This is what happens when you fix co2 in your house

[SCiMMiA]

How does a heat conserving air exchanger affect CO2 in summer if the AC is on?

It does not. That is the problem.
Because in summer you must turn the air exchanger OFF otherwise the house will become wayyy too humid/hot, at least here in Canada.
So the easiest way to get fresh air in the house I found was to let that stove vent hood ON at the lowest setting.

That way it push co2 filled air outside at a lower rate than an air exchanger so the AC is still able to cool the house.

 

[Brian_68]

It does not. That is the problem.
Because in summer you must turn the air exchanger OFF otherwise the house will become wayyy too humid/hot, at least here in Canada.
So the easiest way to get fresh air in the house I found was to let that stove vent hood ON at the lowest setting.

That way it push co2 filled air outside at a lower rate than an air exchanger so the AC is still able to cool the house.

Many can use the air exchanger year round and they can have humidity control.

 

[SCiMMiA]

Many can use the air exchanger year round and they can have humidity control.

That is true, it all depends on the climate.
Where I live, in summer, the humidity can be over 80% with 35 degrees Celsius !

 

[TheKingInYellow]

Whereabouts are you? I'm in Winnipeg which is ridiculous for temp swing between summer and winter.

 

[SCiMMiA]

Whereabouts are you? I'm in Winnipeg which is ridiculous for temp swing between summer and winter.

Montreal

 

[TheKingInYellow]

Montreal

Oh man beautiful city. I was born in raised in southern Ontario so we visited regularly.

It's up there in the places I'd like to live just after Halifax.

 

[SCiMMiA]

It looks like I can't edit my original post so I'll post it here.
A comparison of before and after the fix.

This was before the fix with low pH of 7.68 (it has been even worst but I can't go back more than 12 months)

And this is when co2 is under 500ppm with windows open. Soooo much more stable !! Always over 8.30 pH !

 

[Joedubyk]

One of the biggest things that isn't harped on enough is how much corals like PH HIGHER than 8.

co2 scrubbers are game changers !

 

[TheKingInYellow]

One of the biggest things that isn't harped on enough is how much corals like PH HIGHER than 8.

co2 scrubbers are game changers !

Yeah I'm fortunate that I am catching this early, I won't be putting coral in for at least a few months so I have time to deal with this while it's a fish only tank. The scrubber isn't a cheap solution but all the evidence I've seen says it works. @Bulk Reef Supply bulk media isn't terribly expensive at $35 USD for 7.5lbs, hopefully that lasts a few months.

 

[Joedubyk]

Yeah I'm fortunate that I am catching this early, I won't be putting coral in for at least a few months so I have time to deal with this while it's a fish only tank. The scrubber isn't a cheap solution but all the evidence I've seen says it works. @Bulk Reef Supply bulk media isn't terribly expensive at $35 USD for 7.5lbs, hopefully that lasts a few months.

It won't last a few months if you have a lot of co2 haha. But it definitely works. I have one. Corals love it. The other solution you have is kalkwasser for dosing. It's super cheap but it comes with some small drawbacks

 

[TheKingInYellow]

It won't last a few months if you have a lot of co2 haha. But it definitely works. I have one. Corals love it. The other solution you have is kalkwasser for dosing. It's super cheap but it comes with some small drawbacks

I do have Kalk on hand, but my alk is already over 9 and I don't have any corals to uptake it so I think scrubbing is the safer solution. I also cranked up the central exhaust and last night the pH hit a low of about 7.9. I was also dealing with an RO overdose from my ATO so it was unusually suppressed.

I'll see how the weekend goes, weather should allow for some open windows.

 

[Dom]

Why don't you keep a basement window opened? It doesn't have to be wide open, just an inch or two.

 

[TheKingInYellow]

Tank is in my living room on the main floor

 

[Silver14SS]

Yeah I'm fortunate that I am catching this early, I won't be putting coral in for at least a few months so I have time to deal with this while it's a fish only tank. The scrubber isn't a cheap solution but all the evidence I've seen says it works. @Bulk Reef Supply bulk media isn't terribly expensive at $35 USD for 7.5lbs, hopefully that lasts a few months.

Scrubbers definitely work, it's just one more thing to maintain. Vet supply places sell it in 5 gallon containers as well which makes it less expensive https://www.jorvet.com/product/jorvet-soda-lime-5-gallon/

My preference is fresh air as it's free and I can't run out of it

 

[KenO]

I live in AZ and I installed a whole house air exchanger. The unit works wether it is hot or cold outside. There is an air exchanger unit inside the unit. So when it's hot outside the air coming in gets cooled from the cooler inside air passing through the air exchanger as it is exhausted outside. The opposite during the winter. Mine also has a dehumidify on it to lower the humdity of the inside air.

 

[DarkSky]

I don't chase pH either, but I sure so try to keep it above 8 at all times.

Reverse lit fuge, fresh air intake on my skimmer, and kalkwasser/soda ash.

 

[Frontosa]

I did something similar but it was easier for me to run the air line up to the attic instead of outside, pH increased .5

Did temp go up in summer or down in winter from pulling hot or cold air only way I could do It is attic I'm nowhere near outer wall of my house

 

[Silver14SS]

Did temp go up in summer or down in winter from pulling hot or cold air only way I could do It is attic I'm nowhere near outer wall of my house

I did it a few months ago so I can’t comment on winter, but I didn’t notice an increase in temp this summer.

I’m sure there’s a formula out there somewhere to determine the possible temp rise based on your skimmer cfm specs.

 

[Frontosa]

I did it a few months ago so I can’t comment on winter, but I didn’t notice an increase in temp this summer.

I’m sure there’s a formula out there somewhere to determine the possible temp rise based on your skimmer cfm specs.

Thanks for informing will have to look mine up never checked is a reef octopus sss150 on a 70g artisan

 

[Rickyrooz]

What CO2 monitor are you using? The cheapest one I could find was $105.