What is your reef’s pH?

[WrasseyReefer]

Yeah I agree.
Run the AC or open the windows.
Wife usually says AC.
Wanting to run my skimmer line outside but....
Another project and another day.

Yeah, our summers here get into the 100’s, so windows aren’t an option, unfortunately. Lol

I tried running my skimmer intake outside at one point a while back, and it didn’t seem to make a difference, but maybe worth another shot this summer.

 

[Gtinnel]

My ph is usually around 8.2-8.4. I have an outside air intake for my skimmer, and still have a co2 scrubber that I honestly haven’t changed the media in for a long time, so I doubt it’s currently helping.
The biggest change I made to my tank that increased my pH to where I wanted it was to change my alkalinity dosing from completely sodium carbonate solution to adding some sodium hydroxide solution to my container. Now to adjust my pH I just have to adjust my ratio of those two solutions.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

My ph is usually around 8.2-8.4. I have an outside air intake for my skimmer, and still have a co2 scrubber that I honestly haven’t changed the media in for a long time, so I doubt it’s currently helping.
The biggest change I made to my tank that increased my pH to where I wanted it was to change my alkalinity dosing from completely sodium carbonate solution to adding some sodium hydroxide solution to my container. Now to adjust my pH I just have to adjust my ratio of those two solutions.

I haven’t done a mix, so would you mind sharing the benefits of the mix?

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Between 8.55 - 8.7 depending on the time of day.

I made a super simple recirculating co2 scrubber. Extremely effective and I just have to change out the media every 4 months or so (the fuge and baling also help of course).
I put together a video on how I made it if anyone is interested. Definitely the easiest way to maintain an elevated PH imo.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Between 8.55 - 8.7 depending on the time of day.

I made a super simple recirculating co2 scrubber. Extremely effective and I just have to change out the media every 4 months or so (the fuge and baling also help of course).
I put together a video on how I made it if anyone is interested. Definitely the easiest way to maintain an elevated PH imo.

Wow, those numbers are awesome! I’ll definitely check out your video to learn more. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Wow, those numbers are awesome! I’ll definitely check out your video to learn more. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks! Like I say in the video I actually think that going over 8.7 which I sometimes do is a bit much. I’m gonna be looking in to options to completely flatline my curve at about 8.5….when I get the time hehe

 

[Gtinnel]

I haven’t done a mix, so would you mind sharing the benefits of the mix?

The sodium hydroxide solution has a really high pH, so with me mixing it with my sodium carbonate solution I can adjust the pH that I am increasing my tank by from my alkalinity dosing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I haven’t done a mix, so would you mind sharing the benefits of the mix?

Expanding in what others have said, alk supplements can have a variety of effects on pH.

1. Bicarbonate and organic alk additives such as acetate or formate have a very small pH lowering effect.

2. Carbonate has a substantial pH raising effect (about 0.35 pH units per 1.4 dKH adding when added all at once.

3. Hydroxide has the highest pH raising effect, and is about twice that of carbonate.

All of these effects tend to be reduced after addition as the tank reequilibrates with the air that is aerating the tank.

One can make any mixture of these one desires to attain a specific pH goal.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

Expanding in what others have said, alk supplements can have a variety of effects on pH.

1. Bicarbonate and organic alk additives such as acetate or formate have a very small pH lowering effect.

2. Carbonate has a substantial pH raising effect (about 0.35 pH units per 1.4 dKH adding when added all at once.

3. Hydroxide has the highest pH raising effect, and is about twice that of carbonate.

All of these effects tend to be reduced after addition as the tank reequilibrates with the air that is aerating the tank.

One can make any mixture of these one desires to attain a specific pH goal.

Do they all have an equivalent effect on alk?

 

[Salty_Northerner]

I'm running 7.9-8.1 and just opening a window on days that permit. Otherwise I'll turn the fresh air exchanger on but it's more designed for winter months. Not sure if it helps much in the summer as it's temp controlled and the vents inside the unit may or may not open idk. I'd love to try a CO2 scrubber but wouldn't know how to hook it up to the tunze 9004 DC skimmer.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

I'm running 7.9-8.1 and just opening a window on days that permit. Otherwise I'll turn the fresh air exchanger on but it's more designed for winter months. Not sure if it helps much in the summer as it's temp controlled and the vents inside the unit may or may not open idk. I'd love to try a CO2 scrubber but wouldn't know how to hook it up to the tunze 9004 DC skimmer.

What is the fresh air exchanger you’re using? I haven’t heard of this. Sounds interesting.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

What is the fresh air exchanger you’re using? I haven’t heard of this. Sounds interesting.

Here's what it looks like.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

It takes indoor air from the kitchen and bathroom. Then routes it through the unit and brings fresh air from outside. There are 2 actuators that move the dampeners to adjust how much air is drawn from outside. They're basically used for the winter time so you have fresher in the house because living in Canada you certainly don't open any windows in the winter months.

Oh and there's vents in every room where air is basically blowing into.. fresh air from outside.

 

[WrasseyReefer]

It takes indoor air from the kitchen and bathroom. Then routes it through the unit and brings fresh air from outside. There are 2 actuators that move the dampeners to adjust how much air is drawn from outside. They're basically used for the winter time so you have fresher in the house because living in Canada you certainly don't open any windows in the winter months.

Oh and there's vents in every room where air is basically blowing into.. fresh air from outside.

Very interesting. So it’s basically exchanging air, moving air from inside the home to outside and outside air into the home? In theory, removing excess CO2. Where did you buy it and how much was it, if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

It takes indoor air from the kitchen and bathroom. Then routes it through the unit and brings fresh air from outside. There are 2 actuators that move the dampeners to adjust how much air is drawn from outside. They're basically used for the winter time so you have fresher in the house because living in Canada you certainly don't open any windows in the winter months.

Oh and there's vents in every room where air is basically blowing into.. fresh air from outside.

thats awesome! soon those will be required in new building code in most new homes.

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[Salty_Northerner]

thats awesome! soon those will be required in new building code in most new homes.

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What’s the Difference Between an HRV and an ERV? | Aquarius Home Services

If you’ve looked over the many services that we offer to homes to help them improve their indoor air quality, you […]

www.freedomheatingandair.com

Link is a 403 forbidden for me :/

And yes they've been part of the building code here in Manitoba for a number of years. The place I'm in was built in 98. There's a controller on the wall where you can set the relative humidity. We don't use it very often as it dries the air out even on the lowest setting in the winter. We wake up with dry mouths lol. With this new open top WB tank I'm sure humidity won't be an issue in the winter and will probably need to keep the fresh air exchange turned on. The evaporation so far is around 4 gallons a week.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Very interesting. So it’s basically exchanging air, moving air from inside the home to outside and outside air into the home? In theory, removing excess CO2. Where did you buy it and how much was it, if you don’t mind me asking?

Not to sure what they cost. It was installed when the home was built. And yes it does as you've described. Every room has vents up high close to the ceiling like this.

 

[zoomonster]

Now that my refugium is up and running again with fuge lights on about 12hrs my PH is up there and I have a CO2 injected calcium reactor and no scrubber. I was running the fuge lights longer but dropped it to 12. And a house closed up nearly year round with AC.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

You can google heat recovery ventilation and see how they work. They are over a grand for smaller units but I'm sure the installation will be more then the unit as there's duct work that needs to be plumbed into every room and an exhaust and intake outside.

 

[Rubymoon286]

It's a struggle - my water naturally mixes up to about 7.7, but kalk dosing and having an airline on my skimmer to bring in outside air help keep it between 7.8 and 8.1