PH Drop?

rjrobert · #1 11/05/2007, 08:05 AM

I posted this in the chem forum but hought maybe some people local might have an idea.

In the last three days I've noticed a usually very stable setup starting to drop PH pretty drastically. I'm still within my parameters but just barely.

Here is a the graph of the PH drop

Could this really be caused by closing of the room from vented fresh air? If so I have to find a way o2 the room since it's starting to get could outside and I don't want to install a heat exchanging vent in the room.

Any other idea's? PH has been pretty stable.

Other param's are dead on.
CA - 425
Ka - 3.43
Mg - 1325
Po - 0

magdelan · #2 11/05/2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rjrobert

Could this really be caused by closing of the room from vented fresh air? If so I have to find a way o2 the room since it's starting to get could outside and I don't want to install a heat exchanging vent in the room.

Any other idea's? PH has been pretty stable.

Other param's are dead on.
CA - 425
Ka - 3.43
Mg - 1325
Po - 0

I just read a thread about this. Yes, a closed/non vented room will cause CO2 to increase. People run refugiums on an oposite light schedule so that the PH won't dip at night. Do you run a refugium?

rjrobert · #3 11/05/2007, 11:11 AM

Ya, I've got a 100gal refug that is already on a reverse light cycle. It is filled with a ton of cheato but never seemed to help to much slow down the nightly drop that being said though it is a young system of only about 4 months or so old so the Sand Bed isn't fully activated yet. I'm going to try to bring in an airline from outside and connect it to the skimmer and see if that helps.

mikegerard · #4 11/05/2007, 02:21 PM

Are you sure there's been no changes to any of your filters or pumps? Maybe a pump is not circulating well, or not enough air in your skimmer?

Also, could there be leftover food somewhere? Maybe a quick cleaning of the sand bed is in order.

What equipment are you using to measure and record ph? The output looks very cool.

I would be interested to see what happens to your ph without the reverse light cycle...but I would not touch that until your current problem is solved.

SkiFletch · #5 11/05/2007, 03:11 PM

Yeah, have you verified your measuring device?

rjrobert · #6 11/05/2007, 07:23 PM

First thing - Mikegerard - WELCOME TO REEF CENTRAL

Measuring device is ok, I cross compaired it to a Hana and a Pinpoint I also calibrate monthly, but thats a good idea to check.

I really think the problem is in the room itself. I built the room so that it is sealed off from the garage or the home. Typically in the day time the AC unit built into the room is on and brings in fresh air (setting on the AC). Since it got colder the AC unit is on less and thus bringing in less fresh air. The room is relatively small for the setup in the room and I think it's concievable that the CO2 levels in the room are rising. I would love to test that theory with some time of CO2 air tester and test outside air and inside air several times through the day to see when the concentrations have the biggest difference (If costs permit I might actually do this test).

For now running an airtube outside the room for the skimmer might be the best for now.

rjrobert · #7 11/05/2007, 07:23 PM

Also - the graph comes from the web browser function of an AquaController 3

Piazzon12 · #8 11/05/2007, 08:02 PM

you've probably recently closed up your house, and started running the heating... causing a higher CO2 level in the house, which suppresses the ph. To verify, you can put some of your water in a glass with a air pump, and if that's the issue, you will see the ph rise significantly over an hour. tough thing to combat.

LFS_worker · #9 11/05/2007, 08:34 PM

Mg levels are close to low levels keep an eye on it.

Also as more fish get added watch pH levels,
if it continues to be an issue look into night time kalkwassar treatments.

B

Gary Majchrzak · #10 11/05/2007, 08:46 PM

let us know the results of using fresh air. (I'll bet pH rises.)

rjrobert · #11 11/05/2007, 09:48 PM

Just added a 12 foot tubing from the pump to outside. I'll see if that helps at all. I'll post results here.

Isn't trying to recreate nature fun

I did check out how to test CO2 content in the air. Tests are about $4 a shot (single use test tubes).

tmz · #12 11/06/2007, 01:38 AM

I think the outside air to the skimmer will help. What do you do for humidity?

KurtsReef · #13 11/06/2007, 08:13 AM

You ran the air intakes on your skimmer pumps outside? That seems like it would be a task, how are they going outside the home...new little holes drilled?

rjrobert · #14 11/06/2007, 08:22 AM

humidity - dehumidifier plumbed to the sink

The room is in the garage portion of the house so I have it going into the garage for now (small hole in the fish wall.
I did order a few CO2 test kits. Once they come in I'll test the fish room, the outside garage and then outside the house. I just have to make sure of any temp baselines since outside air is going to be much colder and as a result denser.

tmz · #15 11/06/2007, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KurtsReef
You ran the air intakes on your skimmer pumps outside? That seems like it would be a task, how are they going outside the home...new little holes drilled?

I did it also. It was easier than I thought it would be. I just ran a length of flexible tubing from the sump to a small basement window and poked a small hole there. The sump venturi feed hose plugs into the flexible tube. The caveat is ato be minfull of what you spray in your gardern near the outside port.

I was working in an unfinished basement.