Keeping 8.2PH Plus made super easy.

[Bruttall]

I am not sure how many of you are aware of this simple PH Hack!!

I run an Air Pump with several air stones in my sump. With a Fresh Air Line from outside the House.
Yes, Air Pump with plain old Air Stones. Screen Cap from my APEX!

Yeah, simple, easy, extremely effective and it raises the ORP in my system as well as keeping my PH between 8.1 and 8.4. Here is a picture of the air pump and sump.



Link to the Pump on Amazon.
https://tinyurl.com/4uv8cvey

 

[Miami Reef]

Are you sure? It’s very unlikely to achieve elevated pH simply by more aeration with indoor ambient air. Unless the home is depleted from CO₂, which is generally very difficult, more aeration will usually keep it suppressed.

What were the pH lows prior? Do you use a protein skimmer?

 

[kboogie]

CO2 lowers pH and dissipating that CO2 will increase pH. I wonder if you are experiencing high O2 consumption or elevated CO2 production. The additional air stones on a powerful air pump are increasing gas exchange dissipating the CO2.

 

[Bruttall]

Are you sure? It’s very unlikely to achieve elevated pH simply by more aeration with indoor ambient air. Unless the home is depleted from CO₂, which is generally very difficult, more aeration will usually keep it suppressed.

What were the pH lows prior? Do you use a protein skimmer?

Yes, I run a Monster Skimmer, Custom rebuilt MTC Power Pro, dual 3/4 Mazzei venturi skimmer. I am pretty confident this skimmer would handle a Heavy Bio load 1000g tank.

Prior to the Air Stone hack my ph stayed about 7.8-ish. With the Air Stone Hack, Here is a screen cap from my Apex . It gets a little wonky yesterday but that is because I swapped out Sumps yesterday.

 

[Miami Reef]

Yes, I run a Monster Skimmer, Custom rebuilt MTC Power Pro, dual 3/4 Mazzei venturi skimmer. I am pretty confident this skimmer would handle a Heavy Bio load 1000g tank.

Prior to the Air Stone hack my ph stayed about 7.8-ish. With the Air Stone Hack, Here is a screen cap from my Apex . It gets a little wonky yesterday but that is because I swapped out Sumps yesterday.

How do you calibrate the probe? Do you use pH 7 and 10 solutions? Which brand?

I’d be very interested in seeing what happens if you recalibrate the probe.

 

[Bruttall]

How do you calibrate the probe? Do you use pH 7 and 10 solutions? Which brand?

I’d be very interested in seeing what happens if you recalibrate the probe.

I use a Neptune Apex monitoring system, probes get Calibrated every 6 months with 7 and 10 solutions. First of the Year and First of June.

I get your skepticism @Miami Reef, I was skeptical at first as well. But I bought this air pump in January, so I have 9 months of first hand experience watching my PH stay a consistent 8.15 to 8.25 since then. I just realized I left out one IMPORTANT Item, the Air Pump draws air from outside the house. I edited OP to reflect that, sorry Miami, that is the Key Factor in this Hack.

 

[Miami Reef]

I have 9 months of first hand experience watching my PH stay a consistent 8.15 to 8.25 since then.

8.15-8.25 makes sense. 8.3-8.4 not so much.

I understand what you’re saying. I have a pH probe on my apex, and the probe drifts upwards within 1-2 months without calibration. Recalibrating it sharply brings it back down.

 

[spsick]

8.15-8.25 makes sense. 8.3-8.4 not so much.

I understand what you’re saying. I have a pH probe on my apex, and the probe drifts upwards within 1-2 months without calibration. Recalibrating it sharply brings it back down.

I pull fresh air into my skimmer via a 1/2” line from outside. This is my pH after calibrating a week ago. Using 7 and 10 solutions, rinsing with RO between, and letting each step settle for 5 min.

Sure, it could be reading .1 high but so what? Then I fuss about my pH less.

 

[World Citizen]

A decarbonator comes to mind here. Co2 want's to travel to lighter air instead of heavy water. So decarbonators airate the water for stripping Co2.

If this actually works, is scientific or true... I don't know, but that is the concept.

It is based on Henry's Law.

 

[Miami Reef]

I pull fresh air into my skimmer via a 1/2” line from outside. This is my pH after calibrating a week ago. Using 7 and 10 solutions, rinsing with RO between, and letting each step settle for 5 min.

Pulling fresh air outside is significantly different than pulling in indoor air. Outside air will almost certainly increase pH.

 

[Miami Reef]

Sure, it could be reading .1 high but so what? Then I fuss about my pH less.

I just don’t want people to have high expectations, then being disappointed, after buying an expensive air pump.

 

[Bruttall]

I believe I discovered this little trick because I was running Ozone into skimmer venturi's.

 

[X-37B]

Are you sure? It’s very unlikely to achieve elevated pH simply by more aeration with indoor ambient air. Unless the home is depleted from CO₂, which is generally very difficult, more aeration will usually keep it suppressed.

What were the pH lows prior? Do you use a protein skimmer?

Op says he run the airline from outside.

 

[Bruttall]

I just don’t want people to have high expectations, then being disappointed, after buying an expensive air pump.

it's a $48 dollar air pump, 1100gph, for a 360 gallon system. I guess it is perspective, but I do not see that as expensive, not when I look at my 4 lights that cost over $500 each.

 

[Bruttall]

Op says he run the airline from outside.

yeah, I had to edit that in, it sorta slipped my mind when I made the post, lol.

 

[X-37B]

it's a $48 dollar air pump, 1100gph, for a 360 gallon system. I guess it is perspective, but I do not see that as expensive, not when I look at my 4 lights that cost over $500 each.

I ran one during my hydro years, still have the pump. They are great but quite loud, imo.

 

[56longroof]

Pulling outside air in via a air pump or skimmer is not really a new hack. Im glad you have had great results with it but it's pretty common knowledge.

 

[Miami Reef]

yeah, I had to edit that in, it sorta slipped my mind when I made the post, lol.

Ah. That changes things.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

all you’re doing is using available oxygen which is great, but nothing that other methods can’t do in the same manner

 

[KrisReef]

I just don’t want people to have high expectations, then being disappointed, after buying an expensive air pump.

That air pump is only $40!

My tank sits in a garage and I am tempted to buy the pump just to see if I can force the pH up by running air? The pump specs indicate that it pumps -1000gph air, and I do wonder if it should be liters per hour of air(?) but either way that’s going to make a lot of bubbles and possibly salt creep in the sump but the volume exchange and displacement of CO2 from the bubbles seems more likely than running a tiny air exchange setup.