Cant get PH up.

[BaaMNYC]

I been struggling for a few weeks and research. My apex shows my ph consistently under 7.8. I did confirm the reading with a ph meter. I've even brought my alk to 10 dkh. Nervous to keep chasing it. I've tried opening my window and front door for a few hours and i believe it helps temporarily. But it's in the middle of the day so I'm not positive how much it helped. The ph typically rises after mid day. I have chaeto on the opposite light schedule. Drilling a hole to run the skimmer air line is not an option.

How bad is it for the tank to have the ph constantly dip under 7.8?

 

[Nitecrawler718]

Is tank in a basement? I having the same issue

 

[BaaMNYC]

Is tank in a basement? I having the same issue

Mine is on the first floor by my front door. But we have all of our windows closed since it's still chilly and we have a newborn

 

[BYU]

 

[Reef Reaper]

I have the same issue except that my ph is even lower.

 

[BaaMNYC]

I have the same issue except that my ph is even lower.

Even lpwer? How much lower?

 

[Reef Reaper]

6.7 but everything is doing fine except for the sps

 

[BaaMNYC]

6.7 but everything is doing fine except for the sps

Maybe your test kit is inaccurate. What is your alk?

 

[Reef Reaper]

Maybe your test kit is inaccurate. What is your alk?

I will double check
8dkh

 

[BaaMNYC]

I will double check
8dkh

That's why my dkh is at 10 to get closer to a ph of 8.

 

[Reef Reaper]

I think it may be apex ph probe
Check the ph again and got 7.8 reading but the apex said 6.5
Try to recalibrate but it failed

 

[SuRFeR BoY]

I think it may be apex ph probe
Check the ph again and got 7.8 reading but the apex said 6.5
Try to recalibrate but it failed

Need to recalibrate the apex ph probe every few months based on my experience.

Co2 scrubber works but it is expensive to run imo. I had to change my media ever 3 days. Try dripping kalk for a cheaper alternative. Keep in mind it will also lower your phosphates. Possibly run your skimmer air intake tube outside to open air if possible.

 

[BaaMNYC]

Need to recalibrate the apex ph probe every few months based on my experience.

Co2 scrubber works but it is expensive to run imo. I had to change my media ever 3 days. Try dripping kalk for a cheaper alternative. Keep in mind it will also lower your phosphates. Possibly run your skimmer air intake tube outside to open air if possible.

Dang 3 days!?!

 

[BaaMNYC]

How often are you changing out your media?

 

[SuRFeR BoY]

Dang 3 days!?!

Yup. To expensive so I had to let it go. My ph would increase to 8.2 to 8.3 with the scrubber and my windows open. Because of the increased ph, my alk would dip due to corals growing faster with higher ph. I’d adjust my dosing and then the co2 media would start to deplete causing the ph to dip back to 7.8. The corals stopped growing as fast and my alk would spike. It was a constantly roller coaster unless I was on top of it.

 

[BaaMNYC]

Yup. To expensive so I had to let it go. My ph would increase to 8.2 to 8.3 with the scrubber and my windows open. Because of the increased ph, my alk would dip due to corals growing faster with higher ph. I’d adjust my dosing and then the co2 media would start to deplete causing the ph to dip back to 7.8. The corals stopped growing as fast and my alk would spike. It was a constantly roller coaster unless I was on top of it.

This hobby with a reef tank you really have to stay on top of it I noticed.

 

[FMF0331]

 

[Josh]

Make sure you have calibrated your pH probes and perhaps even confirmed it with a test kit.

BTW a tank pH of 6.7 seems almost impossible to me.

 

[BaaMNYC]

UPDATE. I have a small co2 scrubber and ph hasn't dipped under 7.8 in 3 days. So far it's peak is only 7.97 but it's a good sign so far. Let's see how long this media lasts

 

[Czynot]

Skimmer intake from outside air will help a lot. Also cheato opposite to light schedule will bring it up further.
Here is two system in same room to compare. I run calcium reactor on my reef tank.
Reef tank

Below is FOT. Skimmer no outside air, no cheato,