Oxygen and PH

[Shawn]

I'm looking for suggestions in ways to increase my oxygen in my apartment. When I open my windows, I get a nice hike in PH, and I prefer to keep it that way. However, in my old apartment, there isn't much I can do in the summertime as it's just too darn hot, and then I'll temp nuke my tank. Do you guys have some suggestions that DON'T involve a CO2 scrubber? I understand the media for that is quickly exhausted and rather expensive. I just bought a Majestic Palm as I read they can convert a lot of CO2 into oxygen in one's home - any other ideas? I'm interested to see some creative thoughts!

 

[popsbjd]

Run an extension from the airline on your skimmer outside.

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[jcook54]

Run an extension from the airline on your skimmer outside.

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Exactly. I have the air line for my skimmer penetrating through the wall to my garage using an outlet box so I can cover it up if/when I move. I'm assuming this will be difficult for you since you're in an apartment but if it's close to a window you might be able to figure something out. I wonder if anyone has tried hooking a line up to an oxygen tank? You could control the flow using a bubbler, similar to CO2 tank, maybe?

 

[Shawn]

I was thinking of an oxygen tank. I wonder if there are any drawbacks to doing so.

 

[Adam]

Adding pure O2 to a system will not drive out the CO2, it just doesn't work like that. CO2 gets readily absorbed by "Air" bubbles not O2 bubbles, which are unable to absorb anything. What you will end up doing is killing all of your fish and inverts. The O2 will be quickly absorbed by the water increasing the oxygen saturation very rapidly, but all the co2 will remain. In the end all the fish will look like they're on crack for a few hours to maybe a day before they hyperventilate and die.

There are only 3 ways to dive out CO2.
1) Reduce the level in the surrounding air and have good surface agitation.
To reduce the CO2 in the air you either have to bring in outside air or have a metric crap ton of plants. Think green house. Also there are only a few plants that take in CO2 at night, when you need it the most.
2) Bubble low CO2 concentrated air through the water. Either through the skimmer or a bubble stone somewhere in the water column.
This can be done by running and airline outside and/or with a CO2 scrubber.
3) Chemically. Dosing Kalk or 2-part.
This method can only be used up to the point that the system can use the Alk & Cal you're dosing, via calcification from the corals and inverts. Overdosing will only lead to precipitation of the excess Alk & Cal, which leads to a host of other problems.

I use pure O2 in an extremely fine bubbler to keep bait fish alive when Striper fishing in the summer months. I'm just trying to keep Blueback Herring alive for the duration of the trip so I'm not concerned with the long term health of them. I will also note that the water in the bait tank fouls a lot faster when using O2 because it really drives up their respiration, which adds more ammonia and other waste to the water.

 

[jcook54]

Long story short, if you listen to my idea on the matter, you'd potentially wipe out your entire system. Ya, that's about par for the course.

 

[ichthyoid]

Opening the window(s) is a quick way around the above, that doesn't involve a CO2 scrubber, as you've seen.
Otherwise, CO2 is bound to accumulate in the apartment, especially if it's air tight.
Then physics takes over and CO2 diffusion from the air where there is a higher concentration, into the tank's water where there is a lower concentration, will occur as seen.
The most convenient way to counteract this phenomenon is the CO2 scrubber on the skimmer's air line, which is why it's used.

Mass diffusivity - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[ichthyoid]

FWIW-
Here's a source for soda lime at $3 per pound.
They also sell 5 gallons for $99, in case of group buys

Soda Lime 3lb Bag | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. Shop this product today at Med-Vet International for the best prices.

www.shopmedvet.com

 

[Adam]

FWIW-
Here's a source for soda lime at $3 per pound.
They also sell 5 gallons for $99, in case of group buys

Soda Lime 3lb Bag | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. Shop this product today at Med-Vet International for the best prices.

www.shopmedvet.com

That's where I buy mine from.

 

[jcook54]

For a CO2 scrubber, how often to you have to change the media out? I usually don't test for pH all the time and don't have a monitor for it. Would it be better to just let my lower normal pH of 7.9 be or try a scrubber and risk getting the occasional swing from 7.9 up to 8.3 and back down again if I don't change the lime out?

 

[Adam]

Everyone's usage will be different. The amount of media used depends on the concentration of co2 in the air and the volume of that air that goes through the scrubber. The only way to know is give it a try and see how it goes.

The media changes color as it's used up.

 

[Shawn]

Some great insight here. I’ll have an Apex unit hooked up come Sunday and can monitor it more closely. My goal is to get my corals growing better - I have over 100 kinds in my 40 gallon. Lol. But, they’re opening up and I can definitely see growth. Yes, they’re doing well and one can say I don’t have a problem. However, I’m aiming for super stability for my SPS corals. I think the scrubber route will be the best way to go. Glad to see there are some cheaper media solutions. Lots of great info here. Thanks for taking the time to educate!!

 

[Adam]

Doug @urbanknight just hooked up an airline that runs from outside to a co2 scrubber and then to the skimmer. His pH used to be from mid to low 7.8x at night and mid to high 7.9x during the day. Now it's mid to high 8.0x at night and mid to high 8.2x durning the day.

You can make your own scrubber from an old RODI filter housing or a reactor and use the empty cartridges BRS sells. With a few fittings and hoses you're good to go. Ask @ricky5415 I'm sure he has most everything you need.

I'm struggling with PH now because of my calcium reactor and I'm looking at ways to fight it now myself. I think I'm going to have to run the effluent into a container with an airstone to help blow it off before it goes into the system.

 

[lshin037]

Doug @urbanknight just hooked up an airline that runs from outside to a co2 scrubber and then to the skimmer. His pH used to be from mid to low 7.8x at night and mid to high 7.9x during the day. Now it's mid to high 8.0x at night and mid to high 8.2x durning the day.

You can make your own scrubber from an old RODI filter housing or a reactor and use the empty cartridges BRS sells. With a few fittings and hoses you're good to go. Ask @ricky5415 I'm sure he has most everything you need.

I'm struggling with PH now because of my calcium reactor and I'm looking at ways to fight it now myself. I think I'm going to have to run the effluent into a container with an airstone to help blow it off before it goes into the system.

This is my story as well. Ever since my calrx went online, my PH went from 8.2-8.3 to 7.8-8.0, even with a co2 scrubber and algae scrubber running. i ordered a reactor and fine crushed coral to use as a second chamber.

 

[FutureInterest]

The co2 scrubber media seems to last quite a long time for me. When I wasn't recirculating it lasted about 2.5 weeks. Now that its circulating its around 2+ months. On the tank I'm running this on, the ORP also went up 100 points and ph rose to around 8.4. Granted I do run a kalk reactor on a doser and have a massive fuge.

 

[Shawn]

What do you mean by recirculating?

 

[Adam]

What do you mean by recirculating?

Question for those that have a basement system. CO2!!!

When I started my system a little over two years ago I had problems with the sand clumping due to Alk precipitating after I started dosing about 3 to 4 months in. Over the last year I don’t see much, if any, new clumping in the sand. But I continue to struggle with Alk consumption and lowered...

www.reef2reef.com

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