Aerating water to raise PH question

[aviator300]

I have had PH around 7.6 since I started my tank 2 1/2 mo ago.

I've tried all the Newbee tricks and chased the PH with buffers, Kalk, surface movement, etc to no avai.

I have a 7 gal reef tank using an AC70 fuge mod and a Rio 50 for more circulation toward the surface.

 

Many say not to worry but everything else if fine except for coral growth which is slow to non existant.

I.ve read that 7.6 is below minimum standards.

 

I have finally learned a little more and did the "aeration test" where you aerate your tank water with an airstone for 1 1/2 hrs OUTSIDE and then do the same thing INSIDE and compare PH results and here are mine.

 

1. normal inside tank water PH 7.61

 

2. after outside test PH 8.05

 

3. after inside test PH 7.83

 

4. water in tank after keeping doors and windows open all day PH 7.9

 

I have a Pinpoint PH monitor that I just calibrated so i think my readings are correct.

 

SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN TO ME.

Because of the heat in AZ we keep our doors and windows closed in our small apt which causes the environmental co2 to increase indoors. This causes the co2 to lower the tanks PH.

 

SO WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT.

Other than more buffers and chemicals, the only thing I can think of is to aggressively aerate the tank water using an airstone. I already have my pump agitating the surface but it doesnt seem to help.

 

As in the indoor aeration test, if I can increase my PH from about 7.6 to 7.8 at least that would put it within a tolerable range and maybe even help the livestock. Also, venting the room (when conditions allow) would also help.

 

THE BIG QUESTION------I dont want bubbles all over my tank so do you think putting an airstone in the AC70 fuge would help and should i run it 24hrs or less?

 

I have really researched this issue but most of you are so much more experienced than I. I need all the input and suggestionsI can get. PLEASE.

 

 

 

[LynkUK]

CO₂ Scrubber could be a consideration. The usual way is to attach a scrubber to a protein skimmer's air intake. Basically you attach a canister (could by DIY'ed or a media reactor) containing CO₂ absorbent media to the airline from the skimmer.

 

I have one already prepared for my BC29 build, as I already know CO₂ will be a problem. Basically, from my skimmer (I done a Tunze 9002 airline mod), I have the airline running from it, to a non-return valve. From the valve the airline goes to a Phosban reactor filled with media in the cabinet. From there I have another piece of airline with a flow regulator attached to the end, to control airflow. The regulator, I may change to a post reactor inline valve, depending on how well I can get the system running initially.

 

Which ever way you look at it, aggressive aeration is the only way I could envision a CO₂ Scrubber to work.

[evanski]

Dude...

 

How does your tank LOOK? If everything looks good, quit fussing and relax.

[aviator300]

Things look OK but here's an example of the problem im trying to correct by increasing PH.

 

I've heard that corals can survive just fine outside of accepted PH ranges as long as they're consistant but may not flourish there. after about 2 months I've seen no growth at all in any of my frags (Zoas, Palys, Xenia, torch, and an Acan. I just thought if I could naturally raise the PH, they may be happier.

 

BTW CA= 440

MG= 1410

ALK= 11

[frankdontsurf]

Yea that's pretty much my problem. I need to swap this protein skimmer for a co2 scrubber.

[aviator300]

I wasn't aware that "co2 scrubbers" even existed in our hobby. would this be some kind of a DIY project or can you actually purchase something like that?

[Eclipse]

Am I missing something? I don't get why people stress about pH, just point a powerhead at the surface

[paulrw]

yeah ph fluctuates through out the day. i don't ever check my ph as long as every thing looks fine and is acting right. i have seen in a fresh water tank i had housing dwarf caridina shrimp sway from 6.2 to 8.0 and back to 6.2 in a couple of hours with no ill effects.

[drfu]

What about your other chemestry, if you are trying to grow corals ph is prob not the issue, how is your alk, mag& ca? Also the second and even more important thing is your lighting. Your post says nothing of these two critical parameters, please post as this could help

[aviator300]

Light...Coral Compulsion PAR 38 20 K

 

ca 445

mg 1410

alk 11

ph 7.63 this am

temp 78.4 F

 

I put a bubbler in my AC70 fug for 12hrs. raised PH to 7.98

but way, way too much salt spray even where I didn't think it would reach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW. in answering Eclipse, ive had all kinds of flow pointed at the surface to no avail. We just have 4 people and a dog living in a small apt and im sure the co2 in the air is way up there. I'd love to leave windows open but my air conditioning bill would suffer here in AZ

[LynkUK]

I wasn't aware that "co2 scrubbers" even existed in our hobby. would this be some kind of a DIY project or can you actually purchase something like that?

 

CO₂ Absorption media

 

In this case you would use a PhosBan Reactor with their CDX Adaptor. I believe BRS also have their own solution

[aviator300]

Thanks for the info on co2 reduction media, however its only a 7gal tank and I have no idea how to use the media due to the fact that I have no reactor or for that matter no protein skimmer either. .

All I have is an AC70 fuge mod and a Rio 50 circulation pump. (although these two together give me at least a 200 plus GPH flow).

 

The only reason im sweating the low ph is because I've read several posts and articles linking a low PH with stunted coral growth.

 

Do you think it may help at all to put the media in a bag and into my fuge or maybe I could buy a small reactor and just return the water right to the tank?

[Moolelo]

Not sure if you made any progress on this, but before you take any drastic steps, please take pH measurements morning before lights on and evening right before lights are off. Do this for a few days in a row, maybe even taking a reading around midday or when feeding. Based on what you have shown, there is just not enough going on to diagnose this as a CO₂ issue. If you had a low pH in morning and then bubbled for 12hrs, till end of day, to get only a 0.3 magnitude change in pH, you are probably just witnessing the unbuffered respiration cycle of your livestock during light hours and dark.

[aviator300]

I pulled the trigger and bought a protein skimmer which I just got running today. I ran an airline to bring outside air in and connected it to the skimmer's air intake. I will let you guys (and gals) know if it helps raise the PH.

 

I connected it up at 6pm today after a PH reading of 7.56 (high reading for the day) and will check it morning, noon, and evening.

 

I did not buy the skimmer just to help the PH but to improve overall tank health in general.

[SRVA80]

results?

[aviator300]

It worked.

 

After a week of skimming using outside air, here is the PH. Granted it's afternoon, but this is a big increase since a week ago when it was running around 7.6 at the same time of day.

 

Also, the skimmer is putting out a good amount of tea colored skimmate after only a week.

 

NOTE: sorrry about the side ways photo but you get the point.

[darkdancer333]

I had low PH today. I didn't have a test kit so I took sample water to reef store. It was 7.6

I purchased last week Marine buffer which raises an maintains Ph at 8.3. I also used Reef Builder that

raises carbonate alkalinity.. I tested the PH after about 8 hours an I was up to 8.4..

Gal at reef store says low ph makes the corals unhappy lol They didn't like opening up

[aviator300]

I also used marine buffer and several other things attempting to raise my PH and doing so did "temporarily" raise the PH but I finally decided that I needed to find out what was causing the problem.

 

I did lots of reading, research, and testing about the causes of low PH and determined that mine was caused by Co2 buildup in my closed apartment. That caused the water to become more acid and thereby lowered my PH.

 

If you read my whole story you will find that by bringing outside air to my protein skimmer it successfully solved my problem without using buffers or other chemicals that could cause other issues with my tank.

 

I recommend that you hold off on more buffers and chemicals and try to find the root cause of your low PH and correct that. The forum is filled with good folks who would help you get to the root of your problem.

 

Also, dont listen to the people (and there will be some) who say "quit worrying, your PH is fine". You will notice that most (if not all) of those who say that have PH's over 8.0

 

 

[Eclipse]

It could just be the salt you use. I know reef crystals stays at 8.0 and it never really fluctuates during the day in my tank.

[frankdontsurf]

There's an obvious difference in what a tank at a constant 7.6 pH looks like comprared to one at 8.0

[aviator300]

Thank you very much frankdontsurf. A lot of folks out there dont agree with you and I. They tend to label those who try to establish a PH of 8.0 as "PH chasers" as though we were neurotic or something.