto would solve co2 but water would be tinted green and might not be aesthetically pleasing. Would also filter out nutrients and can feed the corals plus you'd have the ability to culture pods but this not to everyone's taste and not going to be sustainable long term unless you're thinking of dosing live phyto daily as a means of nutrition, filtration and co2 removal. Latter might work but likely more effort and less efficient than an ATS.

 

[Chikpeas]

Bringing O2 in wasn't what raised your pH. Was letting co2 out. As mentioned there are options. Google Randy Holmes Farley on pH.

Refugium or ATS likely best option if skimmer not. Run it opposite display lights or 24/7 as I do and that will pull out co2 if sized properly although you'll be amazed how little is needed.

Phyto would solve co2 but water would be tinted green and might not be aesthetically pleasing. Would also filter out nutrients and can feed the corals plus you'd have the ability to culture pods but this not to everyone's taste and not going to be sustainable long term unless you're thinking of dosing live phyto daily as a means of nutrition, filtration and co2 removal. Latter might work but likely more effort and less efficient than an ATS.

Is a refugium doable for a 7 gallon aio? I have had a HOB 5 gallon for my old reef, but my current tank is 7 gallons. I wanted to make one of the chambers chaeto and macros— but there’s honestly no room with my bio media.

I just got a decent powerhead today, I’ll turn up my return pump for higher flow as well and look into what you suggested!

T-minus 24 hours to fix my problems.

 

[GARRIGA]

Is a refugium doable for a 7 gallon aio? I have had a HOB 5 gallon for my old reef, but my current tank is 7 gallons. I wanted to make one of the chambers chaeto and macros— but there’s honestly no room with my bio media.

I just got a decent powerhead today, I’ll turn up my return pump for higher flow as well and look into what you suggested!

T-minus 24 hours to fix my problems.

I have a 15 AIO in the garage I considered adding chaeto to one of the chambers and all you need is a small light to get going. IM makes ChaetoMax light that would likely fit your chamber. Only concern being too much water can cause flow to not go correctly and detritus might line up. You’ll have to see how that goes. Probably best first chamber as it will also act as a prefilter.

Another option is a small HOB modified to grow chaeto. Lots of YouTube videos on doing that. Find a HOB that fits your pump return chamber although might be noisy from the return water splashing and likely not as efficient as just filling the first chamber as it might recirculate water from pump chamber vs making sure all water contacting in first chamber.

 

[Chikpeas]

I have a 15 AIO in the garage I considered adding chaeto to one of the chambers and all you need is a small light to get going. IM makes ChaetoMax light that would likely fit your chamber. Only concern being too much water can cause flow to not go correctly and detritus might line up. You’ll have to see how that goes. Probably best first chamber as it will also act as a prefilter.

Another option is a small HOB modified to grow chaeto. Lots of YouTube videos on doing that. Find a HOB that fits your pump return chamber although might be noisy from the return water splashing and likely not as efficient as just filling the first chamber as it might recirculate water from pump chamber vs making sure all water contacting in first chamber.

I just found a Ton of reddish hinted pink slimy crap all over my bio media and bio netting in one of the Chambers. I discovered the source of the cat pee smell

Not sure if it’s algae or bacteria, but could that have been the cause of a PH drop?

 

[GARRIGA]

I just found a Ton of reddish hinted pink slimy crap all over my bio media and bio netting in one of the Chambers. I discovered the source of the cat pee smell

Not sure if it’s algae or bacteria, but could that have been the cause of a PH drop?

Take a pic and post it but highly doubt that's the cause of pH drop. Might want to start a new thread focused on just that.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Hi guys! Looking for some experienced help here!!!

I came home, my tank smelled like cat urine…
Tested ammonia and had a hunch on PH, my ammonia spiked to .2 and my PH dropped to 7.6 (originally 8.1) I think that the acidic water made it smell that way.

I got an Airstone and am currently running it from outside my room and into my Display. It raised the PH to 8.2 !
Now, the problem I’m having is how do I keep it that way?
My room has no ventilation and 0 airflow and I can’t keep the door open all day. (Cats.)
What would be able to bring more O2 in or did I just need more flow in my tank?

Here’s a video of the agitation I had before the Airstone.

Get a protein skimmer, and a CO2 scrubber, that is what did it for me. I have always had a skimmer, but hooking up a scrubber to it really fixed my ph.