Help with raising pH
- Thread starter intenseimage
- Start date
CyanoMagnet
New member
Ok I think I can help you, without the use of too many chemicals.
Your DKH is just fine, so that is not the cause.
I believe your PH is low because
A) you do not have enough oxygen in the room with the tank (is it a closed up room? Windows shut? If so try it with the windows open.
B)You don't allow for enough degassing, in which case put fans on the surface, drip CA effluent into a overflow of sorts, skimmer will add alot of air bubbles, open top tank will also help tremendously to raise ph.
You can also add kalk to your topoff water which will help stabilize the ph.
GL.
After you make these changes give it about 3 days.
Your DKH is just fine, so that is not the cause.
I believe your PH is low because
A) you do not have enough oxygen in the room with the tank (is it a closed up room? Windows shut? If so try it with the windows open.
B)You don't allow for enough degassing, in which case put fans on the surface, drip CA effluent into a overflow of sorts, skimmer will add alot of air bubbles, open top tank will also help tremendously to raise ph.
You can also add kalk to your topoff water which will help stabilize the ph.
GL.
After you make these changes give it about 3 days.
dancewithethan
Ethan M
install refugium if not already, and have it runs during the night time.
photosynthesis will help take up CO2 thereby increase you PH at night.
However, for a quick fix, you can use Arm and Hammer baking soda to raise you PH. just make sure you bake it first, and dose it slowly.
photosynthesis will help take up CO2 thereby increase you PH at night.
However, for a quick fix, you can use Arm and Hammer baking soda to raise you PH. just make sure you bake it first, and dose it slowly.
How does temperature relate to PH levels. I was able to reduce my tank temperature from 81 to 79 using better control of my fans. My PH dropped from 8.0 - 8.1 to 7.8 - 7.9.
There is a very, very small effect of temperature on the pH probe itself, but not any substantial effect on the tank water. One can see that in that the ph of the ocean does not vary much from the arctic to the tropics. In reef tanks, pH is driven almost exclusively by alkalinity and carbon dioxide levels in the tank and the air.
I show in the link below that the effect of pH on the probe on going from 72 to 79 deg F would read pH 8.200 as pH 8.214.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=12145007#post12145007
There is a very, very small effect of temperature on the pH probe itself, but not any substantial effect on the tank water. One can see that in that the ph of the ocean does not vary much from the arctic to the tropics. In reef tanks, pH is driven almost exclusively by alkalinity and carbon dioxide levels in the tank and the air.
I show in the link below that the effect of pH on the probe on going from 72 to 79 deg F would read pH 8.200 as pH 8.214.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=12145007#post12145007
CyanoMagnet
New member
Interesting. I never knew PH had anything to do with temps at all (even thoe its very minor interaction). Thanks for that info.
:thumbsup:
Many pH meters have dials to adjust for temperature changes. These can be important for larger differences.
Many pH meters have dials to adjust for temperature changes. These can be important for larger differences.
Dano999
Premium Member
Test Results
After a day of running a tube from my skimmer air input to the outside there was very little difference. PH today reads 7.93. The highest it got to yesterday was 7.98.
I sealed off the tube around the skimmer input to make sure it was not able to draw air from any other source. This was confirmed by pinching the tube and watching the skimmer overflow with water due to no air. The tube is larger than the skimmer tube to insure enough draw.
As this does not rule out a high CO2 level it does confirm running a tube to the outside permanently will not help my situation enough to justify the effort. The author of this thread may have different results.
To answer some of the recent posts in regards to my situation.
I can't open a window as the house temp will rise to 95 and cause the tank temp to increase also. The tube going outside was the only option to bring in fresh air.
5 fans are being used across the top of the water. 4 in the canopy and 1 in the sump area blowing across the top not directly at the water.
I run a fuge and skimmer and always have. Fuge lighting is opposite DT lighting to avoid PH swings.
Water changes are 20% every two weeks.
After a day of running a tube from my skimmer air input to the outside there was very little difference. PH today reads 7.93. The highest it got to yesterday was 7.98.
I sealed off the tube around the skimmer input to make sure it was not able to draw air from any other source. This was confirmed by pinching the tube and watching the skimmer overflow with water due to no air. The tube is larger than the skimmer tube to insure enough draw.
As this does not rule out a high CO2 level it does confirm running a tube to the outside permanently will not help my situation enough to justify the effort. The author of this thread may have different results.
To answer some of the recent posts in regards to my situation.
I can't open a window as the house temp will rise to 95 and cause the tank temp to increase also. The tube going outside was the only option to bring in fresh air.
5 fans are being used across the top of the water. 4 in the canopy and 1 in the sump area blowing across the top not directly at the water.
I run a fuge and skimmer and always have. Fuge lighting is opposite DT lighting to avoid PH swings.
Water changes are 20% every two weeks.
As this does not rule out a high CO2 level it does confirm running a tube to the outside permanently will not help my situation enough to justify the effort.
That is often the case. IME, it alone does not solve the problem in more than half of the cases of folks who try it. The problem is that the tank top and sump top are still in contact with high CO2 air.
In the absence of bringing in fresh air, limewater is the best way to deal with the excess CO2 in the tank water.
This has more:
Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
That is often the case. IME, it alone does not solve the problem in more than half of the cases of folks who try it. The problem is that the tank top and sump top are still in contact with high CO2 air.
In the absence of bringing in fresh air, limewater is the best way to deal with the excess CO2 in the tank water.
This has more:
Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm
