pH rising higher than typical when on vacation

[TehBrainz]

So we just left for a long weekend trip yesterday and this morning I noticed the pH of the tank is much higher than typical.

We left yesterday morning (3 people and 1 golden retriever) and by last night the pH had climbed to a high, but within control, level (8.2 +/- 0.05). I have pH controlled via ball valve with a CO2 scrubber and internal air.

Assuming the pH will reach equilibrium while we are gone (5 days or so) is this rise of concern? Currently sitting at 8.33.

Also, I verified probes the day before leaving so I'm confident in the numbers.

 

[Minifoot77]

Sounds like your house is efficient and you 4 are producing to much excess co2

 

[Garf]

So we just left for a long weekend trip yesterday and this morning I noticed the pH of the tank is much higher than typical.

We left yesterday morning (3 people and 1 golden retriever) and by last night the pH had climbed to a high, but within control, level (8.2 +/- 0.05). I have pH controlled via ball valve with a CO2 scrubber and internal air.

Assuming the pH will reach equilibrium while we are gone (5 days or so) is this rise of concern? Currently sitting at 8.33.

Also, I verified probes the day before leaving so I'm confident in the numbers.

No concern at all. Tanks tend to go cloudy if the pH gets too high, in mine that is above 8.6pH.

 

[jda]

That level is fine.

It does show that you might need to do a bit more air exchange in your home. Even with a co2 scrubber, the co2 in the air still has more to do with tank pH than the scrubber does... the air co2 has every surface, sump, overflow fall, etc. to interact with the high co2.

Even if your inside co2 gets near 400, the tank pH should not get in a dangerous level without using a strong base like Kalkwasser.

 

[TehBrainz]

Sounds like your house is efficient and you 4 are producing to much excess co2

So what you're saying is we need to regulate our own CO2 levels and put holes in the exterior walls for extra air management. Got it!

 

[dwest]

So we just left for a long weekend trip yesterday and this morning I noticed the pH of the tank is much higher than typical.

We left yesterday morning (3 people and 1 golden retriever) and by last night the pH had climbed to a high, but within control, level (8.2 +/- 0.05). I have pH controlled via ball valve with a CO2 scrubber and internal air.

Assuming the pH will reach equilibrium while we are gone (5 days or so) is this rise of concern? Currently sitting at 8.33.

Also, I verified probes the day before leaving so I'm confident in the numbers.

Mine does the same. It should equilibrate in a couple days. You’ll see alkalinity usage increase as well.

 

[TehBrainz]

Mine does the same. It should equilibrate in a couple days. You’ll see alkalinity usage increase as well.

Too bad I don't have an automated alk tester. Would be cool to see that effect in real time also.

That level is fine.

It does show that you might need to do a bit more air exchange in your home. Even with a co2 scrubber, the co2 in the air still has more to do with tank pH than the scrubber does... the air co2 has every surface, sump, overflow fall, etc. to interact with the high co2.

Even if your inside co2 gets near 400, the tank pH should not get in a dangerous level without using a strong base like Kalkwasser.

Not sure how I could do this besides opening windows when home. I suppose there are dampeners and systems I could add to the HVAC to pull in fresh air and exhaust stale air. Living in the Southeast makes that more difficult with the summers and high heat/humidity

 

[John K]

8.2-8.33, That’s a very small change. I wouldn’t be the least bit concerned about the slight change in ph (or the environmental Co2 level). This is simply a slight elevation from breathing. That’s supposed to happen

 

[Eengmd]

If someone crashes your home while you are gone and has a big party, the pH will come down. Just kidding, I notice the same trend when I’m gone all the time as well

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

So what you're saying is we need to regulate our own CO2 levels and put holes in the exterior walls for extra air management. Got it!

Just open the windows once a week and put the A/C on fan for an hour, helps push out any excess CO2 that's being generated.

If your A/C handler is inside your house/apartment it just circulates all the air that's inside and doesn't introduce fresh air. Usually if the A/C handler is outside/in a garage the window trick won't work as the handler is pulling in fresh air and pushing it through the house.

The pH is all my tanks will usually drift up when we are gone for a few days as there is not as much CO2 being generated by the occupants (4 people & 2 dogs).

 

[jda]

Not sure how I could do this besides opening windows when home. I suppose there are dampeners and systems I could add to the HVAC to pull in fresh air and exhaust stale air. Living in the Southeast makes that more difficult with the summers and high heat/humidity

That is exactly what you do. You open a few windows for a bit. You don't have to cool or heat the home, just exchange some air. Everybody deals with this on one side or another - we are supposed to get snow here today and I opened two windows 3 inches for 10 minutes, or so, and the temp never moved. If the tank pH can move with co2 humans and pets can have problems too. I won't put a price on better sleep, better health and all of that, but it might take a few years of additional AC cost at a dollar or two a month to pay for a soda lime reactor and media.

 

[TehBrainz]

8.2-8.33, That’s a very small change. I wouldn’t be the least bit concerned about the slight change in ph (or the environmental Co2 level). This is simply a slight elevation from breathing. That’s supposed to happen

Ignorance is bliss, before having constant monitoring I would've never thought nor "worried" about these changes since I'd measure while we were home for some time or even before a trip

 

[Minifoot77]

So what you're saying is we need to regulate our own CO2 levels and put holes in the exterior walls for extra air management. Got it!

I was thinking more about tell the wife kids and doggo to quit breathing so much

 

[TehBrainz]

If someone crashes your home while you are gone and has a big party, the pH will come down. Just kidding, I notice the same trend when I’m gone all the time as well

This will be my security measure when my sons older and leave them at home for a weekend.

"Hey son, I know you had people over because the pH lowered after your mom and I left instead of going up! By my calculations you had at least 10 people here. Oh and I saw them on the ring camera too"