Low pH issues

LVReefer94

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i've had ph problems for the last few months now. getting down to the 7.7's... I started running a skimmer and dosing Kalkwasser a couple times a day with a dos pump but not in my ato reservoir. The Kalk seems to be helping a little from my apex readings but not by much because my daily alk consumption is so low it jacks up my alk reading to much per the Trident tests. windows open during the day doesn't seem to work and co2 scrubbing is not an option because of cost at this exact moment. is there anything I can do to hit that 8.2 - 8.3 range?????
 

Jekyl

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i've had ph problems for the last few months now. getting down to the 7.7's... I started running a skimmer and dosing Kalkwasser a couple times a day with a dos pump but not in my ato reservoir. The Kalk seems to be helping a little from my apex readings but not by much because my daily alk consumption is so low it jacks up my alk reading to much per the Trident tests. windows open during the day doesn't seem to work and co2 scrubbing is not an option because of cost at this exact moment. is there anything I can do to hit that 8.2 - 8.3 range?????
There are DIY co2 scrubbers than can be made a lot cheaper. Could also try running the air inlet to your skimmer outside with some hose.
 

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Windows open should be helping.
Could try a fan on the water surface to increase gas exchange
 

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i've had ph problems for the last few months now. getting down to the 7.7's... I started running a skimmer and dosing Kalkwasser a couple times a day with a dos pump but not in my ato reservoir. The Kalk seems to be helping a little from my apex readings but not by much because my daily alk consumption is so low it jacks up my alk reading to much per the Trident tests. windows open during the day doesn't seem to work and co2 scrubbing is not an option because of cost at this exact moment. is there anything I can do to hit that 8.2 - 8.3 range?????
If your sump is enclosed (if you’ve got one), try wafting some fresh air in there. CO2 can settle in a sump, it’s known as CO2 pooling. Also make sure your ph probe is clean/ calibrated.
 
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LVReefer94

LVReefer94

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If your sump is enclosed (if you’ve got one), try wafting some fresh air in there. CO2 can settle in a sump, it’s known as CO2 pooling. Also make sure your ph probe is clean/ calibrated.
no sump, 20g with all hang on gear housing my stuff while my 100g is being built. Bottom pane on my 150 cracked 3 months ago. how do you safely clean probes?
 

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I just added an Icecap C02 scrubber, and it makes a big difference.

Screen Shot 2021-05-23 at 1.18.07 PM.png


Added it on the morning of May 21. I'm thinking about adding a couple of apex solenoids in an attempt to level it out (on at night, off during the day). If it works, I'd be 8.25 to 8.30.. right now I'm 8.25 or so to 8.40+.
 

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Had the same problem. Open windows no change. But the I would put fans at the windows and some results but not much. Winter ph is in low 8.0 high 8.2. Early spring to fall we don't have alot of wind. So its stagnet here. So I run a co2 scrubber early spring to beginning of fall. Then take it off. Seems to work for me atleast. Planning on running an airline out side eventually.
 

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I've considered something like this but my gas exchange is up to par. Water moves around like crazy up top due to 1 power head being right at the surface.
Ime, a fan is different than Subsurface pumps.
Pushing air against the water with a fan is its primary purpose, and more effective.
With a power head, surface agitation is a 2ndary effect.
 

Pistondog

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no sump, 20g with all hang on gear housing my stuff while my 100g is being built. Bottom pane on my 150 cracked 3 months ago. how do you safely clean probes?
Soak in vinegar diluted 4 to 1 for a couple of hours, clean gently with toothbrush if required. Mine was covered with coralline.
Calibrate after cleaning
 

blasterman

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i've had ph problems for the last few months now. getting down to the 7.7's... I started running a skimmer and dosing Kalkwasser a couple times a day with a dos pump but not in my ato reservoir. The Kalk seems to be helping a little from my apex readings but not by much because my daily alk consumption is so low it jacks up my alk reading to much per the Trident tests. windows open during the day doesn't seem to work and co2 scrubbing is not an option because of cost at this exact moment. is there anything I can do to hit that 8.2 - 8.3 range?????

7.7 at night or 7.7 during the day? Big difference.

My 20L hits 7.8 at night and likely a touch lower. At best during the day it hits 8.15...if I use kalk.

Trust me...im not having growth issues.

I built a scrubber out of a juice jar and my night pH never went below 8. My day pH didn't move.

If your room air has good circulation with outdoors and you have good surface circulation I dont think a scrubber is going to help.
 

dkrupenn

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I have a similar problem and can't figure it out after reading multiple threads. I have a low pH and I can't make it go higher. It's around 7.8 and rarely gets to low 8s.

Tank: 91 gal (77 gal after deducting sand and rocks)
Skimmer: Nyos Quantum 160 Protein Skimmer with BRS CO2 scrubber and the house is well ventilated at night.
GFO Reactor
Dosing: ALK, NoPoX, CA
All probes are regularly calibrated.
RO/DI water with ATO
12 hours lighting cycle for the display tank (kessil AP700)

Do I need to raise ALK to 11-12?

Water parameters are attached. I would appreciate any thoughts and ideas.
 

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Pistondog

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I have a similar problem and can't figure it out after reading multiple threads. I have a low pH and I can't make it go higher. It's around 7.8 and rarely gets to low 8s.

Tank: 91 gal (77 gal after deducting sand and rocks)
Skimmer: Nyos Quantum 160 Protein Skimmer with BRS CO2 scrubber and the house is well ventilated at night.
GFO Reactor
Dosing: ALK, NoPoX, CA
All probes are regularly calibrated.
RO/DI water with ATO
12 hours lighting cycle for the display tank (kessil AP700)

Do I need to raise ALK to 11-12?

Water parameters are attached. I would appreciate any thoughts and ideas.
Raising alk won't help.
Do you run a refugium?
Nopox feeds bacteria which also produce co2.
 

Pistondog

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I do have refugium, but I don't have chaeto yet. Do you think that getting chaeto would help?
Ph goes up when co2 in the water is consumed, like with photosynthesis, Aka growing chaeto. So yes it would definitely help. Get a good light.
Like this one
 

josephxsxn

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Raising Alk can increase PH but I wouldn't recommend it as a solution as it's very diminishing returns and goes into uncharted alk territory.

Outdoor skimmer line did it for me. While you may have a skimmer providing good gas exchange if the air it's mixing has increased co2 saturation then you will end up with depressed PH.

I would give Randy's classic test a try, take a sample of water, test it's PH. Then take it outside with an airpump and stone let it run for a while (hour+) and test again. If the samples pH increases you can deduce that it's high indoor co2.

Edit --
Also remember that your pH will change from the start to the end of the photo period due to the corals, alage, etc consuming the co2. So in the AM before lights on expect your lowest, and right before lights off the highest.
 
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jnhernandez1

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I also struggle with low pH 7.7 - 7.85 on 55 gallon tank (6 year old tank). I have an Apex that monitors it. I have tried many things that I have found online with little success. I have a CO2 scrubber on my skimmer, I have opened windows and blown fans from window over the tank.

I have decent coral growth - solid growth on my softies and slow growth on my LPSs. I also have a Trident to monitor the big three. Alk=10, Ca=450, Mg=1350, Salt = 1.024, PO4 = 0.1, NO3=0. I think my low nitrate may be a problem because some my colors are slightly faded... but that's another topic

I was wondering has anyone tried dosing hydrogen peroxide to boost pH? It makes sense to me that it would consume the extra H+ that causes the low PH and not effect alkalinity. But I have found almost nothing about dosing H2O2 for this purpose. Any thoughts about that?
 

josephxsxn

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Have you tried doing the air test with the airstone outdoors?

Perhaps your skimmer isn't providing enough gas exchange. If a scrubber made no impact that would be my next guess.. Really there are only my 2 things going into PH.. co2 concentration and Alkalinity. Checkout the thread in my signature.
 

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