PH

[Thomie]

So I have an aquarium the live rock has been established for six years we move the aquarium put new sand and change the water all the fish are still living crabs are still living in snails finally got my nitrates down but I'm having a problem with my pH staying low even adding my pH buffer. My pH coming from my new water changes is really high as eight point.6 or it's a 75 gallon saltwater reef any answers on why the pH might be bottoming out so to speak would be helpful

 

[jcook54]

My first question is what's 'really low'? I mean, is it dipping to 7.2 or something like that? Also, what are you using to do the tests?

 

[Thomie]

Dropping to like 7.4 in the morning it when I add my buffer it gradually comes up and I am using the API pH test kit well it comes with the whole kit

 

[Thomie]

I have the sump system which consists of the sock the protein skimmer and the return pump

 

[Thomie]

Also using my ecotropic RO unit four stage rodi

 

[sharis100]

Have you tried to Use a BRS reactor to skimmer for CO2 scrubbing or run skimmer to outside to help raise pH? It sounds like everything was fine until tank moved?

 

[Thomie]

My first question is what's 'really low'? I mean, is it dipping to 7.2 or something like that? Also, what are you using to do the tests?

It's dropping to like seven point four I'm trying to get it to where I can keep it up around 8.2 it just seems in the morning it's real low after I add my buffer it raises just wondering if that's hurting my fish or if my tank is having to reestablish since I moved it

 

[Thomie]

Have you tried to Use a BRS reactor to skimmer for CO2 scrubbing or run skimmer to outside to help raise pH? It sounds like everything was fine until tank moved?

Yeah the tank set in a dark basement with the protein skimmer just basically sucking air into the top

 

[Adam]

Basement tanks in well sealed houses are tough. Dosing your Alk component at night helps some. Using 283 grams of Sodium Hydroxide per gallon of RO water for the alk will give you the biggest pH boost if you dose 2part.

Otherwise the only other real solution is to run a co2 scrubber connected to the skimmer. Best run as much of a closed loop for the air as possible, so the humid air comes from the skimmer cup to the scrubber and back to the skimmer airline.

 

[Shawn]

Or if you can, better yet, would be to run a fresh air line outside if you can directly to your skimmer. Just a thought - if you can.

 

[Adam]

Or if you can, better yet, would be to run a fresh air line outside if you can directly to your skimmer. Just a thought - if you can.

Things are a bit different in a basement. Everyone told me the co2 should be eventually dispursed in the air but I struggled to no end with pH mid to low 7's. When I was down there for any length of time with the windows closed you could see the pH drop. The more people the worse it got.

An outside air line got it up to the upper 7's, occasionally over 8 during the day. And you've seen the skimmer I have...
It wasn't till I ran a co2 scrubber that the pH got anywhere near 8.2. Between doing that and and using sodium hydroxide for alk I could keep it above 8.1 at night and hit 8.3 during the day. But once I switched to a calcium reactor everything dropped a tenth or more.

This is why I've put so much thought into ventilation in my current basement with the air exchanger.

Here's a thread I started on R2R.

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

 

[popsbjd]

I managed to run an outside line for my skimmer and it hasn't dropped below 8 since then. Basically 8.15-8.25 all the time.