Raise pH only

bmcd45 · Sep 17, 2020

Hi I am working to lower my Alk bc of bad salt mix. It is slowly dropping with water changes and new salt mix.
However I need to raise my pH but not Alk.

It’s at 8.09-8.11 I’d like it to get around that 8.3 mark.

Daddy-o · Sep 17, 2020

If you run a skimmer, you could extend the air intake so that you can put the end outside?
Cheers! Mark

bmcd45 · Sep 17, 2020

Daddy-o said:
If you run a skimmer, you could extend the air intake so that you can put the end outside?
Cheers! Mark

I do run a skimmer. What do you mean extend the air intake and put the end outside?
I’m sorry I’m fairly new to the reef world

ZoWhat · Sep 17, 2020

Mark beat me to it. Hooking up your skimmer to a 1/4" airhose and get thst airline outside drawing in outside air will increase your ph.

Problem is the airline can't be more than lets say a 15-20ft run.

I have an outside airline but bc of the length I chose to run a larger inner-diameter airline of (I think) is 3/8th or larger. I cant remember. When this larger inner-diameter line got to the skimmer I used fittings to reduce it down to the 1/4" requirement of the skimmer.

I also Y-ed off this airline and hooked the 2nd Y to an aerator powerhead that blow micro bubbles in the sump.

So I have a DUAL threat. A skimmer sucking outside air AND an aerator blowing micro bubbles using the same outside air

HuduVudu · Sep 17, 2020

bmcd45 said:
I do run a skimmer. What do you mean extend the air intake and put the end outside?
I’m sorry I’m fairly new to the reef world

CO2 build up in your house is often the culprit for lowered PH. Pulling in outside air with lowered CO2 usually helps outgas excess CO2 in your aquarium.

Other solutions are reverse lit algae scrubbers and kalkwasser.

ZoWhat · Sep 17, 2020

HuduVudu said:
Other solutions are reverse lit algae scrubbers and kalkwasser.

The monthly cost of replacing the exhausted media in a CO2 Scrubber is like $20-$30/month. Im not spending a $1/day so my tank can be 8.2 vs 8.0

Nooooooot worth it

HuduVudu · Sep 17, 2020

skimjim said:
The monthly cost of replacing the exhausted media in a CO2 Scrubber is like $20-$30/month. Im not spending a $1/day so my tank can be 8.2 vs 8.0

Nooooooot worth it

Ohhh forgot that one.

And you are correct the scrubber media can be expensive.

FYI though the media can be reused. I am not quite sure how it is done, I think by heating it. I don't know how many re-uses you get out of it either, but it is an option.

ZoWhat · Sep 17, 2020

Honestly chasing ph is all in your head. Youve convinced yourself that if only my reef was 8.4 my coral growth would spillover over the lip of the tank. Aaaaah, no. Anything above 8.0 is nice but its really just a # in your noggin

I look at ph as a warning sign... if im clipping along at 7.8, 7.9.... then one day it's 7.6.. ..... WHOA! I better be putting my eyes and efforts on figuring things out what's going on

ZoWhat · Sep 17, 2020

@bmcd45 how many people live in your house?

Tell them if they need to breath.... take thst activity O U T S I D E.

NO MORE BREATHING IN THE HOUSE THAN WHAT IS NECESSARY.

Lololololololololol

h2so4hurts · Sep 17, 2020

I go through about $30 a month worth of scrubber media AND have the line sucking in air from outside (3/8" about a 20ft run, thinking of increasing to 3/4") and my peak daily pH is 8.15. Tank is in the basement though so it makes sense.

Sisterlimonpot · Sep 17, 2020

skimjim said:
Honestly chasing ph is all in your head. Youve convinced yourself that if only my reef was 8.4 my coral growth would spillover over the lip of the tank. Aaaaah, no. Anything above 8.0 is nice but its really just a # in your noggin

I look at ph as a warning sign... if im clipping along at 7.8, 7.9.... then one day it's 7.6.. ..... WHOA! I better be putting my eyes and efforts on figuring things out what's going on

Exactly!! Let that idea that pH is the issue escape from your thought process.

Bleigh · Sep 17, 2020

BRS did a video recently about pH at 8.3 versus 7.8. There are a few easy things you can do to help get it up, I choose to do some of their options, and I've been seeing my ph get above 8.1 for the first time ever. I think it is worth doing some of the easy fixes. I'm not sure I'd be willing to invest in a CO2 scrubber at this point, but maybe one day.

More surface agitation to allow CO2 to outgas.
More outside air - open windows. I have a storm door with a screen on it next to the tank, so I try to keep it open on nice days.
Refugium for uptake of CO2 - I already had one, but I increased my photoperiod to help uptake a bit more CO2. My nutrients are on the higher side, so this should have a double effect for me.
Hook your skimmer to fresh air source (as others have said). Adding a skimmer line that sucks in fresh air rather than the stale air under the tank and/or in the house can be beneficial if the area you live in does not have an air pollution problem.

Out of curiosity, what is your Alk at? You said it spiked, but that can be different values to different people.

Sleeping Giant · Sep 17, 2020

Just opening a window close to the aquarium will help raise it too.
Too much heavy breathing will make it go down, lol CO2 gets too high in enclosed spaces, with no ventilation.

ZoWhat · Sep 17, 2020

Bleigh said:
BRS did a video recently about pH at 8.3 versus 7.8. There are a few easy things you can do to help get it up, I choose to do some of their options, and I've been seeing my ph get above 8.1 for the first time ever. I think it is worth doing some of the easy fixes. I'm not sure I'd be willing to invest in a CO2 scrubber at this point, but maybe one day.

More surface agitation to allow CO2 to outgas.

More outside air - open windows. I have a storm door with a screen on it next to the tank, so I try to keep it open on nice days.

Refugium for uptake of CO2 - I already had one, but I increased my photoperiod to help uptake a bit more CO2. My nutrients are on the higher side, so this should have a double effect for me.

Hook your skimmer to fresh air source (as others have said). Adding a skimmer line that sucks in fresh air rather than the stale air under the tank and/or in the house can be beneficial if the area you live in does not have an air pollution problem.

Out of curiosity, what is your Alk at? You said it spiked, but that can be different values to different people.

@Bleigh I think rasing ph is easy.

All you need to do is buy yourself a personal Island in the Caribbean. Have a house built that is wide open with Ocean breezes sweeping thru the house 24/7/365. The breeze will whip in and around your gorgeous 500g tank

500gals of Lich Zoas.... Awwwwe

Much like this below. PROBLEM SOLVED

HuduVudu · Sep 17, 2020

Bleigh said:
BRS did a video recently about pH at 8.3 versus 7.8. There are a few easy things you can do to help get it up, I choose to do some of their options, and I've been seeing my ph get above 8.1 for the first time ever. I think it is worth doing some of the easy fixes. I'm not sure I'd be willing to invest in a CO2 scrubber at this point, but maybe one day.

More surface agitation to allow CO2 to outgas.

More outside air - open windows. I have a storm door with a screen on it next to the tank, so I try to keep it open on nice days.

Refugium for uptake of CO2 - I already had one, but I increased my photoperiod to help uptake a bit more CO2. My nutrients are on the higher side, so this should have a double effect for me.

Hook your skimmer to fresh air source (as others have said). Adding a skimmer line that sucks in fresh air rather than the stale air under the tank and/or in the house can be beneficial if the area you live in does not have an air pollution problem.

Out of curiosity, what is your Alk at? You said it spiked, but that can be different values to different people.

Ok, I have to say that you are up mighty early for a lich

Be careful with BRS, they have a bias and they want to sell to you. They provide just enough information to pull you in but then they push their products. That said your bullet points are sound.

I have been dealing with household CO2 for a while now and not primarily for my fish tank. I have just recently made an investment in a indoor air quality monitor that has been absolutely helpful in seeing indoor air quality and most importantly CO2 levels. Because my house is pretty old I have no real ventilation, I have to vent the house twice a day using a big fan in the window. I was shocked at the levels of CO2 in my house. I got the Airthings (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Airthin...01&gclid=CMug3ffC8OsCFRGvZQodLFoBnQ&gclsrc=ds) monitor. It is a bit expensive, but I can vouch for it's usefulness and it is pretty shocking to see the numbers. Perhaps this would be something useful to you also.

Just to note ph isn't always caused by indoor air quality but that it is a very high likelihood that it is.

jahel318 · Sep 17, 2020

I put Kalkwasser in my ATO resevoir tank to keep my pH balanced. It works like a charm.

ZoWhat · Sep 17, 2020

HuduVudu said:
Ok, I have to say that you are up mighty early for a lich

Be careful with BRS, they have a bias and they want to sell to you. They provide just enough information to pull you in but then they push their products. That said your bullet points are sound.

I have been dealing with household CO2 for a while now and not primarily for my fish tank. I have just recently made an investment in a indoor air quality monitor that has been absolutely helpful in seeing indoor air quality and most importantly CO2 levels. Because my house is pretty old I have no real ventilation, I have to vent the house twice a day using a big fan in the window. I was shocked at the levels of CO2 in my house. I got the Airthings (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Airthin...01&gclid=CMug3ffC8OsCFRGvZQodLFoBnQ&gclsrc=ds) monitor. It is a bit expensive, but I can vouch for it's usefulness and it is pretty shocking to see the numbers. Perhaps this would be something useful to you also.

Just to note ph isn't always caused by indoor air quality but that it is a very high likelihood that it is.

Fortunately and unfortunately houses that have been built after...say... 2000 are sooooo dag gone air tight, that CO2 build up is a problem

Our house built in 2004, you can barely hear tornado sirens blaring bc the house is so air tight.

Both good and bad

HuduVudu · Sep 17, 2020

skimjim said:
Fortunately and unfortunately houses that have been built after...say... 2000 are sooooo dag gone air tight, that CO2 build up is a problem

Our house built in 2004, you can barely hear tornado sirens blaring bc the house is so air tight.

Both good and bad

That an older house is 'leaky' is a total fallacy. They are leaky for energy but not for air. Our house was built in the 1950s and has most of the original windows and the CO2 goes up in 12 hours from 600ppm (what we get when we air it out) to 1200ppm. It is anything but leaky air wise. We are two people at 15000 ft3, FWIW.

It is supposed to be that the 'newer' houses pull air from the outside in some way. Like through the air handler or something. That is why I was recommending the CO2 monitor. You really can't tell what the CO2 of the house is at all by how you feel. I mean if the CO2 is 2500ppm ... I suppose you could tell then

HuduVudu · Sep 17, 2020

jahel318 said:
I put Kalkwasser in my ATO resevoir tank to keep my pH balanced. It works like a charm.

If you do this make sure that you do regular maintenance on your ATO pump, so that it doesn't seize from the hard water deposits. Vinegar or Citric acid will work fine for this.

Bleigh · Sep 18, 2020

skimjim said:
@Bleigh I think rasing ph is easy.

All you need to do is buy yourself a personal Island in the Caribbean. Have a house built that is wide open with Ocean breezes sweeping thru the house 24/7/365. The breeze will whip in and around your gorgeous 500g tank

500gals of Lich Zoas.... Awwwwe

Much like this below. PROBLEM SOLVED