Whats your Method for Boosting PH?

[Coraloliseffect]

Ph 7.8 is fine. Stop chasing numbers! Are your animals helthy and looking good? if yes then dont tweak it. better than a high 8.1 ph is a consistent one.
agree with the coments, co2 will lower ph, co2 reactor is for a planted tank and will lower ph , kalkwaser-lime water-calcium carbonite will raise ph, but do not add it directly dose it consisantly over time. if your dosing or doing regular water changes and have good calk and alk and mag and at 7.8ph and animals look good don't do any thing, your good. if you like you could run your fuge on a reverse cycle, turn on about when main lights turn off, it is supposed to normalize the ph a bit. Again shooting for consistency.
:tongue:

 

[ryecoon]

I run the air intake of the skimmer outside so that it pulls fresh air, this is specially helpful it the winter. I also add kalk powder to my ATO. Ph hovers around 8.15 to 8.3.

The kalk powder in my ATO i can do. The air tube leading outside might be a problem. Any other alternatives?

 

[xthunderx]

I set up a CO2 scrubber on my intake to my skimmer and my Ph jumped .2. I copied the design almost exactly out of the post in the stickies of the DIY forum on this site.

Do you have a link?

 

[xthunderx]

The kalk powder in my ATO i can do. The air tube leading outside might be a problem. Any other alternatives?

Also make sure to calibrate your Ph probes, I had a bad reading about a year ago of 7.9 which turned out to be 8.2 after calibration. Kalk should be enough to get you above 8.0, after that I wouldn't worry about correcting further, even 7.8 is ok as long as everything looks good. I've personally have seen tanks with a Ph of 7.8 that looked magnificent. In that specific tank the low Ph was caused by a CARX.

 

[ryecoon]

I don't test pH or do anything to increase or maintain it.

+5 lol

 

[ryecoon]

Do you have a link?

Yes link would be cool.

 

[ryecoon]

Ph 7.8 is fine. Stop chasing numbers! Are your animals helthy and looking good? if yes then dont tweak it. better than a high 8.1 ph is a consistent one.
agree with the coments, co2 will lower ph, co2 reactor is for a planted tank and will lower ph , kalkwaser-lime water-calcium carbonite will raise ph, but do not add it directly dose it consisantly over time. if your dosing or doing regular water changes and have good calk and alk and mag and at 7.8ph and animals look good don't do any thing, your good. if you like you could run your fuge on a reverse cycle, turn on about when main lights turn off, it is supposed to normalize the ph a bit. Again shooting for consistency.
:tongue:

Yes Corals look healthy. I guess I have this idea they might look even better at the ideal range? or am i wrong?

 

[ryecoon]

Questions: whqt sizes is tank? Howvmany power heads? Whats the gph on them? And do u have any amenones? How old is tank?

No anemones. Lps dominant tank about a year old. 1 powerhead (wp-40) 50 gallon

 

[mcarroll]

Maybe I missed it, but have you tested your alkalinity? What is your alkalinity currently?

Also, pH varies throughout the day - when are you testing pH?

-Matt

P.S. For most people there's generally no reason to watch pH. Alkalinity is really all you should have to worry about...certainly what you should worry about first. The not-so-common exception is if you have poor air circulation in your house or in your fish room....CO2 (which actually controls your pH) buildup can happen and will cause a "permanent" pH depression in spite of high alkalinity levels.

 

[ryecoon]

Maybe I missed it, but have you tested your alkalinity? What is your alkalinity currently?

Also, pH varies throughout the day - when are you testing pH?

-Matt

P.S. For most people there's generally no reason to watch pH. Alkalinity is really all you should have to worry about...certainly what you should worry about first. The not-so-common exception is if you have poor air circulation in your house or in your fish room....CO2 (which actually controls your pH) buildup can happen and will cause a "permanent" pH depression in spite of high alkalinity levels.

Ranges from 7dkh to 8dkh. I really believe its Co2 circulation in my house. We also have the heat on all the time living in a foggy and cold area where i live. I also built this dragon cage in the same room which emits heat 24/7 So im trying to find other alternatives rather then tubing an airline out the window.

 

[mcarroll]

Ignoring the issue and tubing-out-the-window are the only two options that don't involve regular expenditures of money, so I'd make sure neither of those works for you before looking for another solution. Just keep your parameters correct/moderate vs high and it's doubtful you'll run into problems.

FWIW, the amount of fresh air drawn into the room wouldn't be much if done right...I predict heat wouldn't suffer much if at all. (Remember our tanks are tropical too, so what's good for one...)

-Matt

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Off topic but have you started a build thread? I love the look of that tank!

PS. I don't mess with my PH.

 

[ryecoon]

Ignoring the issue and tubing-out-the-window are the only two options that don't involve regular expenditures of money, so I'd make sure neither of those works for you before looking for another solution. Just keep your parameters correct/moderate vs high and it's doubtful you'll run into problems.

FWIW, the amount of fresh air drawn into the room wouldn't be much if done right...I predict heat wouldn't suffer much if at all. (Remember our tanks are tropical too, so what's good for one...)

-Matt

Thank you. I will try to get more air flow in the room before looking into the next step.. What would be the next step if this doesnt work? the kalk?

 

[trido]

My reef used to run at 7.8 Ph for years until I broke it down.

 

[mcarroll]

Thank you. I will try to get more air flow in the room before looking into the next step.. What would be the next step if this doesnt work? the kalk?

A reactor filled with CO2-absorbing media that needs to be replaced regularly. While not super-expensive, I still think it's a tragic waste of money...would have to be quite exceptional circumstances to be merited IMO.

There are air-line sized bulkheads and thread/barb adapters for airline, if that helps with any solution you're considering.

• Jehmco's Air Accessories page has the adapters.
• Their Bulkhead Fittings page has both full-size bulkheads (for thicker materials) and mini-bulkheads, both with airline fittings.

If you haven't experimented much to find a cheap/free solution, sometimes even a simple change in the room can have a good effect.

• For one thing, making sure the HVAC system is running and the register vents in the fish room are open.
• Try keeping the fish room door open, if it's normally closed...or keep it closed if it's normally open. Sometimes you can get better air exchange with the door shut.
• In-between seasons or in mild weather, HVAC doesn't run very often and house air can get stagnant which can allow CO2 to build up. Depending where you are, this may be an issue.
• With the fish room door open, you could also try just placing a fan to blow fresh air in from the hallway/room outside.
• Same idea if you have a well-sealed canopy and/or an enclosed stand. Leaving doors open and strategic use of fans might just do the trick....certainly worth trying if it's easy.

Hope this helps!

-Matt

P.S. Don't forget that unless you're seeing a problem with tank, ignoring the issue is still a valid - and probably the #1 - recommendation.

 

[ryecoon]

A reactor filled with CO2-absorbing media that needs to be replaced regularly. While not super-expensive, I still think it's a tragic waste of money...would have to be quite exceptional circumstances to be merited IMO.

There are air-line sized bulkheads and thread/barb adapters for airline, if that helps with any solution you're considering.

• Jehmco's Air Accessories page has the adapters.
• Their Bulkhead Fittings page has both full-size bulkheads (for thicker materials) and mini-bulkheads, both with airline fittings.

If you haven't experimented much to find a cheap/free solution, sometimes even a simple change in the room can have a good effect.

• For one thing, making sure the HVAC system is running and the register vents in the fish room are open.
• Try keeping the fish room door open, if it's normally closed...or keep it closed if it's normally open. Sometimes you can get better air exchange with the door shut.
• In-between seasons or in mild weather, HVAC doesn't run very often and house air can get stagnant which can allow CO2 to build up. Depending where you are, this may be an issue.
• With the fish room door open, you could also try just placing a fan to blow fresh air in from the hallway/room outside.
• Same idea if you have a well-sealed canopy and/or an enclosed stand. Leaving doors open and strategic use of fans might just do the trick....certainly worth trying if it's easy.

Hope this helps!

-Matt

P.S. Don't forget that unless you're seeing a problem with tank, ignoring the issue is still a valid - and probably the #1 - recommendation.

Thanks for this Helpful tip. I actually opened all the windows in the house and adjusted the flow of my powerhead facing more towards the surface. I tested Alk and Ph every 12 hours and PH actually boosted to 8.0. Alk fluctuates from 7-8dkh. So the problem was ventilation for sure.

 

[Coraloliseffect]

So I hosted a reef party over the weekend you can see what the co2 of all the people in the room did to the ph of a 360gal system

(Note Probes were out of cal but still show the shift. As I am looking for consistency.

 

[ryecoon]

So I hosted a reef party over the weekend you can see what the co2 of all the people in the room did to the ph of a 360gal system

(Note Probes were out of cal but still show the shift. As I am looking for consistency.

whoa! that explains it then. I might have to kick out all my guests from the fish room. That would be funny if I put a sign on the door that says "Keep Out your Breath is bringing My PH down" haha

 

[backpack]

When I had Halloween I had dry ice in all the cauldrons and my ph crashed
mid party. So I opened all 4 sliding glass doors and it popped on up.