Air conditioning and PH

Mmcghee102485

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So I’ve searched some older post on this subject and couldn’t find a really good answer. So figured I’d bring it up again. I have fairly new construction home. My tank is only a few months old. The ac has just started kicking on and noticed a drastic drop in my ph. Was around 8.2 during the day, now is at 7.75 at night and 7.9 during the day. What causes this with the ac coming on and what are best ways to deal with this? Looking into a co2 scrubber, good idea or bad?
 

Joedubyk

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Yes. Co2 scrubber. I am having the same issues now. Your other option is to dose kalk in addition to 2 part. My fuge doesn't really seem to make a difference in ph
 

Crabs McJones

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When you shut all the windows, and turn on the AC, the AC is recycling air already in the house from the return vents. This causes C02 levels in your home to rise as there is no fresh air coming in from outside anymore which lowers PH.
There are a couple things you can do.
CO2 scrubber as you've already mentioned. You can also run a fresh air line from outside to your skimmer that will help put fresh O2 in your water.
Or if you have the room, incorporate a refugium or algae scrubber into your system.
 

Joedubyk

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When you shut all the windows, and turn on the AC, the AC is recycling air already in the house from the return vents. This causes C02 levels in your home to rise as there is no fresh air coming in from outside anymore which lowers PH.
There are a couple things you can do.
CO2 scrubber as you've already mentioned. You can also run a fresh air line from outside to your skimmer that will help put fresh O2 in your water.
Or if you have the room, incorporate a refugium or algae scrubber into your system.

what are some tips for getting the pH higher w/ a fuge? I have a ton a chaeto going. The reverse light thing makes sense in theory but doesnt seem tod o anything in practice
 

cale0721

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what are some tips for getting the pH higher w/ a fuge? I have a ton a chaeto going. The reverse light thing makes sense in theory but doesnt seem tod o anything in practice

Are you getting good growth from your fuge? I assume it's only helpful if you have enough growth for it to burn off the excess CO2.
 

Joedubyk

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What issues is the lower pH causing?

One not very oft talked about reefing hack is corals LOVE, really LOVE high pH. They grow so much faster and likely are healthier when it's closer to 8.4
 
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Crabs McJones

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what are some tips for getting the pH higher w/ a fuge? I have a ton a chaeto going. The reverse light thing makes sense in theory but doesnt seem tod o anything in practice
Running reverse lighting is meant to stabilize PH, if it's already low you can try running the fuge longer, but you risk tanking nutrients. If this is the case I would check into the other ways of raising PH.
 

((FORDTECH))

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i want a different Explanation lol I’ll link my air-conditioning and PH thread if you guys wanna read it
 
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((FORDTECH))

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There has been no change in the environment except going from heat to air-conditioning how would that change the CO2 level in my house never open the windows never close the windows because they weren’t open and the air conditioning uses the same unit as my central heat
 

((FORDTECH))

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((FORDTECH))

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You can see the day ac turned on from graph

2EBE606D-FF84-4219-B578-7266A53E1C15.png
 

Joedubyk

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Running reverse lighting is meant to stabilize PH, if it's already low you can try running the fuge longer, but you risk tanking nutrients. If this is the case I would check into the other ways of raising PH.

I run high(er) nutrients anyway. I keep nitrates at 20-25. Tenuis seem to love that for color.
 

Joedubyk

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Running reverse lighting is meant to stabilize PH, if it's already low you can try running the fuge longer, but you risk tanking nutrients. If this is the case I would check into the other ways of raising PH.

Right, but it doesnt even seem to stabilize, pH
 

Thespammailaccount

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Running reverse lighting is meant to stabilize PH, if it's already low you can try running the fuge longer, but you risk tanking nutrients. If this is the case I would check into the other ways of raising PH.
What does it mean when you say that running fuge lights longer will risk tanking nutrients?
 

Crabs McJones

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What does it mean when you say that running fuge lights longer will risk tanking nutrients?
When the fuge light is on, the chaeto is photo synthesizing and up taking nutrients as well as consuming CO2 in the water. If you leave the fuge light on 24/7 it's going to constantly uptake nutrients at a higher rate, which if your nutrient levels are low, could cause them to bottom out.
 

Miller535

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There has been no change in the environment except going from heat to air-conditioning how would that change the CO2 level in my house never open the windows never close the windows because they weren’t open and the air conditioning uses the same unit as my central heat

While I am not a hvac person, just because your central air and furnace are somewhat attached does not mean they operate the same. As @Crabs McJones said, AC recirculates the same air over and over again never pulling in any new outside air. Where your furnace does not operate that way, and has both a air intake and its own exhaust.

And again, your ac and your furnace are NOT the same unit. Your ac is outside, it's cooling unit sits on top of your furnace, they only thing they share is the blower and filter. That's it.
 

NS Mike D

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Doesn't a furnace suck air into the house. Unlike AC that cools the same air, the furnace uses house air then expels the combustion gases through the flue and heats the house via a heat exchanger.

New air has to come from someplace. It's gotta come from drafts and ever time a door is opened.

Edit: @Miller535 beat me to it
 
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