Methods to raise PH in a reef tank, please list them and instructions?

[Fritzhamer]

At this time I do not have any corals, I am trying to get my pH higher about 8.1-8.3 so I can grow coralline algae.

I grow tons of it at 7.8! I added a CO2 scrubber to my system because I felt the low ph could be stunting the growth of some of my corals. I also had a day or two where it went down to 7.6.

As was mentioned don’t worry about the number as much as stability. Stability is the key, these animals can adapt to anything. They just can’t do it quickly.

 

[Jeremy Lain]

I switched to Randy’s/Jim sodium hydroxide 2 part recipe. Same ph boost as kalk per unit alk added. It’s good stuff and has magnesium in it too.


Edit: just saw you don’t have any corals. For coralline I wouldn’t worry about ph and just keep things really stable and nutrients/doc low. It takes time even when things are perfect.

In this article it talks about how how he recommends a ph of 8.2 but that he thinks 7.8- 8.5 is an acceptable range for reef aquaria if the other parameters are correct.

But here in this video he talks about how a lower ph of 7.8 has more hydrogen in the water and corals need to get rid of hydrogen to to calcify and grow at a continues rate if a coral holds oh to the hydrogen it makes it more acidic and has a harder time calcifying and growing.

Coral needing to get rid of hydrogen in a reef tank with a pH of 7.8

It says pH is a measure of how much free hydrogen is in the tank

It says a lower pH of 7.8 has more hydrogen in the water and 8.3 less

It says with the more hydrogen in the water the it is harder for the coral to release the hydogren the coral just made from calcification, causing it to be harder for it to do the calcification process.

It says they at a pH of 8.3 it is easier for the coral to get rid of the excess hydrogen in the water with a ph of 8.3 so that the coral can maintain a stable ph within the coral which causes continues calcification and coral growth.

So with all that being said should calcification be the same for coralline algae growth?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

What are you using to measure pH ?

 

[hart24601]

Well not exactly but most think you can achieve the same results by running higher alk. I personally had the best coraline holding around 11dkh. It seems to be up in the air is both high alk and high ph increase growth over just one being elevated. Of course higher alk does raise ph a bit as well.

 

[John A!10]

Add crushed coral like a pile on the side but it won’t last to long after 7-9 months you need to add more or swap it out. A big bag is cheap like ten bucks and will last forever.

 

[Jeremy Lain]

What are you using to measure pH ?

Api's pH test.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Api's pH test.

I would buy a pH pen on ebay. They don't cost much & you can calibrate it with a solution so you know its accurate.
Then you will know exactly what your pH IS.
throw the test soution in the bin

 

[John A!10]

Add an air stone as a temporary solution except if you want to have an air stone forever or add it to the sump(if you have one).

 

[John A!10]

Add crushed coral like a pile on the side but it won’t last to long after 7-9 months you need to add more or swap it out. A big bag is cheap like ten bucks and will last forever.

You can also add it to the sump. ( If you have).

 

[Jeremy Lain]

It will spread by itself but scrapping some off will speed it up. That honestly looks kind of like caribsea life rock which is colored purple but I could be mistaken.

Here is a better picture of the rock, it has some nice looking purple and pink coralline algae growth on it. I guess I will scrape some off and put it in my reef tank and see if it grows faster!

 

[Jeremy Lain]

Well not exactly but most think you can achieve the same results by running higher alk. I personally had the best coraline holding around 11dkh. It seems to be up in the air is both high alk and high ph increase growth over just one being elevated. Of course higher alk does raise ph a bit as well.

I have raised alkalinity to 10 before and I think it brought my ph to 8.0 but that is still not the 8.1-8.3. I guess later on I can try to raise alkalinity higher to maybe 11 and see if my ph rises more.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I have raised alkalinity to 10 before and I think it brought my ph to 8.0 but that is still not the 8.1-8.3. I guess later on I can try to raise alkalinity higher to maybe 11 and see if my ph rises more.

Using some form of algae filtration will raise pH. Through photosynthesis inorgnic carbon is converted into organic carbon.
Its the only method to get to, or near, oxygen supersaturation.
Air pumps or skimmers don't produce oxygen. If the air supply is high in CO2, that's what's getting pumped into the water.

 

[clarity1981]

Using some form of algae filtration will raise pH. Through photosynthesis inorgnic carbon is converted into organic carbon.
Its the only method to get to, or near, oxygen supersaturation.
Air pumps or skimmers don't produce oxygen. If the air supply is high in CO2, that's what's getting pumped into the water.

Agree, Photosynthesis=Higher pH. Algae in your fuge will definitely help. Running with alternate lighting schedules will help avoid pH swings as well.

Also, some salt mixes mix to a higher pH.

 

[ca1ore]

I’d certainly not view 7.8 as problematic, given proper alkalinity levels. It’s the CO2 in your house that’s causing the lower readings. A reverse lit refugium can help as others have pointed out, but unless you can address the CO2, you’re not going to see 8.3. Some folks have had success running external air to the skimmer, or even using a CO2 scrubber, but again room CO2 levels will be working against you. With the exception of kalk, I’d not be messing around with chemicals.

 

[rock_lobster]

I'd say Kalk's advantage is that it adds Calcium and Alkalinity in equal parts. Sodium hydroxide adds no calcium which could be a benefit or a drawback depending on what you intend.

Just makes it harder to keep calcium levels consistent since it doesnt add very much calcium or alkalinity due to low solubility. It may be useful in a new or lightly stocked tank. but it just becomes a pain when you have to dose 2 part anways.

 

[Jeremy Lain]

So let's say for example I bought Kalkwasser; and my calcium is at 420, alkalinity at 9.6 DKH, and my magesium is at 1320. What should I do?

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Here is a great article about PH in the aquarium by Randy. I know it helped me a lot. There are several more listed in the stickey in the reef chemistry forum as well.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php
http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/

 

[Jeremy Lain]

Let's say I'm making a (pie) and its called a (coralline algae pie), what ingredients do I need to make it?

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Once you have some kind in your tank, its just stability and time. Some tanks take up to a year to get it growing.

 

[drblakjak55]

Stop chasing numbers. Dead rock becomes live rock. The ecosystem to handle the food we like to feed our fish takes six to twelve months to set up. Maybe you need one million bacteria per inch of rock. Maybe you only need a hundred thousand. Good flow. Good light. Water changes. Don’t chase. Steady. Steady. Steady