An Easy Way to Increase Your Tank's pH with a CO2 Scrubber

[renato120]

Trying to raise my PH up with no success I might try this!

 

[SPotter]

im thinking about hooking one up as my ph is dipping to 7.7 at night. I was wondering if anyone that is using one noticed a change in skimmer production do to air intake restrictions (if any) thru the reactor?

 

[shornik]

im thinking about hooking one up as my ph is dipping to 7.7 at night. I was wondering if anyone that is using one noticed a change in skimmer production do to air intake restrictions (if any) thru the reactor?

I've been using this type of set up for about a month, maybe a little bit longer now, and haven't seen any appreciable difference in my skimmer production.

 

[SPotter]

I've been using this type of set up for about a month, maybe a little bit longer now, and haven't seen any appreciable difference in my skimmer production.

Thank you! I had emailed coralvue to see if it was ok use the air intake tube since my skimmer is external and their only concern was reduction in air intake.

 

[renato120]

I have been doing for 4 days and skimmer production seems the same and my PH didnt go much higher at all...

 

[renato120]

Its been a week, and my PH went from 7.8 to 7.9
I wish it would go higher. Not much of a help for me....

 

[roadrashpaul]

The real question is did anyone see any better coral growth? I see you all saying it helped your PH but nothing about it helping the coral????

 

[Aceone]

.

 

[jbm421]

So does this method take a toll on your skimmer? I would assume your not pulling the air that you were.

 

[CoachRDB]

Great writeup CJO

I experienced a .20 increase in pH. One note, some Tunze skimmers (i.e. Tunze DOC 9000 series) draw air internally and will require the use of an air pump to push air through the CO2 scrubber into the skimmer using the Ozone port.

Will any air pump do the job? I have the Tunze 9410 so I'm assuming I just need to drill 2 holes in the bottle, one for the air intake from the pump and one going out to the tunze ozone intake? Is that right?

 

[CoachRDB]

Will a TOM Aqua Lifter work?

 

[CoachRDB]

Ok I read this thread like 3 times. Still can't figure out how to set it up to go into my Tunze skimmer's ozone port. Do I put one hose from the output of the air pump into the bottom of the media bottle and a hose coming out of the top going into the ozone? Or do I put both lines into the top of the bottle? I'm confused.

 

[250mixreef]

I tried this on my 250. I used a standard size brs reactor cartridge filled it with pelletized soda lime (which cost about$6 ). Ran a 3/8 tube to my skimmer air intake from the canister. After a 24 hr period the pellets were exhausted as indicated by color change. There was a slight rise in ph from 7.8 to 7.87 or so. In that time period. So for me the cost does not make this method a viable option to raise ph. Perhaps others have had a better outcome.

 

[jelly]

Use kalk in your top off and you will not need to use soda lime. Large systems at least.

 

[250mixreef]

I've already ordered bright wells kalk 2

 

[jelly]

Go to the grocery store and get pickeling lime. Cheaper and is the same thing.

 

[CoachRDB]

I just started using Kalk in my top off and I'm not sure if it's working or not. My PH has gone up but it has also been cooler out and my windows r open so no AC. Fresh air or kalk. Something is working, probably a combo of the two. Still gonna try the soda lime. Can't hurt

 

[jelly]

I was having issues with my ph getting down to 7.7 and now that I use kalk I stay above 8.0. When my ato kicks on it climbs high cause of where my phone probe is at but once it mixes in I get to 8.0 to 8.1

 

[jelly]

8.17 is my average range according to my apex. 7.9 was my average before kalk.

 

[CoachRDB]

Let's see how this works