Ph issue... Potential solutions for low pH. Help me!

[alindell]

So I've been struggling with lower pH than id like to have. I can get it to stay above 8.0 for the majority of the day. It will sit around 8.0 to 8.1 but I'm trying to get it stay 8.3 or above consistently.


I started dosing fully saturated kalk from a brute trash can which helped, but still not enough. Then I added a CO2 scrubber. That boosted it to 8.2 but it doesn't last long at that amount as the media gets scrubbed so fast and I would be replacing CO2 media every week. I even hooked up two CO2 scrubbers and connected the air hose to an outside vent to suck in fresh air. Still the pH is low. I'm at a loss for how to get this pH up. I recalibrated my ph probe thinking maybe it was wrong, but still reading low after calibration so It must be right. Any other solutions, anything else I can add to keep pH up? Help

 

[56longroof]

Why do you need 8.3? Your pretty much at optimal now. What's your alk at? Plenty of surface agitation?

 

[alindell]

8.3 is ideal for SPS growth. It's a proven fact. I have a gyre at the top of tank that pushes a lot of surface agitation along with return. Alk is like 9.5

 

[alindell]

Ignore the salinity. It's off. Ph is not even at 8.0 this morning. Alk measurements from Trident is lower than Hannah alk test so it's not completely accurate. So it sits between 9.5- 9.8.

 

[alindell]

Being a basement tank I struggle with carbon dioxide build up.

 

[Daftendire]

My basement tank used to have pH with a high of 7.9. I connected outside air to my skimmer and use a hydroxide based 2part now.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

I started using the CO2 scrubber media from Amazon and it has lasted MUCH longer than anything purchased from BRS or other places. I think it's JorVet brand and is a vet grade product.

 

[Anthrax91]

I've been messing with ph for a bit. All the numbers I'm referencing are night time ph numbers. Ph shoots way up during day when lights are on. I ran skimmer line outside and it would keep it around 8.03. I bought a c02 monitor and found out the room in the basement where I keep my tank was getting pretty high c02 readings. Since then I've kept the window near the tank cracked about an inch and the c02 level in the room has hovered around 400 - 550. That has kept my ph around 8.2.

Obviously this isn't a long term solution. I've researched single room ERVs but I don't actually know how well they will work.

 

[alindell]

I started using the CO2 scrubber media from Amazon and it has lasted MUCH longer than anything purchased from BRS or other places. I think it's JorVet brand and is a vet grade product.

I read that jorvet is good. I think I'll have to try that when I'm out of brs crap

 

[alindell]

I started using the CO2 scrubber media from Amazon and it has lasted MUCH longer than anything purchased from BRS or other places. I think it's JorVet brand and is a vet grade product.

I read that jorvet is good. I think I'll have to try that when I'm out of brs

I've been messing with ph for a bit. All the numbers I'm referencing are night time ph numbers. Ph shoots way up during day when lights are on. I ran skimmer line outside and it would keep it around 8.03. I bought a c02 monitor and found out the room in the basement where I keep my tank was getting pretty high c02 readings. Since then I've kept the window near the tank cracked about an inch and the c02 level in the room has hovered around 400 - 550. That has kept my ph around 8.2.

Obviously this isn't a long term solution. I've researched single room ERVs but I don't actually know how well they will work.

Yah I heard ervs are expensive. I keep a window cracked too. What's crazy is it's only me down in the basement. I can't imagine the CO2 level be that high

 

[Gsponi]

I think Bubble Scrubbing is rising the PH because you can get rid of CO2

 

[alindell]

My basement tank used to have pH with a high of 7.9. I connected outside air to my skimmer and use a hydroxide based 2part now.

Without changing my dosing regimen what else could I use. I do auto water change, kalk dosing continuously and all for reef

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

8.3 is ideal for SPS growth. It's a proven fact.

That's a pretty strong statement. What is the “proof”?

I don’t disagree that higher pH can lead to faster hard coral growth. I think there are numerous variables in that assessment (coral species, lighting, alkalinity, nutrients, etc), but what makes you believe that pH 8.3 is better than, say, pH 8.4?

 

[alindell]

That's a pretty strong statement. What is the “proof”?

I don’t disagree that higher pH can lead to faster hard coral growth, I think there are numerous variables in that assessment (coral species, lighting, alkalinity, nutrients, etc), but what makes you believe that pH 8.3 is better than, say, pH 8.4?

8.4 could be better. Research I've done has made it very clear higher pH up to 8.3 is better for growth. Even if I could get it to stay consistently above 8.1 8.2 that would be great. I need it consistently higher than what it is now. Yes I know lots of variables matter, but this is one variable I'm tackling right now.

 

[56longroof]

That's a pretty strong statement. What is the “proof”?

I don’t disagree that higher pH can lead to faster hard coral growth. I think there are numerous variables in that assessment (coral species, lighting, alkalinity, nutrients, etc), but what makes you believe that pH 8.3 is better than, say, pH 8.4?

Is .1 really enough ph to make a difference in growth? I can understand going from 7.8 to 8.2 but .1 seems trivial.

 

[56longroof]

8.4 could be better. Research I've done has made it very clear higher pH up to 8.3 is better for growth. Even if I could get it to stay consistently above 8.1 8.2 that would be great. I need it consistently higher than what it is now. Yes I know lots of variables matter, but this is one variable I'm tackling right now.

Have you tried a algea scrubber to increase O2 levels since it seems C02 is limiting you?

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Reverse light cycle fuge w/ chaeto or algae scrubber works really well. I can keep my pH at 8.1-8.3 day and night with both a CO2 scrubber and a fuge of chaeto.

 

[alindell]

No I'm not sure how much difference some algea will do. It's another cost, probably suck up trace elements so then that needs to be replaced and I have no space for it

 

[56longroof]

No I'm not sure how much difference some algea will do. It's another cost, probably suck up trace elements so then that needs to be replaced and I have no space for it

Honestly other than that it seems you've tried everything else.

 

[alindell]

Is .1 really enough ph to make a difference in growth? I can understand going from 7.8 to 8.2 but .1 seems trivial.

Since pH is logarithmic .1 is a big difference