Need to raise ph?

[kaiimac]

Hi everyone!

I am setting up my first reef aquarium, and it just finished cycling. I am hoping to get my first fish soon. I plan to eventually keep corals, but I am waiting at least another month or so. I have noticed that my ph has consistently been at about 7.8, and I have been reading mixed opinions about whether or not I should raise the ph chemically. So far, I've tried to aerate the water to change CO2 levels by increasing surface agitation, but this hasn't had an effect on ph. Here's some info about my aquarium:

Nuvo 20 with 18 lbs dry rock and 20lb Caribsea Fiji Pink Sand

Ammonia: 0 (raised to 2.0ppm daily with chemical ammonia)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80 (Haven't yet done a water change)
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 76.6
kh: 161.1 ppm
phosphate: 0

If you think I should raise the ph, how would I go about doing so? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've already learned so much through this forum, and I'm so grateful for that. Thank you!

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Well first off your salinity should be higher

 

[recess62]

Using chemicals to raise pH is only a temporary fix. You need to address the reason why your pH is low which is most likely do to high CO2 levels in the House here is some easy reading

http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/

 

[kaiimac]

Well first off your salinity should be higher

So higher salinity=higher ph? I have read that ideal salinity is between 1.024 to 1.026, so maybe I should raise it to 1.026 if that will help.

 

[kaiimac]

Using chemicals to raise pH is only a temporary fix. You need to address the reason why your pH is low which is most likely do to high CO2 levels in the House here is some easy reading

http://www.reefedition.com/ph-and-the-reef-aquarium/

Thank you, that's helpful. I haven't been running lights or skimmer yet, so I wonder if that will make a difference.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Yes, definitely run your skimmer. You will have much higher air exchange and will see your ph go higher.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Even though 7.8 is at the low end, it's not bad. ( I never chase PH. Don't measure it myself.)

There are ways to help boost and stabilize pH.

1.) Open windows. C02 levels can be elevated indoors when windows are closed. Your tanks C02 levels will become equal to your house C02 levels, thus driving down PH in your tank.

2.) Air exchange with outside air via, skimmer. Adding an airline from you skimmer intake to the outside can improve gas exchange.

3.) C02 scrubber. Using soda lime in a inline container connected to your skimmer intake can remove C02 from the incoming air source, thus driving down C02 in your water, thus driving up PH.

4.) Using calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser) in your ATO Reservoir.
Kalk can have a stabilizing effect on PH.

Never use PH boosting supplements. They are a temporary fix and can drive your water pramameters out of wack.

Hope this helps.

 

[GoVols]

I'm with @Flippers4pups

7.8 is not that bad.
To me, most of the time low ph is due to trapped in CO2 in the home.

Can you put some of your display's water in an cup and use an air pump and air stone?
Take it outside and bubble cup's the water for about an hour.

Then re-test the cup's water to see if the ph rises.

(lol)
We open our windows as much as possible to get the Co2 out

You could also try an Co2 scrubber, but I'd try the cup test first to see if CO2 is your issue.

 

[GoVols]

So far, I've tried to aerate the water to change CO2 levels by increasing surface agitation, but this hasn't had an effect on ph.

If your home has trapped in CO2, then your just agitating the water's surface with the same high CO2 air.

 

[theMeat]

Yeah, lights help raise ph. But if you don’t have a refugium, with lights running at night when display tank lights are off, then it will only make ph swing up and down

Skimmer will def up your ph, especially if it’s air is low in c02, as in coming from outside or through s scrubber

 

[sergifed91]

I'm battling the same readings with my ph 7.8 ppm. my tanks is in the basement. so what i'm doing now since the weather is nice. i'm opening up a window and letting out the co2 and air in. plus I have a fan running to circulate the air a little more. so it should help a little bit. plus looking to get some plants in the basement to turn that CO2 to oxygen.

 

[kaiimac]

Thanks so much everyone. This was all helpful, and I am going to try some of your suggestions. I'll set my skimmer up tomorrow, and I'll bubble some water outside to test it. I don't know how sustainable it is to open my windows since I live in Florida where it's super hot, but maybe I can figure something out. I still don't really understand the comment about raising my salinity, but I'll bump it up to 1.025 and see what happens. I did add lights today (the shadow cast by the mesh top is driving me crazy!), and if these methods don't work, it seems like kalkwasser is the preferred additive to use.

 

[Clownfish2]

Thanks so much everyone. This was all helpful, and I am going to try some of your suggestions. I'll set my skimmer up tomorrow, and I'll bubble some water outside to test it. I don't know how sustainable it is to open my windows since I live in Florida where it's super hot, but maybe I can figure something out. I still don't really understand the comment about raising my salinity, but I'll bump it up to 1.025 and see what happens. I did add lights today (the shadow cast by the mesh top is driving me crazy!), and if these methods don't work, it seems like kalkwasser is the preferred additive to use.

Increasing salinity to 1.025-1.026 is closer to natural sea water values which corals and inverts require. Lower than this is fine for fish only systems.

I keep my ph at 8.3 by connecting my protein skimmer air intake with a flexible pvc tubing 5/8 inch to a one inch PVC pipe. That pvc pipe mounts through a board in my window tracks routed to outside air. I sealed the board in my window tracks with silicone to make it air tight. The one inch pvc pipe is mostly hollow but does have some carbon sandwiched between two pieces of foam to act as an air filter.

 

[kaiimac]

Okay, so I took a cup of water outside and aerated it for an hour, and the pH measured 8.0. So it must be a co2 issue. I opened my windows with a fan during the day for a couple of days, but the tank ph is consistently staying at 7.8 even with lights and skimmer running.

I could run a line from the skimmer to out the window, but I'm not much of a DIYer. I'm worried about safety, modding an apartment window, and having an airtight seal. I feel like my main option is getting kalk to put in my ATO. I'm just not sure if it would be better to leave the ph at 7.8 since it's stable, or try to raise it with the kalk. I've seen that some tanks can be successful with a lower ph and that it's better not to "chase" the ph. I do plan to get corals within the next couple of months, but I don't have any right now...just two clowns.

I could also get some plants for the room if that will really make a difference.

 

[sergifed91]

one thing I am doing besides a fan and an open window. I'm skimming the top of the water in the tank adding oxygen to it. no big difference. I may run a tube from the skimmer to outside to a different area other than the window. I have several pvc pipes that are used for radon to be ventilated out of the house. although I don't have a radon problem. so I may tun a plastic hose out side using one of those pvc pipes to get it outside then through a window.

 

[theMeat]

Getting outside air is good, for noise too