Low PH

[Pkelley228]

I have been having a problem with low PH for awhile now. I have been trying to combat the problem with regular water changes, but it seems the PH almost immediately goes down in a day or two. Everything else test fine.
Nitrate and Nitrite - 0
Alk- 4.0
Calcium-440
System includes live rock and sand bed. I run a EuroReef skimmer in a 29 gallon sump and it is a 90 gallon tank. The only reel problem is my inability to keep a GBT Nem happy in my tank. Corals and fish seem to be doing fine. But I am thinking the PH may be why the GBT has been doing so poorly.

From some reading I have been doing I was thinking that I may be having a problem with the air having to much carbon dioxide in it. The sump is behind the wall of the main tank in the furnace room. The skimmer, and hence the venturi, is next to the furnace and hot water heater.

Do you think this could be causing the problem?
What possible solutions, other than moving the whole sump, do you have?
Should I be looking at some other problem that might be causing these issues?

Any and all input would be appreciated.
Pat

 

[latazyo]

do you have any algae or fuge action?

 

[Pkelley228]

No Fuge, just live rock rubble in sump. Algae not to bad, a little cyano on the sand bed lately, figured I was just overfeeding a little, so I have cut back and shortened the light cycle slightly.

 

[Im Lon 2]

dripping Pickling lime as your top off will keep you PH up.

I will look and see if I can find some info on it.

 

[Im Lon 2]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

Here is a good link

 

[Pkelley228]

Thanks, I would appreciate it. Do you think there is any validity in my concern about the Carbon Dioxide? Could it prove to be harmful to the inhabitants of the tank?

 

[Im Lon 2]

I had the same thing happen at my old house. Can you leave the door open and see if that helps?

 

[Pkelley228]

It is a vented door, but I think it may just be how close the air intake is for the skimmer in relation to the furnace(winter only), and the hot water heater. They are real close together. I was actually thinking of running an air hose to the outside, and connecting it to the skimmer. Didn't want to do it though if others didn't think this could be the problem

 

[chadfarmer]

i would run the air hose


how about taking some water out side for 5 mins and testing the ph to see if the ph goes up (stir the water some)

that is what i would try first

 

[sirreal63]

Have you tried other test kits for ph? ph issues are usually not that common.

 

[Pkelley228]

I haven't tried any others, was going to try to borrow a monitor for a few days. I will try taking some outside and seeing if it helps before running the air hose.

 

[latazyo]

Pkelley,

you would also have to assume that the CO2 from the air in that room was dissolving into your water

is your LR or sand homemade or DIY or is it commercial?

 

[Pkelley228]

I bought the sand and rock from GWA so commercial.