Is there any benefit blowing outside air via a duct over the top of a tank if the room is stuffy and there is low pH?

2Wheelsonly · Mar 7, 2021

I see a potential that I can run a small 2 inch duct to an exterior wall upstairs from my fish room. My fish room is fairly small (5ftx8ft, size of a small walk in closet) and the thought process is that I have aeration over the top of the tank and a large fan that blows over top for temp control. I can bring a 2 inch duct driven by an inline duct fan to force fresh air in that would essentially blow over the top of the tank.

Would there be any benefit to this?

I have seen ERV's that have 2 inch ducts rated for 600 square foot, so my thought process is that a 2 inch duct would be acceptable for the purpose of bringing enough fresh air in just for pH purposes.

Boxofpurplerocks · Mar 7, 2021

Why not directly connect your skimmer air intake to fresh air? Unless you don’t have a skimmer, that would be the easiest and also most effective route. This should also work though, as long as you are lowering CO2 concentrations in the air, it has the same effect (boosting pH). If you currently have very high CO2 levels, this will make a pretty large difference in pH.

2Wheelsonly · Mar 8, 2021

Boxofpurplerocks said:
Why not directly connect your skimmer air intake to fresh air? Unless you don’t have a skimmer, that would be the easiest and also most effective route. This should also work though, as long as you are lowering CO2 concentrations in the air, it has the same effect (boosting pH). If you currently have very high CO2 levels, this will make a pretty large difference in pH.

I am doing that but after doing a few of Randy's aeration tests I am starting to believe my co2 meter may need calibration and the air in the home is out competing the air coming in via the skimmer connected to the outside line. I figure direct air from the outside coming in the room is much more than what comes in via a small venturi. (I would be doing both by the way but the goal is to reduce co2 in the room)