Ways to increase pH

D

DSDoyle

Member
Hello,

My pH readings a read severe constantly low, frequently lower than 7.8. We are in Indiana so leaving doors and windows open during this time of the year is not practical. However, I have doors open and see the pH increasing. I have read that CO2 causes pH do go down so I am trying to figure some way I can keep the CO2 level in the house low.

I know about:

1. Having doors and windows open - Not practical here year around
2. Electric Air Scrubbers
3. Algae Air Scrubbers

Not sure if any are very effective.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Have a great day,

Don
 
The best way to reduce C02 within the home is to install a whole house mechanical ventilation system, basically an exhaust fan for the whole house.
 
My house is new, and I have the same problem. I tried few things, and I found that the most effective way is CO2 scrubber. You can search the forum on how to make one. Unfortunately, it is cost prohibitive for my tank size. Kalk in top off water helps some, and fresh air intake helps a little.

Also, plants should help the overall air quality inside the home.
 
I always just say keep alk/cal stable and don't worry about PH.. It being a bit on the low side doesn't cause much if any problems..
 
mcgyvr said:
I always just say keep alk/cal stable and don't worry about PH.. It being a bit on the low side doesn't cause much if any problems..
Click to expand...

My PH has been 7.85-7.95. Over the holidays, I had 8 people over for few days. One night, the PH plummeted to 7.5. My CaRx shut down, alarm went off, text and emails as programmed. I went into damage-control mode. It is always good to have a buffer in PH value in case something like this happen. Not only that, but almost every literature I read recomend 8+ PH. It is hard for me to get my PH above 8, but I really would like to.
 
I'm curious as to how a little bit of CO2 can cause that great of a PH drop. Some sure, but .5 or more seems a little drastic. I'd be interested in the process that allows for it.
Thanks
 
CrayolaViolence said:
I'm curious as to how a little bit of CO2 can cause that great of a PH drop. Some sure, but .5 or more seems a little drastic. I'd be interested in the process that allows for it.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Sure it can. One of my favorite threads ever on RC was a guy who was on vacation. He logged into his APEX and saw his pH was crashed. Called home and busted his kids having a big party they weren't supposed to be having.

Somewhere in one of Randy's articles he has a table of CO2 concentration vs. pH. You have to remember that adding CO2 is adding acid. CO2 + H2O ---> H2CO3. That says, carbon dioxide plus water makes carbonic acid.
 
disc1 said:
Sure it can. One of my favorite threads ever on RC was a guy who was on vacation. He logged into his APEX and saw his pH was crashed. Called home and busted his kids having a big party they weren't supposed to be having.

Somewhere in one of Randy's articles he has a table of CO2 concentration vs. pH. You have to remember that adding CO2 is adding acid. CO2 + H2O ---> H2CO3. That says, carbon dioxide plus water makes carbonic acid.
Click to expand...

Yes, I do understand you get carbonic acid, but it would seem like it would take a massive, and I do mean massive amount of CO2 to make that big of an impact. To the point of, if there's that much CO2 you better check and make sure you haven't been relocated to an alien planet.

I'll have to read the thread about the party. That sound hysterical. :)
 
Was unable to find the thread with a search of key words. I you have an idea of the title or anything that might help narrow it down I'd love to read it.
 
CrayolaViolence said:
Yes, I do understand you get carbonic acid, but it would seem like it would take a massive, and I do mean massive amount of CO2 to make that big of an impact. To the point of, if there's that much CO2 you better check and make sure you haven't been relocated to an alien planet.

I'll have to read the thread about the party. That sound hysterical. :)
Click to expand...

Believe it, it doesnt take a massive amount of co2 to lower pH. Just look at how little it takes run a ca reactor. Even having a gas oven on can lower pH a couple tenths in the tank.
 
I work for a contractor/developer and we were having issues with mold in some apartment units. Mostly older people that wouldn't run the air conditioning. We installed timers on the bathroom fans that would run the fan for 15 minutes every hour. Worked well in lowering humidity. I bet it would help on in home CO2. Funny that codes kept making homes more and more air tight. Now code requires us to add a fresh air fan to bring in outside air. Seems kind of senseless. I have a home built in the 70's so it's no problem for me. My last home was new and pH was always around 8, never was a problem.
 
crawlerman said:
I work for a contractor/developer and we were having issues with mold in some apartment units. Mostly older people that wouldn't run the air conditioning. We installed timers on the bathroom fans that would run the fan for 15 minutes every hour. Worked well in lowering humidity. I bet it would help on in home CO2. Funny that codes kept making homes more and more air tight. Now code requires us to add a fresh air fan to bring in outside air. Seems kind of senseless. I have a home built in the 70's so it's no problem for me. My last home was new and pH was always around 8, never was a problem.
Click to expand...

My home is 2 years old. I have a fresh air duct to let fresh air in when the overhood exhaust fan turned on. Also, there is a fan connected to the HVAC system that let fresh air in periodically. The HVAC tech disabled this function by turning a switch off. He said is has to be installed per code, but he doesn't believe it provide any value. I turned the function on for a day, and the house was very humid, so I shut it off.
 
Kalk in lieu of aothre alk/ calcium supplements can help a a good deal. The OH- uses CO2 to make carbonate/ bicarbonate alk.

Also , I use diy CO2 scrubbers on my skimmer. They give me a .15to .2 increase in pH;that will vary depending on a number conditions for a particular tank. They cost about a dollar to make ;the soda lime media from med vet and online vendor is reasonable.

These thread may be of interest:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2252982&highlight=co2+scrubber

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1889552&highlight=co2+scrubber
 
tmz said:
Kalk in lieu of aothre alk/ calcium supplements can help a a good deal. The OH- uses CO2 to make carbonate/ bicarbonate alk.

Also , I use diy CO2 scrubbers on my skimmer. They give me a .15to .2 increase in pH;that will vary depending on a number conditions for a particular tank. They cost about a dollar to make ;the soda lime media from med vet and online vendor is reasonable.

These thread may be of interest:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2252982&highlight=co2+scrubber

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1889552&highlight=co2+scrubber
Click to expand...

I used CO2 scrubber for couple of months. It does boost the PH quite a bit. I was at 8.2. But, it was too costly for me. I had to fill the canister every 4 days. At $4 a pop, it was too much. I still have half a case from AirGas. $125 a case every 2 months or so.
 
CrayolaViolence said:
Yes, I do understand you get carbonic acid, but it would seem like it would take a massive, and I do mean massive amount of CO2 to make that big of an impact. To the point of, if there's that much CO2 you better check and make sure you haven't been relocated to an alien planet.

I'll have to read the thread about the party. That sound hysterical. :)
Click to expand...

Why would you think it would take a huge amount? Keep in mind that the difference between pH 7 and pH 8 is really very small. That's sub-micromolar amount of acid. The buffering capacity of our water makes it really a bit higher than that but it still isn't a huge number. We could calculate it but I'm in an airport bar on a phone so not now. Still it isn't a whole lot of acid that's needed. Given how much bigger the house is than the tank, an increase in CO2 concentration in the house of just a couple percent could have a big impact on the pH in the tank.
 
OP - Are you dosing alk using sodium bicarbonate (lowers ph)? If your reef requires a lot of alk dosing try switching to sodium carbonate (raises ph) for a ph boost. I think kalkwasser was mentioned before. Dosing kalk is a good way to take care of both calcium and alk levels in one shot with a ph bump to boot.
 
BlackTip said:
I used CO2 scrubber for couple of months. It does boost the PH quite a bit. I was at 8.2. But, it was too costly for me. I had to fill the canister every 4 days. At $4 a pop, it was too much. I still have half a case from AirGas. $125 a case every 2 months or so.
Click to expand...

I use a lot less. A $100 5 gallon pail from Airgas lasted over a year for the 650 gallon system; changes once per month. The med vet stuff lasts 2 to three weeks. Depends on haow much CO2 is in the air and how much is actually passing through, I think.
 
I've read in these forums that running Refuge/Chaeto lighting opposite day/night cycles can help even out dips in PH. Have you tried that?
 
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