Next step to raise ph - help me decide

[sjfishguy]

Unless you have sps, why bother worrying about this pH?

 

[GrandmaReefer]

It's not the single most important parameter

It's like temperature

Are you going to forego a heater, and just run room temp, because you don't want to chase temp?

It's easier than you think to get it up

Virtually every animal in my tank responds to very well at pH 8.3. Which is very achievable

/shrug. It is of course your tank, do as you will

You misunderstand. Not chasing != ignoring.

I am simply not hyper-focusing on it to the detriment of the stability of the tank.

To wit, I moved to using a DOS to auto dose alk and have seen improvement in ph

 

[Solo McReefer]

I'm not misunderstanding

The people who started coining the phrase, "I don't chase parameters, I don't chase numbers" were people describing their 5 to 10+ years old mature tanks

That were so dialed in, that a quick look at the animals gave more information than a hobby grade test kit could

Those reefers chased all the numbers for years to keep the tank from going sideways, and getting it to maturity

It also means that some parameters bounce around. And that needs to be understood as well. But you don't have to bounce around 7.8, you can bounce around 8.3 with just a little effort

Tobacco lawyers used to argue, "smoking while pregnant can be a good thing. Some women don't want big babies, and want an easier labor"

Keeping a tank in the 7s will slow one's coral growth, maybe some reefers want that. They probably don't want fast growing corals, because the tank is full

Shooting for 8.3 or higher is not going to be a detriment to the corals

 

[GrandmaReefer]

I'm not misunderstanding

The people who started coining the phrase, "I don't chase parameters, I don't chase numbers" were people describing their 5 to 10+ years old mature tanks

That were so dialed in, that a quick look at the animals gave more information than a hobby grade test kit could

Those reefers chased all the numbers for years to keep the tank from going sideways, and getting it to maturity

It also means that some parameters bounce around. And that needs to be understood as well. But you don't have to bounce around 7.8, you can bounce around 8.3 with just a little effort

Tobacco lawyers used to argue, "smoking while pregnant can be a good thing. Some women don't want big babies, and want an easier labor"

Keeping a tank in the 7s will slow one's coral growth, maybe some reefers want that. They probably don't want fast growing corals, because the tank is full

Shooting for 8.3 or higher is not going to be a detriment to the corals

You’re still missing my point.

But hey, ok. I want stable 8.3. Why do t you tell me how to do that, like right now, without significantly affecting the stability of everything else?

 

[PharmrJohn]

Boy o Boy, just suggested to do what you have done already. So I erased and replaced. I really need to stop skimming the original post......

 

[GrandmaReefer]

There are a few things you can do. You could run an outside air line to attach to your skimmer. Outside air has a VERY stable, low CO2 level compared to the room your tank is in. You, your family and your pets export CO2 via respiration and that transfers to your tank. If this isn't possible, then a CO2 Scrubber, again, attached to your skimmer.

Co2 is about 418 near the tank. Co2 scrubber running.

I’ve been doing this for 30+ years, I’ve run all the tests and tried all the tricks already.

Which was the point of the original post - trying to decide how much time to waste on one parameter when the tank is happy and there’s growth - even if it isn’t super fast.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Co2 is about 418 near the tank. Co2 scrubber running.

I’ve been doing this for 30+ years, I’ve run all the tests and tried all the tricks already.

Which was the point of the original post - trying to decide how much time to waste on one parameter when the tank is happy and there’s growth - even if it isn’t super fast.

I know. I didn't get to the post in time to change it up. As I finished this post above, your original question flashed in my brain and I actually 'saw' it. Went back, confirmed, and changed my post. Sorry about that man!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Unless you have sps, why bother worrying about this pH?

Other calcifying organisms may also grow faster, such as LPS corals, coralline algae, etc.

 

[Formulator]

My tank was running 7.8-8.1 and I took a multi-pronged approach to finally get mine up. The growth rate difference is staggering. I added a CO2 scrubber and switched my 2-part Alk solution to NaOH. That brought it up to the 8.1-8.3 range. Then, my alk consumption went up and with the added 2-part, pH continued to increase. Then we left the house for 2 days and the pH increased again, and Alk consumption increased, hence more NaOH added. It never came back down after being out of the house and now my pH is stable in the 8.3-8.5 range! Kind of a cool and unexpected chain reaction of increased pH, followed by increased Alk consumption, leading to additional dosing NaOH, and further pH increase, repeat.

 

[GrandmaReefer]

Update: Since I last posted, I have acquired a DOS and started Trident based dosing for alk. I also switched to using live phyto and added a gfo reactor.

Primary Apex pH readings:
August: 7.8-7.9
September: 7.8-7.9
October: 7.9-8.0
November: 8.0-8.1

My second at apex tells me those values are about 1.3 higher.

Either way, pH is rising, phos is steady at .03, and tank still healthy. Alk consistent between 8.6 and 9.2 night/day.

Waiting to see if there’s better growth or not while the pH either stabilizes or rises more.

Patience is indeed the best approach. Slow and steady.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Update: Since I last posted, I have acquired a DOS and started Trident based dosing for alk. I also switched to using live phyto and added a gfo reactor.

Primary Apex pH readings:
August: 7.8-7.9
September: 7.8-7.9
October: 7.9-8.0
November: 8.0-8.1

My second at apex tells me those values are about 1.3 higher.

Either way, pH is rising, phos is steady at .03, and tank still healthy. Alk consistent between 8.6 and 9.2 night/day.

Waiting to see if there’s better growth or not while the pH either stabilizes or rises more.

Patience is indeed the best approach. Slow and steady.

Thanks for the update. :)

 

[Troylee]

Update: Since I last posted, I have acquired a DOS and started Trident based dosing for alk. I also switched to using live phyto and added a gfo reactor.

Primary Apex pH readings:
August: 7.8-7.9
September: 7.8-7.9
October: 7.9-8.0
November: 8.0-8.1

My second at apex tells me those values are about 1.3 higher.

Either way, pH is rising, phos is steady at .03, and tank still healthy. Alk consistent between 8.6 and 9.2 night/day.

Waiting to see if there’s better growth or not while the pH either stabilizes or rises more.

Patience is indeed the best approach. Slow and steady.

More corals seem to really help with ph! You’ll notice when the ones you already have your ph will start rising everyday and it drops less and less… it’s just getting everything to the happy spot then it’s easy to keep it pegged on the higher spectrums.

 

[Aquaforest]

I need thoughts on which next step to take regarding my low ph problem.

Ph is stable daily 7.8 - 7.9. Apex probe.
Alk is stable between 8.9 - 9.1. Trident.
105g (25g sump) Few LPS, lots of softies, fairly well stocked.

BRS Co2 scrubber running - stopped being effective last month.

I have tried aeration tests -
1. Outside air to skimmer, to tank, to co2 scrubber. Each 1 hour. No appreciable improvement.
2. Dosing alk improves, but not beyond 7.9. I don’t want to ramp up alk beyond where it is - the tank is happy at 9ish.

Next possible steps:

1. Stop chasing ph. It’s stable, tank looks good. Growth is slow in LPS but they’re doing fine. Softies growing good.

2. New skimmer. I’m running a Nyos Quantum 160 which is undersized for a heavier stocked tank.

3. Something I haven’t thought of/tried.

I’m dosing Reef Fusion 2 part. No alk - the CA dose is keeping alk stable. I could switch to B-ionic? Not sure that will change anything.

Thoughts on my next step? I’m leaning toward #1. I’m having a whole house air exchanger put in for my husband - his lungs are compromised - and that might do something. Aeration test failures lead me to believe it won’t but you never know.

Interestingly, manual Red Sea ph tests show between 8.1 in the morning and 8.2 later. Consistently. Hmmmph.

Hello @GrandmaReefer

If you are interested in to raise the pH in your aquarium, we can recommend you to check out our blog post which you mentioned about it. Have a great day!

https://aquaforest.eu/en/knowledge-...-in-aquarium-what-causes-low-ph-in-fish-tank/

 

[drolmaeye]

Hello @GrandmaReefer

If you are interested in to raise the pH in your aquarium, we can recommend you to check out our blog post which you mentioned about it. Have a great day!

https://aquaforest.eu/en/knowledge-...-in-aquarium-what-causes-low-ph-in-fish-tank/

While there are some helpful recommendations in there (like increasing aeration and adding a CO2 scrubber), I would be hesitant to refer new reefers to this blog post (and the OP is an experienced reefer). It seems the post is written for aquariums in general (both fresh and salt) and I think a new reefer could be mislead by suggestions in each of the three main headings.

 

[rishma]

Update: Since I last posted, I have acquired a DOS and started Trident based dosing for alk. I also switched to using live phyto and added a gfo reactor.

Primary Apex pH readings:
August: 7.8-7.9
September: 7.8-7.9
October: 7.9-8.0
November: 8.0-8.1

My second at apex tells me those values are about 1.3 higher.

Either way, pH is rising, phos is steady at .03, and tank still healthy. Alk consistent between 8.6 and 9.2 night/day.

Waiting to see if there’s better growth or not while the pH either stabilizes or rises more.

Patience is indeed the best approach. Slow and steady.

I find more things photosynthesizing things definitely raises my pH. More corals >>>more algae.

I know you don’t need advice on phosphate but I’ve learned the hard way to stay higher than 0.03. Seems to be a tipping point toward zero in my tank.

 

[Aquaforest]

While there are some helpful recommendations in there (like increasing aeration and adding a CO2 scrubber), I would be hesitant to refer new reefers to this blog post (and the OP is an experienced reefer). It seems the post is written for aquariums in general (both fresh and salt) and I think a new reefer could be mislead by suggestions in each of the three main headings.

Thank you for your feedback, we will take this into account, so that everything is clear :D