Why do fish have to breath- you're bringing my ph down!

[Treefer32]

Well, I discovered something new this week. Maybe it shouldn't be new because it's probably a principal of biology. I think many times we forget (at least I do) that our living organism inside our glass boxes breathe. As part of respiration, I assume, this is a source of CO2 that brings down PH. However, I never assumed that my living organisms would have much of an impact, if at all.

My PH is hitting 8.1 a number I've not seen since 3 years ago. Back then I was hitting close to 8.4 daily. Pre-vodka dosing, pre- denitrification systems in place, and pre-large fish.

In the last 2-3 years my ph tanked to 7.5. I stopped vodka dosing and it came up to 7.7 at night and around 7.8 during the day. I moved my Skimmer intake hose to near outside my house to pull in fresher air, and it ph went from 7.7 at night to 7.88 and during the day around 8.00 if I got lucky.

This past week I removed 2 Creole Anthia Fish from my display. The male just got too agressive for my community tank and I found a taker for a predator tank. So, I gave the male and female away. The male when caught was 12-13" in length, the female is around 7-8 inches in length.

I noticed my ph climbing to over 8.1 since removing the two fish.

I don't know if fish resperation would that greatly impact PH. I've got other larger tangs too, am wondering if I need to go all small fish now. heh.

 

[jda]

Fish respiration is baked in for me, just like photosynthesis. At 7.5, I would guess that your probe/meter is out of calibration. The tank should start to buffer before you hit 7.5 unless you have no aragonite in the tank at all.

Tank pH is impacted the most by airborne co2. Getting fresh air into your home will do more than nearly anything else save for a strong base like Kalk.

 

[Treefer32]

Fish respiration is baked in for me, just like photosynthesis. At 7.5, I would guess that your probe/meter is out of calibration. The tank should start to buffer before you hit 7.5 unless you have no aragonite in the tank at all.

Tank pH is impacted the most by airborne co2. Getting fresh air into your home will do more than nearly anything else save for a strong base like Kalk.

I calibrated the PH probe two times, to make sure with low point and high point solution. It wasn't far off from either solution. The 7.5 I think was from dosing 65 ml of vodka per day every day. As I gradually stopped dosing vodka, the ph inversely rose (slowly).

I dose baked baking soda as well for alk. Which tends to increase PH as well. I have a newer home that is most likely sealed quite well, but only 3 people living in 3000 square feet. So, I don't understand my low ph points at all. I tried adding a CO2 scrubber and that only raised my ph by .1 if that.

 

[Jason_MrFrags]

More likely its do to windows closed and AC running.

 

[Kapachuka3]

it might sound kinda weird but if you ever want to really bump up your PH a simple solution is to take the water output from the filter and raise it high above your water. I did it with my tank and it took my PH from like 6 to 8.8 or something like that.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

it might sound kinda weird but if you ever want to really bump up your PH a simple solution is to take the water output from the filter and raise it high above your water. I did it with my tank and it took my PH from like 6 to 8.8 or something like that.

Are you being sarcastic? Can you clarify what you are saying?

To be honest, it seems nonsensical to me.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Are you being sarcastic? Can you clarify what you are saying?

To be honest, it seems nonsensical to me.

Meaning ph is basically air, if you aim your filters where the water comes out into your tank itll bump up the ph. Like an airstone, i used to have it so my water output was in the water so it didnt have any bubbles or air.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Meaning ph is basically air, if you aim your filters where the water comes out into your tank itll bump up the ph. Like an airstone, i used to have it so my water output was in the water so it didnt have any bubbles or air.

Sorry, I’m still not understanding what you are saying.
Aim what filters?

Aeration in general can raise or lower pH, depending on whether the air has more or less CO2 in it relative to the water that is being aerated.

Blowing air over a surface aerates (like at the tank top) and bubbles aerate (like a skimmer or air stone).

 

[Kapachuka3]

Sorry, I’m still not understanding what you are saying.
Aim what filters?

Aeration in general can raise or lower pH, depending on whether the air has more or less CO2 in it relative to the water that is being aerated.

Blowing air over a surface aerates (like at the tank top) and bubbles aerate (like a skimmer or air stone).

Ill take a picture of what i mean when i am at home.