Raising pH

[Seahorsechick]

Hey so I never used to worry about pH but I changed water sources and now it's low.
I've heard you add simple baking soda and mix it in your water and just dump it in. Is this correct?
If my pH is 7.5 how do I raise it, let's do this calculation.
5 gallons of water how much baking soda do I add to bring the pH to an ideal level? Which I think is 8.3?

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[scuzy]

You could run a air line outside to skimmer to raise pH as well.

 

[Seahorsechick]

You could run a air line outside to skimmer to raise pH as well.

If that could raise pH then isn't the skimmer itself raising the pH?

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[scuzy]

Raising pH

The logic is that your room air has too much co2. Skimming in fresh air will lessen co2 in water.

 

[Seahorsechick]

The logic is that your room air has too much co2. Skimming in fresh air will lessen co2 in water.

So this works for you?

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[Danny_15]

Bro, just buy sea buffer

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[scuzy]

Yup

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1434620

 

[Kadee]

I use a diy CO2 scrubber. Using a baking soda and water mixture will raise your alkalinity. A simple water bottle with pellitized soda lime works great. Google it.

 

[Seahorsechick]

I use a diy CO2 scrubber. Using a baking soda and water mixture will raise your alkalinity. A simple water bottle with pellitized soda lime works great. Google it.

Well that explains why adding a ton of baking soda to my pH test didn't do anything at all. I'll def look that up thanks

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[jda]

You really will need to air the room/house out for outside air to matter much. I never got much from just putting a line to the skimmer. A fan in the window for a few hours can work wonders.

CO2 scrubber can work, but they are quickly exhausted if your home is full of CO2.

7.5 is awfully low. Are you sure that this is right?

 

[babyg2.0]

There's a really great pH Up by API, I've used it ever since I started with aquariums in general and it never fails. All you do is add 2 drops per gallon to either your HoB filter or sump. I add about one or two doses per hour depending on the tank. It always works.


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[Dominat0r]

Is that safe for reef use? I thought I remember reading that it was for freshwater only. Could be wrong.


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[Seahorsechick]

Okay our house is extremely hot this summer so I doubt there's enough oxygen to scrub the water. I'll head over to my local saltwater guy and see what he's been doing.
I'm not actually 100% on the current pH so I'll bring him a sample to test. The stupid test kit I got the colors are so similar I could be wrong.

 

[jda]

You have to test it in the tank. The gas exchange from the trip will change it.

You can order a PH Pen off of eBay for less than 10 bucks (usually).

 

[Seahorsechick]

I'll be trying the pH pen idea, that's awesome! Thanks

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

don't forget to frequently calibrate the pH pen with calibration fluid. They do drift, and can make you think your tank is off when it's really just the pen.

If you're adding buffers or pH up type supplements to the tank, be sure to closely monitor your alkalinity levels. Buffers and pH stuff will raise your alkalinity, potentially to dangerous levels if you're not careful. The wording on most of the pH supplements make them seem like a magic cure for low pH, but that's not the case.

 

[thegrun]

First off, how are you testing for pH? It's unlikely the pH is actually at 7.5 as your rock and sand would start to dissolve if it got that low. You never want to raise your pH with additives without closely monitoring the alkalinity of your tank which is actually MUCH more important then pH. If your pH is actually as low as you state I would run an air line from your skimmer to outside the house to pull in fresh air or run a CO2 scrubber attached to your skimmer.

 

[Ron Reefman]

+100 for what thegrun said!!!

 

[ReeferNoob4ever]

Salifert makes a dissolved oxygen test kit. I test mine once a month. As my O2 went up so did my pH. Finding the source of your higher Co2 levels, now that's a different story.

 

[jayball]

Bro, just buy sea buffer

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Don't bother chasing your PH. You are going to drive your ALK too high over time.

There's a really great pH Up by API, I've used it ever since I started with aquariums in general and it never fails. All you do is add 2 drops per gallon to either your HoB filter or sump. I add about one or two doses per hour depending on the tank. It always works.


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Same as above.