PH Problems

[ddreher47]

Okay... looking for some help. I have been chasing my PH numbers for a couple weeks now. Right now my PH is 7.7. I have a C02 scrubber on the skimmer. I have been buffering the PH. Cal is 420, ALK is 11.1

 

[Reef.]

Okay... looking for some help. I have been chasing my PH numbers for a couple weeks now. Right now my PH is 7.7. I have a C02 scrubber on the skimmer. I have been buffering the PH. Cal is 420, ALK is 11.1

have you a lot of surface movement and is the room the tank is in aired well?

 

[ddreher47]

have you a lot of surface movement and is the room the tank is in aired well?

I just moved my gyros up to stir up the surface. The AC is on in the house.

 

[Reef.]

I just moved my gyros up to stir up the surface. The AC is on in the house.

does the ac introduce fresh air into the room, fresh air has a big impact on Ph.

 

[ddreher47]

does the ac introduce fresh air into the room, fresh air has a big impact on Ph.

I think its recirculated. Would a fan on the sump help?

 

[Reef.]

I think its recirculated. Would a fan on the sump help?

the idea is removing the co2 from the room with fresh air that replaces it, a fan will help cool the tank and help with water movement which helps the gases from the water escape but the air in the room needs to have less bad gasses in it to help the gases in the water escape, if the air is no better than the water, that is not going to help much.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There's not much more you can do without freshening the room air, besides a scrubber on a skimmer inlet and high pH alk additives.

 

[ddreher47]

There's not much more you can do without freshening the room air, besides a scrubber on a skimmer inlet and high pH alk additives.

Opened the windows in the house and now the PH went up to 7.8. Looks like the AC is the issue. I obviously can not replace the central air but I was thinking about adding a window fan that would flood the room with fresh outside air. Thoughts?

 

[Reef.]

Opened the windows in the house and now the PH went up to 7.8. Looks like the AC is the issue. I obviously can not replace the central air but I was thinking about adding a window fan that would flood the room with fresh outside air. Thoughts?

that would be ideal, another option that would not be as good as your plan would be to run a air line from the outside to the skimmer, airing the room would probably work better, but may cost you more in ac etc

 

[ddreher47]

that would be ideal, another option that would not be as good as your plan would be to run a air line from the outside to the skimmer, airing the room would probably work better, but may cost you more in ac etc

The skimmer is attached to a CO2 scrubber. The PH was stable until I put the Nyos skimmer on it. The new skimmer replaced a reef octopus. Any idea what side the airline goes on for the two little fishes reactor. Right now the line is on the output.

 

[Reef.]

The skimmer is attached to a CO2 scrubber. The PH was stable until I put the Nyos skimmer on it. The new skimmer replaced a reef octopus. Any idea what side the airline goes on for the two little fishes reactor. Right now the line is on the output.

sorry can’t help with that.

 

[ReefLab]

have you tried dosing kalkwasser

 

[ddreher47]

have you tried dosing kalkwasser

I have not. I maintain the ALK and CAL with individual dosing pumps.

 

[ReefLab]

I have not. I maintain the ALK and CAL with individual dosing pumps.

Kalkwasser is a great way to raise your pH.
I dose both Kalkwasser and ESV alk and calcium supplements. You are limited by your alk consumption but I suggest trying that out.

 

[Reesj]

How do you check your PH ? If its a meter, I would recalibrate and check if the reading are correct..

 

[ddreher47]

How do you check your PH ? If its a meter, I would recalibrate and check if the reading are correct..

Yep. That’s what my LFS had me do. Same reading. I also used a Red Sea test kit and it reads the same as the probe.