Thinking about adding a CO2 scrubber, thoughts? experiences?

[meintn]

I have my alk/calc/mag are where they need to be and my pH is still staying lower so I don't want to keep dosing kalk just for pH. I'm thinking my CO2 levels are too high in my tank. I've seen a few DIY projects that'd be easy enough and I can get it done for under $20. Tell me what you think.

Alkalinity : 10.2 dkh
pH: mostly from 7.8-8.0 with the occasional spike closer to 8.1 after dosing kalk
calc: 450-480
mag: 1320

 

[poolkeeper1]

I have my alk/calc/mag are where they need to be and my pH is still staying lower so I don't want to keep dosing kalk just for pH. I'm thinking my CO2 levels are too high in my tank. I've seen a few DIY projects that'd be easy enough and I can get it done for under $20. Tell me what you think.

Alkalinity : 10.2 dkh
pH: mostly from 7.8-8.0 with the occasional spike closer to 8.1 after dosing kalk
calc: 450-480
mag: 1320

A simple way to increase PH is to get fresh air into the room the tank is in, another way is tap your skimmer air silencer with an airline and run it outside to get fresh air to your skimmer. Both these will raise your PH but chasing numbers may not be needed, Let your tank tell you if something is amiss if not don't worry about it. JMO
Bill

 

[meintn]

Thanks Bill. Ya, I've left the windows open as much as possible around the tank for the last week or so and have thought about plumbing the air line too. Would rather not drill the walls yet though.

 

[pickupman66]

7.8 to 8.0 is PERFECTLY FINE. ive seen many a successful tank at 7.8 PH.

 

[bknapp]

7.8 to 8.0 is PERFECTLY FINE. ive seen many a successful tank at 7.8 PH.

That's the range where mine generally stays.

 

[Senior El Roboto]

alot of tanks run just fine in that PH range. All your needing is to make sure your numbers are consistent.

 

[glb]

That's the range where mine generally stays.

Mine too and it's fine. The other numbers are so much more important.

 

[Osteoclast]

CO2 scrubbers are easy components to add to your system and worth it for a pH bump. I personally like my reef pH in the 8.2-8.4 range although the range is wider as stated by others above and can be satisfactory at lower levels. Kalk is the easiest way to raise it gradually and preferred by many, nevertheless, scrubbers are another cheap method. BRS has the media. Many DIYs are on the net. Your tank chemistry will be easier to maintain with a slight bump and you'll have some room for error which is quite important in my view.

 

[Dowtish]

I used a scrubber for a little while and it definitely did the trick. It will raise your ph to the higher levels as mine as well would run in the 7.8-8.0 range. The problem I had with it was that the media would expire at different times, so I ended up having more ph swings than it was worth. Some folks report that the media will change colors and still maintain optimal levels, but mine would change and immediately drop and then I would quickly change it, but then it would shoot back up. So instead of 7.8 -8.0, I was getting swiings of 8.3 down to 7.8 and then back up to 8.3.

I eventually just quit chasing the number and just accepted that this is where my tank wants to run and I have never had any issues in the lower ranges.

 

[meintn]

I understand that tanks run just fine in the 7.8-8.1 range but am just weighing the options and looking for personal experiences. If the CO2 in your tank is balanced better, your pH swings will be less on a daily basis just have to keep up with the scrubber. Chris, do you remember what media you were using? Thanks!

 

[Dowtish]

I understand that tanks run just fine in the 7.8-8.1 range but am just weighing the options and looking for personal experiences. If the CO2 in your tank is balanced better, your pH swings will be less on a daily basis just have to keep up with the scrubber. Chris, do you remember what media you were using? Thanks!

I don't remember the name of it but I have a few bags of it you can have. You can even have the reactor if you want it. Maybe you can grab it when you come buy the bowfront.

 

[ibbennyb]

I don't remember the name of it but I have a few bags of it you can have. You can even have the reactor if you want it. Maybe you can grab it when you come buy the bowfront.

yo giving my stuff away? lol

 

[Dowtish]

yo giving my stuff away? lol

You gave it to me! I figured I'd pass it on.