Outside air?

[Pivitol]

I have seen videos and have read articles about running an outside fresh air line to the tank area specifically the skimmer, does this actually benefit in any way? If so what size tubing/pipe would actually be beneficial? I recently got the green light to move my tank to any area that will open up my options ten fold so I will be exploring different avenues with several questions. Thanks for reading.

 

[ncaldwell]

Inside air can have a higher level of co2 than the outside air especially in colder climates where opening windows for longer periods isn't an option. Just let's your skimmer suck in (hopefully) cleaner air from outside and give you a little ph bumb. I do it with a little 3/4 inch final tube running outside with a little charcoal filter on the end. Bumbed ph up about.35 for me and keeps it super consistent rather than jumping up when windows are open vs closed

 

[ncaldwell]

Oh also it boosts the longevity of a co2 scrubber since it has less co2 to remove. Again dependent on location

 

[Pivitol]

Thank you for the response, I have seen charcoal filters made out of pill bottles is that what you are using?

 

[GoVols]

I have seen videos and have read articles about running an outside fresh air line to the tank area specifically the skimmer, does this actually benefit in any way? If so what size tubing/pipe would actually be beneficial? I recently got the green light to move my tank to any area that will open up my options ten fold so I will be exploring different avenues with several questions. Thanks for reading.

Pivitol,
Piping my skimmers air intake made a slight difference in my ph.

It's not really about getting fresh air in, but getting the trapped in Co2 out of your home.
Co2 can be a ph killer.

We raise our windows all the time and some reefers use Co2 scrubbers with their skimmers.

If your ph is all good, then I would not worry about it.

 

[OceanL0ver]

I agree. If your skimmer is big enough, Annie hook it up to outside air you will definitely get less CO2. This will raise your pH.In my house where there are eight people, my pH would run 7.7 to 7.9. Now with an oversized skimmer and a three-quarter inch to running outside my pH is 8.1 to 8.3.

 

[lapin]

What it will do is add air that contains low levels of Co2. A closed in area is usually high in Co2. Good for plants but not for people. Lower levels of C02 will help you keep PH level up. You want tubing large enough that it will not starve your skimmer. Make the run as short as possible.

 

[GoVols]

Thank you for the response, I have seen charcoal filters made out of pill bottles is that what you are using?

A lot of reefers run this Co2 scrubber and media.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-...MIgpXbpaGL2gIVwxuBCh0jGA8sEAQYASABEgKhVPD_BwE

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-...MIgpXbpaGL2gIVwxuBCh0jGA8sEAQYAiABEgJhd_D_BwE

 

[Pivitol]

So more to the story, the tank is 200gal w/a 40gal sump sitting in the middle of my basement. The wife finally gave me the green light to move it to a wall where the stairs are and plumb my sump and everything else behind the wall. Today I bought my new sump a 100 gal Rubbermaid stock tank and will be adding a 40gal tank for a refugium. This area is unfinished so pretty much the sky is the limit. P.S. I will be upgrading my skimmer so if anyone is interested in a 1yo Lifereef SVS2-24 skimmer let me know.

 

[Pivitol]

What it will do is add air that contains low levels of Co2. A closed in area is usually high in Co2. Good for plants but not for people. Lower levels of C02 will help you keep PH level up. You want tubing large enough that it will not starve your skimmer. Make the run as short as possible.

With area I'm working with I can use any size tubing/pipe so my thinking was to use 1" pvc, and it would be about a 15' run then run tubing to the venturi inlet on my skimmer.

 

[lapin]

With area I'm working with I can use any size tubing/pipe so my thinking was to use 1" pvc, and it would be about a 15' run then run tubing to the venturi inlet on my skimmer.

That will work.
Food for thought; Maybe you can figure a way to get fresh air into the sump room. Weather permitting.

 

[ca1ore]

Certainly running a fresh air line to the skimmer cannot hurt (mostly), though it's effectiveness is dependent on a number of factors. In my system, for example, the improvement in pH is negligible.

 

[ncaldwell]

Its negligible for the summer months, depending on where you live however it can be greater. I'm in Alaska with a super airtight house and the house is sealed up for 7 months out of the year with people and several dogs. I got a decent bumb in ph but more importantly to me was stability. No more watching ph go from 7.8ish to 8.2 or higher which was changing my alk consumption

 

[Murraydar]

My tank went from sub 8 to a rock steady 8.2 ph when i added an air line from outside.

 

[kkeller416]

One thing to think of is outside pollutants..another local reefer to me lost his whole established tank to outside air when the town sprayed for mosquitoes..just fyi

 

[2CC's]

It bumped my ph from 8.0 up to 8.2. House is pretty tight, but we do have an air exchange that runs 24/7 in the cold and cooler months. I ran 3/8 ID tube about 30 ft - the orifice opening is around 3/16" so i figured it's almost 4 times the area - and I disconnect the line it doesn't seem to make a difference in the foam level (its a small skimmer - EuroReef RS80)