could the skimmer have lowerd my pH this whole time?

madadi

ReefOG
so for the past year or so my pH has always been around 7.8-8.05 at most. but since i turned off my skimmer a month ago, my pH has been 8.0-8.25 i like that much better. i threw out all my fish months ago and ever since i've only feed my corals. i decided i really don't need the skimmer and ever since i took it off line, my corals really took off. color is awesome and growth is annoyingly fast. i do run some GFO and i have a large fuge. i clean my front glass once a week and sometimes longer.

i thought skimmers help blow off CO2. the windows have not been open any more then prior months. i'm not complaining, i'm just trying to figure out why so i can continue to do it.
 
I would think that throwing out your fish raised your ph if anything. Fish take up oxygen and blow off CO2 like any other animal. An increase in oxygen and decrease in CO2 will cause ph to raise. IMO skimmers add room air to the water which normally increases ph if anything.
 
I would agree with Jeff regarding the omission of the fish.
Fish waste is acidic and would therefore have a lowering effect on pH.
 
well i didn't exactly throw them out! i sold them. im glad i did thought. i guess it makes sense to think that the fish produced CO2. whatever it is, im happy with the results. im thinking of getting just a mandarin goby because there are just way too many pods!
 
Don't ever say you "threw out all your fish", to a bunch of aquarium enthusiasts! :p
 
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Yeah, I was picturing something like this: :flush:
Darn, how do you post smileys from other forums that aren't offered here? I've seen it done here before.
 
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