Author Topic: co2 and ph (Read 3709 times)

CoralBeauties · « **on:** June 23, 2012, 17:03:40 »

I wanted to share my co2/ph experiment. I have been fighting low ph issues for some time now. I even bought a kalk reactor to help raise my ph due to what I thought was my ca reactor. I took a quart jar of tank water and left it in the basement in my filter room and installed an air stone in the water for 45 minutes. After that time I got a ph reading of 7.8. I did the same thing but placed the jar outside on the back porch for the same amount of time. Guess what, a ph reading of 8.3. I have read of excessive co2 causing a low ph but never thought that could be an issue. I just opened a window next to my filter room for now until I figure out how to run my skimmer pumps air intakes outside. Has anyone had this issue? I am thinking of running an old piece of garden hose up out of the basement to an outside wall vented to the outside. I have noticed some stn with my sps corals and am pretty sure it has been from the dropping ph levels. Lesson learned. Now I need to work on a more permanent fix.
Jeff

lazylivin · « **Reply #1 on:** June 23, 2012, 17:51:39 »

Just about everyone has this issue some more then others they just don't know it. Can you vent the air intake of your skimmer to outside?

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #2 on:** June 23, 2012, 19:27:59 »

Same here, I run my skimmer intake from the outside.

CoralBeauties · « **Reply #3 on:** June 23, 2012, 21:46:32 »

That is my plan. I didnt see much raise in ph today at all with the window open. with over 200 gallons of water it might take some time to increase. I will probably run the piece of garden hose up and out the side of my house and install the skimmer hoses into it.
Jeff

joncat24 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2012, 21:53:31 »

I had no way to get a hose outside before and attatched a small refillable O2 bottle with a valve on it that tapped into the air intake of my skimmer. I just barely opened the valve on the O2 tank and my ph went from 7.8 t 8.3 in about a week and ten stayed there for good. Filled the O2 tank about once every 3 months or so, not optimum, but it worked.

mrfish183 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2012, 23:32:05 »

I had the same issue. I resolved the issue by 1). pulling air from the outside for my skimmer, 2). shutting down my CaCO3 reactor, and 3). dosing sodium carbonate based two-part. My pH now runs between 8.1 and 8.4 where it use to run between 7.7 and 8.0.

Other methods to reduce CO2 accumulation include kalk, rebreather (CO2 absorbers) before the skimmer air intake, and a fuge with macroalgae.

I wouldn't worry too much about the low pH as long as your alkalinity and calcium levels are maintained on the high side. The low pH will shift CaCO3 precipitation which you can couteract with higher alk or Ca. I'd keep alk around 10 dKh and Ca around 480 for pH in the 7.8 to 8.0 range. You have to be careful with high alk if you are dosing a carbon source.

Jon in SW Ohio · « **Reply #6 on:** June 24, 2012, 18:32:08 »

Get an extra metal halide and some fast growing houseplants...that CO2 will be gone in no time.

CoralBeauties · « **Reply #7 on:** June 24, 2012, 20:35:05 »

On saturday mourning I had a ph of 7.78 with the window closed. this mourning with the window open all night I got a reading of 8.03. I will work on getting the skimmer intakes outside and see how well this helps things. My alk tends to stay in the 9.6-10 range.
Jeff

Neogenesis · « **Reply #8 on:** June 26, 2012, 12:45:38 »

If your pulling your air from outside, be careful if you ever spray your yard or around that area. I would be afraid of pulling something into the tank that way.

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #9 on:** June 26, 2012, 15:00:49 »

Good point. That's why I use dry fertilizers, and the inlet is right in a flower bed........right by my patio door.

Neogenesis · « **Reply #10 on:** June 26, 2012, 15:02:02 »

I may have to give this a try as my PH is always struggling......at least get it up to the main floor and out of the basement.

Neogenesis · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2012, 21:19:13 »

Well.....I finally made the time to route my skimmer air intake today, and am simply amazed at the difference it's made already. Mind you I didn't get it completely outside, but it is on the first floor near our sliding door that is opened often to let to dogs out. It most likely the best ventilated place in the house. We also had the house open today which I'm sure helped, but my normally 7.4 ph is approaching 7.9 tonight and seems to keep climbing. I'm hoping this is the fix that I needed and will help keep my water parameters inline. I'll update in a few days to let everyone know where my PH stabilizes at.

Thanks for the great thread guys!!!

Neogenesis · « **Reply #12 on:** October 14, 2012, 23:39:53 »

Here's the graph of my PH for the last 24 hours. Can you guess where I moved the skimmer intake?

lazylivin · « **Reply #13 on:** October 15, 2012, 03:59:23 »

Looks like a good improvement. We have had our windows open a lot lately and my PH alarm has been going off so I have been having to raise it during this time of year.

chromiumlux · « **Reply #14 on:** October 15, 2012, 10:47:41 »

BRS used to sell a CO2 scrubber that could be hooked up before the skimmer, but I have not seen it available for a while. Anyone know where to find these kits or components?

Neogenesis · « **Reply #15 on:** October 15, 2012, 11:00:21 »

I didn't see a scrubber anywhere on the site, but I did find the media and from the looks of it, it wouldn't take too much effort to build a reactor. It's basically any container that you can pass air through.

Link to media:
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/catalog/product/view/id/1360/

chromiumlux · « **Reply #16 on:** October 15, 2012, 11:05:23 »

Wow! that stuff is expensive and from the looks of reviews it doesn't last long. I think I will try the air line outside first. My concern is the cold air being drawn in. May place a heater after the skimmer.

Neogenesis · « **Reply #17 on:** October 16, 2012, 14:31:19 »

So.....it appears that it was all the fresh air along with the skimmer intake being on the first floor is what so dramatically effected my PH. If fell again yesterday after the house was closed up, but not as low as it usually does. So....I got a little extreme today, wasn't feeling the best so I took the day off work, and came up with a plan to get it outside. Seeing I live in a brick home, getting a hole outside isn't the easiest thing in the world. Our sliding doors are vinyl/plastic, and when fully open there is still a space at the back to work with. So I got the drill out and vented my skimmer through the non sliding part of the sliding door. My wife won't be happy about it, but it's hidden by the kids toy box and the drapes. So...lets see what having the skimmer vented outside full time will do.

I sometimes wonder how far will a reefer go to make sure his/her tank is healthy................

buckeyereefer · « **Reply #18 on:** October 16, 2012, 17:48:44 »

i have thinking last cple days and why can't the intake line be run up into the attic space ? it is vented by the soffit. sprays an such shouldn't be a concern
up there. if the tank is located near an interior wall the line could be pulled up thru the wall VERY easily. so would be hidden. just a thought.

chromiumlux · « **Reply #19 on:** October 16, 2012, 19:32:57 »

Hey Brian! I remember seeing your vents for your skimmer. What type of filter were you using on them?

lazylivin · « **Reply #20 on:** October 16, 2012, 21:02:14 »

the noise filter came with the skimmer and I don't run any air filter. Probably should though

chromiumlux · « **Reply #21 on:** October 17, 2012, 22:59:52 »

Quote from: Lazylivin on October 16, 2012, 21:02:14

the noise filter came with the skimmer and I don't run any air filter. Probably should though

Oh Ok, You still run it outside dont you?

lazylivin · « **Reply #22 on:** October 18, 2012, 06:54:07 »

At present moment its not connected but it is available if I have issue with low ph this winter. Other then the number being higher I haven't noticed a diffrence in tank inhabitants with higher PH.

Neogenesis · « **Reply #23 on:** October 18, 2012, 10:07:02 »

I have started to see some problem with some of my zoas, and I can only presume it's PH related. My Gold Midas and Keds Reds aren't looking to good. Everything else seems to be weathering the PH swings pretty well. I will say though that my PH has been a lot more consistent since venting it outside full time.

Myreef55 · « **Reply #24 on:** October 19, 2012, 09:39:37 »

Might want to check this out very easy and cheap.

http://www.thereefhub.com/viewtopic.php?t=1015

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Author Topic: co2 and ph (Read 3709 times)