Issues with Coral QT Tank

[tigé21v]

I have a 10 gallon coral QT. Heater, HOB filter with just the sponge in it (no GAC), small maxijet power head, Radium 250w, and a fan. Tank is in an unfinished basement. No rock/sand, but a bag of SeaChem Matrix laying on the tank bottom. Alk 8.9
Though there's a few things I've never liked about it, I've found ways to deal with most the issues except one- the ph.
It sits right around 8.0, maybe a little less, while the light is off. (I'm only running the light for 6 hours right now to give the corals a chance to acclimate from T5 to MH). Towards the end of the light cycle, it will work its way up to 8.17ish. I'd like it to sit higher, especially the low end readings, if possible.
Would replacing the HOB filter with a HOB skimmer help? And if so, how much? Not really looking to try to skim anything, it would be more to help in gas exchange to try to get the ph up. I have a Deltec MCE600 I could add if it would make a worthwhile difference. If the difference would only be negligible, I'll just keep the setup as is. (I really don't want to try it and find out for myself. The skimmer is nice and clean and sitting on the shelf. Don't want to have to clean it up again just for experiment's sake because it's a real PITA.
I don't know how much, if any difference it would make. The power head raises the tank temp a few degrees, and the MH cranks it up even more. I have a fan- actually a blower- angled across the surface of the tank that kicks on via the Apex when the tank temp starts to rise. It seems like it runs for better than half the day. I'd think it has to be encouraging gas exchange.
I could leave the HOB filter on one end of the tank and add the skimmer to the other end if that would be better.
TIA

 

[svogun]

I wouldn't get caught up with PH and chase the numbers. What are you planning to QT in this tank and for how long? That small of water volume is going to be tough to keep parameters stable for SPS. Having a small ATO hooked up with kalk in your top off container may be all you need to bump up the PH and keep your Alk/Ca++ stable.

 

[svogun]

I'm running a 34 gallon QT for SPS and having the ATO is a god send.

 

[tigé21v]

sps, for at least a few weeks. Usually seems to be a month or so before I'm comfortable adding them to the main system. Possibly a little longer this time around, I want to treat for bryopsis.
It's a 10 gallon. No problem with the parameters so far or in the past. I just don't like the low ph. I never seem to get any growth while they're sitting in the QT. They always seem like they are just holding on, usually losing their color. And since little or no growth, I don't need to add alk or calcium. Just top off with RO.

 

[svogun]

I've found with new frags it may take months to see any change in coloration or growth of sps. You see no change at all in Alk? How often are you testing?

 

[tigé21v]

Only change is if I manage to get the alk up through aeration. I test alk daily, every morning, at the same time. No3 and P04 weekly. I have no trouble with color changes... most go to a shade of brown for a while. lol
Seriously, they just seem to sit there. Only thing that I can think of is the low ph reading.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

pH of 7.9 won't affect corals in any negative way. A lot of people with calcium reactors have a base pH of 8 like you and things grow great. pH is nothing to be concerned with if everything else is in line. Definatly not a number to chase.
Although I do think adding a hob skimmer would do nothing but good. Are there a lot of nutrients in the tank? If not then you could just add some skim back when you empty the cup or just run it with no cup.