Raise ph with an air stone??

[Paul31733]

Hey everyone!
I am having a problem with low pH. It is getting below 7.7 at night.
I live in Canada so cannot open a window.
I have a fluval Evo 13.5g tank so I do not have a skimmer I can hook an airline to.

My question is... If it is oxygen the tank needs. Could I install an air stone with a pump and run that airline from outside?

Thanks for your advice.
Paul.

 

[Paul31733]

 

[MarshallB]

Introducing outside air will definitely help. The air inside your house builds up Co2 which the tank absorbs.

Eheim makes an adjustable airstone i've used on my freshwater tank. That way you can adjust the o2 levels vs how many bubbles you want in your tank.

Air Diffuser

Edit: Missed that you didn't have a skimmer.

 

[Paul31733]

Introducing outside air will definitely help. Why not run the airline to your skimmer? An airstone will help, but the skimmer is better at mixing the air with the water.

Thank you for your help .. if you read my post it says I do not have a skimmer due to the size of tank... Just use filter floss.

 

[Ron Reefman]

If your home is closed up, the air in the house probably has an elevated C02 level. So pumping more of the same air into the tank is unlikely to have much effect. Of course that assumes you have an open top above the tank and good water movement to help gas exchange (C02 out and oxygen in).

Feed the air pump with outside air, not the skimmer.

 

[garbled]

Be careful running an airline from outside. Given you're in Canada, you will basically be pumping cold air into the tank.

Try increasing surface agitation by aiming a powerhead or output at the water's surface, try to get more mixture up there. An airstone won't hurt, but might not look great unless you can hide it somewhere. Also be sure the bubbles don't get sucked into a nearby pump.

 

[Paul31733]

Be careful running an airline from outside. Given you're in Canada, you will basically be pumping cold air into the tank.

Try increasing surface agitation by aiming a powerhead or output at the water's surface, try to get more mixture up there. An airstone won't hurt, but might not look great unless you can hide it somewhere. Also be sure the bubbles don't get sucked into a nearby pump.

Thank you. I didn't think about how cold the air might be and cool down the tank.... Geese

 

[Paul31733]

Be careful running an airline from outside. Given you're in Canada, you will basically be pumping cold air into the tank.

Try increasing surface agitation by aiming a powerhead or output at the water's surface, try to get more mixture up there. An airstone won't hurt, but might not look great unless you can hide it somewhere. Also be sure the bubbles don't get sucked into a nearby pump.

Thank you. I didn't think about how cold the air might be and cool down the tank.... Uh

Be careful running an airline from outside. Given you're in Canada, you will basically be pumping cold air into the tank.

Try increasing surface agitation by aiming a powerhead or output at the water's surface, try to get more mixture up there. An airstone won't hurt, but might not look great unless you can hide it somewhere. Also be sure the bubbles don't get sucked into a nearby pump.

I have alot of surface agitation... I appreciate your help... Maybe I will run an air stone line from outside but monitor my tank temp for awhile... Maybe put it in my AIO section near the heater itself?

 

[garbled]

If you are using the built-in thermostat on the heater, don't put the airline near the heater. This will give the heater a "false reading" and cause it to run more than it should. Ideally you want the source of heat and the source of cold far apart, and with lots of water movement the heater should get the actual tank temp and compensate, assuming it's up to the task.

 

[Paul31733]

My inkbird heater controller probe is in chamber #1 . My heater is in chamber three.
What do you think would be best placement?

 

[garbled]

Sorry, not familiar with the tank. If the probe is far away from the heater, then it's probably ok to bubble near the heater. You just don't want to bubble onto the probe, because that will falsify the reading.

 

[Paul31733]

Sorry, not familiar with the tank. If the probe is far away from the heater, then it's probably ok to bubble near the heater. You just don't want to bubble onto the probe, because that will falsify the reading.

Ok I will try this out and let you guys know what happens ! Thanks!

 

[davidcalgary29]

I have the exact same problem. Unfortunately, nighttime temperatures at this time of year typically range from -20C to -40C in my area, so running an airline outside the home simply isn't feasible. And both my main tanks are downstairs, near the furnace room (and near the furnace room vents), so that probably doesn't help. Opening the windows in the house just isn't an option, either, from November to April.

I've just invested in some icecap carbon scrubbers, since they're on sale, and I think that I can make the small version work with my Fluval Evo. I have also, however, tried the airstone-to-raise-pH method. I'm using the same CO2 rich air that's already in the house, but it has made a marginal difference with the Fluval and my jarquariums -- probably because they have closed canopies and gas exchange was pretty poor. Even though my pH pen is drifting, the airstone seems to raise pH by about 0.1 to 0.2 points through the day.

 

[garbled]

Another option is dripping some kalk, assuming your corals take up enough Ca to make it work.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Another option is dripping some kalk, assuming your corals take up enough Ca to make it work.

I tried that with my Evo, but it's really easy to overdose with a small system...and my alkalinity is already high. I'll probably still use it in conjunction with other methods if the CO2 scrubber doesn't work out.

 

[Paul31733]

Can I use a carbon scrubber without a skimmer?

 

[Paul31733]

Also if I run a longer air line to outside and wrap it around my furnace pipe to heat it when the furnace is on. Would this work?
And what size pump would I need to move the air maybe 30 feet?

 

[MarshallB]

Also if I run a longer air line to outside and wrap it around my furnace pipe to heat it when the furnace is on. Would this work?
And what size pump would I need to move the air maybe 30 feet?

That depends. How hot does the furnace pipe get? Plastic is also a good insulator so im not too sure how effective it would be. Sounds like a fun test as long as nothing melts.

I don't think there is really any pressure on moving air as long as there are not any kinks in the line. I've used a aqualifter pump from that distance with no problem.

 

[Paul31733]

That depends. How hot does the furnace pipe get? Plastic is also a good insulator so im not too sure how effective it would be. Sounds like a fun test as long as nothing melts.

I don't think there is really any pressure on moving air as long as there are not any kinks in the line. I've used a aqualifter pump from that distance with no problem.

It would just be a furnace duct I would wrap it around a few times. Don't think they get melting hot...

 

[davidcalgary29]

Also if I run a longer air line to outside and wrap it around my furnace pipe to heat it when the furnace is on. Would this work?
And what size pump would I need to move the air maybe 30 feet?

Why not use multiple tubing loops inside the house so that the outside air can warm up before it enters the aquarium? Or even loop it once inside the aquarium before it reaches the airstone? You could use a dual outlet air pump with a Y connector to increase airflow if pressure is a concern.