PH issue

Wiskey · 07-03-2006, 09:57 PM

I got a PH controller last night. I calibrated it with solutions 4 and 7, the checked the PH 10 and it read 10.2 (close enough) I checked my friends tank water and it came out 8.1, good.

My tank's PH is 7.61 lights on, I have always had PH problems with tanks in my house.

I hooked up my skimmer so it pulls air from outside and now the PH is 7.72 (better but still not good)

I use IO salt, and new water that has been mixing for a day has a PH of 7.60.

Alk is 9.0 DKH
Ca = 420
I drip Kalk 24/7 about 1 gallon per day with all topoff water.

If I take tank water outside and aerate it the water returns to a normal PH of 8.2-8.3.

Short of opening up my windows, and letting 110 deg air in my house does anyone have any ideas about how to fix this?

Thanks,
Whiskey

Geoff · 07-03-2006, 10:11 PM

you could aways fill you house with plants.

G~

tdwyatt · 07-04-2006, 12:38 AM

run a 1" flex line outside, install a filter cap there, then run it to your skimmer and attach it to your intake for the air to make the foam.

tdwyatt · 07-04-2006, 12:40 AM

a side note, recalibrte your meter, 10.2 is not close enoughfor the top end of the buffer. this sets the slope of change WWWWAAAYYY off on your meter.

Wiskey · 07-04-2006, 01:19 AM

The meter only calibrates at 4 and 7, I just tested the 10 so I could see how close it is. It reads 4 and 7 right on.

I have the skimmer running outside, my PH has gone up to 7.73, still not good.

How effective do you think plants would be? I have room for one by my tank, it would get enough spill over from the light.

Thanks,
Whiskey

tdwyatt · 07-04-2006, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

The meter only calibrates at 4 and 7, I just tested the 10 so I could see how close it is. It reads 4 and 7 right on.

I have the skimmer running outside, my PH has gone up to 7.73, still not good.

How effective do you think plants would be? I have room for one by my tank, it would get enough spill over from the light.

Thanks,
Whiskey

I do this in the study where the tanks are located, not only does it make the room look a bit softer/more outdoorsy, but it apparently has some impact on the CO2 levels, as even with 2 Ca reactors running in the room (soon to be 4), my pH in the systems never drops below 8.10, climbing to 8.35 by the end of the photoperiod, with an occasional 8.4, and I am using only indoor air for the skimmers.

What brand of pH meter are you using?

Wiskey · 07-04-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdwyatt

I do this in the study where the tanks are located, not only does it make the room look a bit softer/more outdoorsy, but it apparently has some impact on the CO2 levels, as even with 2 Ca reactors running in the room (soon to be 4), my pH in the systems never drops below 8.10, climbing to 8.35 by the end of the photoperiod, with an occasional 8.4, and I am using only indoor air for the skimmers.

Do you have a link to this study?

Quote:

What brand of pH meter are you using?

It is a reef fanatic micro Ph controller, I bought it used. It is 8 months old.

Update: I replaced my Alk in the reactor, and I bumped my ALK to 10, and my CA to 432, now my PH is 7.83, one hour after the lights came on.

I made a few calls, and found a friend with a plant, he will give me some clippings later today.

I did some reading and found that calcification is significantly effected by a PH below NSW. Now I really want to get this up

.

Thanks,
Whiskey

Reefer Jerm · 07-04-2006, 04:31 PM

Hey Wiskey! Whats up...this is Doc, from Reef central....

Just noticed a familiar face, and thought I would say hey! Some people at RC have had a grudge against me for years ....found me out, and kicked me off...

Well glad to see you here!

Reefer Jerm
Doc

Wiskey · 07-04-2006, 04:51 PM

Hey Doc, welcome to TRT!

I think you will find it a much more friendly atmosphere here.

Whiskey

three90s&125sump · 07-04-2006, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

Do you have a link to this study?

Thanks,
Whiskey

Here is some freindlyness for you... The study is a room in his house.

Wiskey · 07-04-2006, 05:03 PM

ROTFLMAO

I thought that was worded a little weird.

Now I feel stupid,
Whiskey

three90s&125sump · 07-04-2006, 05:22 PM

Don't feel stupid. Stupid people don't feel stupid because they are too stupid to know they are stupid (I apologize to any stupid people that may be offended by this).

But really, Whisk, I don't think that one plant will help you out a whole lot but definatly better than none. I should know all your tank info by now. But.... I don't. You are already sucking your skimmer air in from the out side. Maybe you could get a couple decent air pumps and inject more out side air into your system. Maybe add a second skimmer with out side air on that one too. Don't forget to filter the air with carbon. Hmmm, would that make more CO2?

Perhaps you can get one of those things NASA uses on the shuttle to covert the Co2 back into O2. It would prolly only cost you a couple hundred K.

zxcv123 · 07-04-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

you could aways fill you house with plants.

G~

when you think about it thats a good idea. My LFS had PH problems with a little display nano for sale and they put some ferns around it and it got better.

Wiskey · 07-04-2006, 08:56 PM

I did an experiment

At 1:20PM I opened my window
Ph = 7.83
Tank temp -7.1 deg F
Room temp 81 deg F

At 3:01 I was forced to close the window
Ph = 8.01
Tank temp -7.6 deg F
Room temp 110 deg F

The Ph continued to rise after closing the window maxing out at 8.14 before starting to fall again (tank lights still on)

This is not a viable long term solution, but it does tell me a few things.
1. I really need a new thermometer for my tank.
2. This further proves that the PH meter is working properly.
3. It also confirms my belief that C02 within my house is causing the problem.

Though I firmly believe Geoff's comment was meant as a joke, he may have a viable solution here. I took my LUX meter to my friends house and his philodendron (sp?) is only getting 600 LUX, and each branch is growing 4 inches every 2 weeks. This is not a lot of light, and not hard to provide.

I am seriously thinking about mounting a 2X40W shop light fixture to my roof and going to HD to buy a variety of low light indoor plants to put in a indoor garden of sorts. I could use a couple of planter boxes, dress them up so they look decent, and have a pleasing and productive indoor garden.

Tdwyatt, are there any plants you suggest? How do you light the plants in your study? Do you have pictures of your plants?

Thanks,
Whiskey

tdwyatt · 07-04-2006, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiskey

I did an experiment

... I could use a couple of planter boxes, dress them up so they look decent, and have a pleasing and productive indoor garden.

Tdwyatt, are there any plants you suggest? How do you light the plants in your study? Do you have pictures of your plants?

I have no plan in the plants I chose, just what I knew was good for low indoor lighting and didn't need a ton of attention. I just have them next to the tanks with MH, there is plenty of spill. I have ficus, philodendron, peace lillies, jade tree, and a few that I do not know exactly what they are. Maybe when I finish cleaning up the study I'll have Cath come over and take some pix for you.

Like I said, nothing special, just lots of surface area and easy to care for. I did not even buy any extra lighting for them. I WOULD suggest that you put waterproof dishes under them though, just to prevent stains on the carpet or flooring. I have considered putting a remote sump with mangroves in it, but I think the detrital issues are a bit more than I want to deal with for the moment. I have too meny experimental irons in the fire as it is...