How to raise ph?

[Lps_lover12]

I’ve been having some ph issues for a while now. Peaks at about 7.85 during the day and about 7.65 at night. I wanted to do the kalkwasser method but my tank only consumes alk and not much cal or mg so I didn’t think I could get it cause my cal would go too high. My lfs told me to get brightwell ph+ and said it won’t affect alkalinity, after doing some reading I see it will affect alk. I currently dose 12ml of alk a day of the Red Sea foundation b liquid. My question is how do I raise my ph since I don’t have much cal consumption? Tank is 100 gallons in total and I really want to get my ph up so I can get some growth from corals. Thanks in advance!

 

[Reef.]

Fresh air in the room, surface movement are two,of the best ways, if you have those covered, you can feed a fresh air line to your skimmer, use a co2 scrubber.

Your ph tester could also be giving an incorrect reading, PH testers are very hit or miss. You really need to consider that before altering the tank too much.

Are you sure your alk usage is much more than your calcium, as those two normally are used at around the same rate, again could be a testing issue.

 

[AnyNameYouWish]

Recirculating CO2 scrubber on my skimmer really helped, I would have ran an air line out side instead of co2 scrubber but that was out of the question for where my tank is set up.

 

[Lps_lover12]

Fresh air in the room, surface movement are two,of the best ways, if you have those covered, you can feed a fresh air line to your skimmer, use a co2 scrubber.

Your ph tester could also be giving an incorrect reading, PH testers are very hit or miss. You really need to consider that before altering the tank too much.

Are you sure your alk usage is much more than your calcium, as those two normally are used at around the same rate, again could be a testing issue.

I’m using the apex ph probe and it’s only 4 months old and alk and cal readings are done via trident. I will measure all three using my test kits to double check. I have a co2 scrubber which helped, used to be around 7.3-7.5 and the scrubber brought it up to what it is now. I never knew alk and cal were consumed at about the same rate so I’ll check that out for sure

 

[Lps_lover12]

Recirculating CO2 scrubber on my skimmer really helped, I would have ran an air line out side instead of co2 scrubber but that was out of the question for where my tank is set up.

My co2 scrubber helped me out for sure. I don’t have it set up for recirculating tho so maybe I’ll try that out

 

[doubleshot00]

Recirculating CO2 scrubber on my skimmer really helped, I would have ran an air line out side instead of co2 scrubber but that was out of the question for where my tank is set up.

This is me exactly. I just added a co2 a scrubber it does work.

Before and after

 

[Lps_lover12]

This is me exactly. I just added a co2 a scrubber it does work.

Before and after

My co2 scrubber also helped, ph used to be about 7.3-7.5 and it brought it up to what it is now. Sorry I should have stated that in the original post

 

[Derrick0580]

I have tried about every possible thing mentioned here with little to no change in my ph. Only thing that really helps is opening windows but that isn’t always an option here in Indiana. It goes from too cold to open them to hotter than satan’s buttcrack in a matter of a couple days or it’s raining. Heard a whole home air exchanger is my best bet but can’t convince the wife we need to spend a couple grand just to get better coral growth!

 

[doubleshot00]

My co2 scrubber also helped, ph used to be about 7.3-7.5 and it brought it up to what it is now. Sorry I should have stated that in the original post

Hard to believe where your at. How are you measuring oh and who’s all in the house breath?

 

[Reef.]

I’m using the apex ph probe and it’s only 4 months old and alk and cal readings are done via trident. I will measure all three using my test kits to double check. I have a co2 scrubber which helped, used to be around 7.3-7.5 and the scrubber brought it up to what it is now. I never knew alk and cal were consumed at about the same rate so I’ll check that out for sure

Definitely testing as ph of 7.3 is extremely unlikely, normal tap water is around 7.

 

[Lps_lover12]

I have tried about every possible thing mentioned here with little to no change in my ph. Only thing that really helps is opening windows but that isn’t always an option here in Indiana. It goes from too cold to open them to hotter than satan’s buttcrack in a matter of a couple days or it’s raining. Heard a whole home air exchanger is my best bet but can’t convince the wife we need to spend a couple grand just to get better coral growth!

Same here, I’m in Ontario Canada and the weather is the same. I have a air exchanger and when I turn it on it doesn’t make a huge difference, at least not to my tank. You’ll have to tell the wife you’ll make the money back by the corals you sell when they grow! Lol

 

[Lps_lover12]

Hard to believe where your at. How are you measuring oh and who’s all in the house breath?

Apex ph probe and in my room just myself and 1 dog at night, nobody in there during the day

 

[Lps_lover12]

Definitely testing as ph of 7.3 is extremely unlikely, normal tap water is around 7.

Should I maybe try getting another ph probe or re calibrating?

 

[doubleshot00]

Apex ph probe and in my room just myself and 1 dog at night, nobody in there during the day

No way its that low. When’s the last time you calibrated the oh probe or How old is it?

I use a apex also and its spot on with Salifert and Red Sea test kits.

 

[Reef.]

Should I maybe try getting another ph probe or re calibrating?

Re calibration and maybe buy new calibration fluids, I would try that first.

 

[Lps_lover12]

No way its that low. When’s the last time you calibrated the oh probe or How old is it?

I use a apex also and its spot on with Salifert and Red Sea test kits.

I bought it at the end of July and calibrated it then

 

[Lps_lover12]

Re calibration and maybe buy new fluids to calibration fluids, I would try first.

Ok I’ll try that, I could’ve done the calibration wrong too. Thank you!

 

[Reef.]

Ok I’ll try that, I could’ve done the calibration wrong too. Thank you!

I use API ph test kit, works great for me, maybe try comparing your results with that test kit, it’s cheap, will give you an idea if yours is off, the colour change on the API test is easy to see, yellow for the low 7s, brownish purple for high 7s and purple for 8+.

I reduce my alk so I need to test for ph, I see my new salt water go from yellow at the start of mixing to purple by the end, so I know I’m getting reasonably accurate results.

 

[Lps_lover12]

I use API ph test kit, works great for me, maybe try comparing your results with that test kit, it’s cheap, will give you an idea if yours is off, the colour change on the API test is easy to see, yellow for the low 7s, brownish purple for high 7s and purple for 8+.

I reduce my alk so I need to test for ph, I see my new salt water go from yellow at the start of mixing to purple by the end, so I know I’m getting reasonably accurate results.

I have the Red Sea one but my main complaint is how close all the colours are, really hard to tell the difference between different numbers

 

[Reef.]

I have the Red Sea one but my main complaint is how close all the colours are, really hard to tell the difference between different numbers

Yeah some are hard to read, this is the API colour chart, very easy to read. Any hint of purple and you’re good.