Help. Need to drastically improve ph

[alindell]

Alot of sps. I'm packed

 

[alindell]

If I could get ph above 8.2. I think it would help growth. I've seen the effects

 

[painter1982]

Add ozone or another way to get rid of the dissolved organics better. Detritus removal too. It’s the conversion of nutrients bringing down ph most likely in your situation, imo.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So anything else I can dose. Idk if you saw but Chris stated he does something else recently to chase ph. It was a newer video. I can't remember what it was called. Lanthum chloride or something idk. He said it's kinda dangerous but makes a huge difference

There’s a fairly limited set of tools to reduce CO2. Lanthanum does not give a pH boost.

Basically it comes down to reducing CO2 in the e air the tank is aerated with, adding CO2 absorbing hydroxide or carbonate to the water itself, or removing CO2 by photosynthesis.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Add ozone or another way to get rid of the dissolved organics better. Detritus removal too. It’s the conversion of nutrients bringing down ph most likely in your situation, imo.

That may or may not be true, but even if true, it won’t raise pH.

 

[TeeJay87]

It’s pretty shocking to me that with all those corals, the highest you get is pH of 8.0. Assuming your pH probe is giving accurate readings (calibrate it, if you haven’t recently), I’m guessing you have a good sized skimmer and the CO2 in the room air keeps your pH from rising. This is somewhat confirmed by your telling that CO2 scrubbing media does help initially. If you want to confirm this further, set your skimmer to turn off for 8-12 hours when your lights come on and check your pH that day. You should be rising to atleast 8.1 or 8.2 that day. If the skimmer and indoor air is the issue, then pull your skimmer air from outside or better do what they did in the link below.

Massive Air!! My Experience with Outdoor Aeration, pH boost, & Stability

Over the years, I’ve tried various methods to maintain a stable, elevated pH in my reef tank, with mixed results. Recently I’ve been able to keep my pH above 8.1 at night by aerating with outdoor air (not through the skimmer), which was a big win. This week, I achieved another major improvement...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[mook1178]

Your tank looks packed and a lot of photosynthesis should be happening. You either have a significant source of organics causing a large bacterial population that is heavily respiring CO2 or your ambient CO2 is too high as mentioned above.

Either way scrubbing CO2 before from your skimmer intake will solve your issue.

 

[alindell]

I also carbon dose to feed the coral and add 2 cubes, nori, pellets, and add large mysis. I do heavy feed. I think the coral benefit from heavy feeding. Carbon dose increases bacteria to feed acro and stabilize nutrients. I use tropic marine bacto balance

 

[alindell]

Here's some videos. You can see the massive amount of sps

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, most types of organic carbon dosing will tend to lower pH as the organic is metabolized to CO2.

 

[alindell]

Full tank

 

[Project1004]

Idk, every time I change my water pH raises least by 0.1. Maybe it’s because I’m doing it when oh is lower usually in the morning.

I think water change helps.

Edit: I’m going home and will do 5Gal WC on my main and see if it elevates pH. Will report back in few hours. PH will be at peace when I do it. Will see. I sow in the past dropping as well.

I don’t know if this is any help… But

So I came home and did 5G WC on 50Gal system (10%). Last time I did water change was two weeks ago. I think….

Before water changes. Ph is coming down for the day as you can see. It was tad bit lower than the day before of 8.39 at peak.

This is after the water change

And after new set point registered. You can see temperature raising

After an hour. It went up a little

Now, 2 hrs later

Photo before the water change…

I’m going to say WC has lots of goods to the tank in general and first thing I do if I want that pH assist :). . I highly recommend. Lol

Edit:

Here is Alkatronic showing drop in dkh after the water change… idk if it means anything. Lol

 

[MnFish1]

I don’t know if this is any help… But

So I came home and did 5G WC on 50Gal system (10%). Last time I did water change was two weeks ago. I think….

Before water changes. Ph is coming down for the day as you can see. It was tad bit lower than the day before of 8.39 at peak.

This is after the water change

And after new set point registered. You can see temperature raising

After an hour. It went up a little

Now, 2 hrs later

Photo before the water change…

I’m going to say WC has lots of goods to the tank in general and first thing I do if I want that pH assist :). . I highly recommend. Lol

I do not believe these differences are significant to a degree that would cause coral growth (or detriment)

 

[MnFish1]

I do not believe you need to drastically increase your pH - as many others have said - fiddling with it is more likely to cause problems than benefits.

 

[Project1004]

I do not believe these differences are significant to a degree that would cause coral growth (or detriment)

You don’t think water change helps with coral growth? X.x

 

[Biokabe]

You don’t think water change helps with coral growth? X.x

You and @MnFish1 are not talking about the same thing.

He's not disputing that water changes can help with coral growth. He's disputing that water changes make a meaningful difference to pH. Which is born out with your screengrabs: You had a pH of 8.39 the day before. Then you had a pH of 8.38. Then 8.37. Then 8.38. Then 8.35.

Those don't look like numbers that were impacted by a water change. Those look like the normal random fluctuations that happen to pH on a regular basis.

A water change is most likely good for coral growth, but the benefits of a water change have little to do with any pH changes.

 

[Project1004]

You and @MnFish1 are not talking about the same thing.

He's not disputing that water changes can help with coral growth. He's disputing that water changes make a meaningful difference to pH. Which is born out with your screengrabs: You had a pH of 8.39 the day before. Then you had a pH of 8.38. Then 8.37. Then 8.38. Then 8.35.

Those don't look like numbers that were impacted by a water change. Those look like the normal random fluctuations that happen to pH on a regular basis.

A water change is most likely good for coral growth, but the benefits of a water change have little to do with any pH changes.

So I usually do the water change early in the morning when pH is the lowest and I watch it raise way higher and corals are happier. Today i did at the peak of daily pH to see if it will raise it or lower it... It raised a bit... But remained for little longer than it would have if not done the WC. This water change was 10% of water valume. If i did 20% WC and continue to do so at regular routine, pH should get elevated or at least help maintain for longer than without the water change is what I been experiencing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I usually do the water change early in the morning when pH is the lowest and I watch it raise way higher and corals are happier. Today i did at the peak of daily pH to see if it will raise it or lower it... It raised a bit... But remained for little longer than it would have if not done the WC. This water change was 10% of water valume. If i did 20% WC and continue to do so at regular routine, pH should get elevated or at least help maintain for longer than without the water change is what I been experiencing.

I don’t believe water changes will routinely raise pH in any useful way. It’s like a temp change with a water change. Any effect is very short lived, and could go a small way in either direction.

 

[Project1004]

I don’t believe water changes will routinely raise pH in any useful way. It’s like a temp change with a water change. Any effect is very short lived, and could go a small way in either direction.

Cool... I hope OP takes more organic ways to raise pH instead using chemcals or something... Would less organics in the water raise pH? Do some cleaning perhaps.

Edit: perhaps go bare bottom?!

 

[exnisstech]

Cool... I hope OP takes more organic ways to raise pH instead using chemcals or something... Would less organics in the water raise pH? Do some cleaning perhaps.

Edit: perhaps go bare bottom?!

Bare bottom here.

Morning low