PH Question

[ArmyReefer]

Do you think that if I took my spare protein skimmer and I ran it without a collection cup just to add aeration that it would have a positive or significant impact on PH?

 

[Scorpius]

Depends on quite a bit. High co2 in your house. Feed skimmer fresh air. Ph will go up a little. Lots of variables.

 

[Larry L]

It depends on whether your tank needs more gas exchange with the room air or is already getting enough. If the CO2 in your water is already at equilibrium with room air, extra aeration will not make a difference.

One way to tell is to take a water sample, test the pH right away, then aerate the water with room air for a while, and see if the pH goes up or not.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you think that if I took my spare protein skimmer and I ran it without a collection cup just to add aeration that it would have a positive or significant impact on PH?

You don't indicate if you want pH to go up or down.

More aeration with room air drives pH toward the value you would get with the water equilibrated with that air. Whether that is up or down depends on the tank pH, the tank alkalinity, and the CO2 level in the air.

You can test it in a cup of water, but most often, this sort of indoor aeration does not solve reefer pH problems.

 

[ArmyReefer]

You don't indicate if you want pH to go up or down.

More aeration with room air drives pH toward the value you would get with the water equilibrated with that air. Whether that is up or down depends on the tank pH, the tank alkalinity, and the CO2 level in the air.

You can test it in a cup of water, but most often, this sort of indoor aeration does not solve reefer pH problems.

my house has very high CO2 with 2 adults, 3 kids, and 4 dogs. It is very evident when the weather is cool in the winter times in Florida and I open the windows. With a CO2 scrubber I am sitting 7.7 - 7.9 and changing out media every 5-6 days.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

my house has very high CO2 with 2 adults, 3 kids, and 4 dogs. It is very evident when the weather is cool in the winter times in Florida and I open the windows. With a CO2 scrubber I am sitting 7.7 - 7.9 and changing out media every 5-6 days.

Then aeration alone is, if anything, likely to make the problem worse. You need to aerate with low CO2 air, either from outside or through a scrubber.

 

[ArmyReefer]

Thanks, I have been thinking about running a line through my attic to outside, but it will be an extremely long run. Was thinking I would use a large sized pvc pipe and reduce it down right at the last second possible. I have read mixed reviews about running a line outside. Would love not to have the chore of changing out media every 5 days and just get to a point where it is always stable being the main goal.

 

[Dr. Jim]

I ran a 1" PVC pipe (about 25') to a window. Two 1/2" I.D. tubes from the skimmer are inserted into the capped end of the pipe (with two holes) behind the tank. My pH jumped from 7.99-8.13 (night/day) to 8.11-8.25. Well worth the effort. I did not see a significant drop in aeration in the skimmer although I turned up the skimmer DC pump 1 "notch".
(I am in the process of inserting a cylinder with carbon in the 1" PVC to filter out lawnmower/car fumes, etc).