my pH is runing low.

[myusername]

I have an 80 gallon glass tank. It is full with live rock and about 1½ - 2 inches of live sand. I also have a 20 gallon sump and also a 10 gallon refusium. I have a pro clear protein skimmer model 250. I also have a dual chamber calcium reactor and it is a MRC. I also have a chiller. I have 2 250 metal double-ended metal halights . I also do water changes weekly which consist of 10 gallons of Seachem salt, with RO water. My water specs are calcium 380 to 400. My nitrates 0. My KH is from 8 – 10. NOW THE PROBLEM IS MY pH TIN's TO RUN LOW, ABOUT 8.0 AND LOWER. at this time. the water that comes from the reactor is at a slow drip. I am lost. when my pH is 8.0 and lower, the Corals look lighter. what should I do! or am I just tripping.

[CAReefer]

I have typically found tanks running Calcium Reactors run to the low side. Mine ran as low as 7.8 before lights on. As long as it is stable with a minimal swing your good to go. A couple things that may help bring it up.

Drip the CR effluent into the skimmer if possible. If this cant be done, drip it into a 1 cup measuring cup affixed/hung onto the side of your sump and run a small airstone in the cup. This will help blow off excess C02.

Drip the CR effluent from about 6 or 8 inches above the sump water level.

Probably the best solution is to run the air intake for the skimmer somewhere into fresh air, outside, garage etc. I built a little charcoal filter with some pvc and filter floss I didn't like the idea of sucking fumes from the garage and directly injecting them into my skimmer. This brought mine up a few ticks from 7.8 to almost 8.

I eventually put a 90 gallon frag tank in the garage plumbed into the display tank and my ph now never gets below 8.1.

Stability is the key here. As long as it is consistantly 8 before the lights come on, it ain't no thang.

HTH
Marshal

[myusername]

right npw it is 7.98 it it 9:58pm and yes the light are on. it is about 6in above the sump. Do you have a photo of your skimmer.or how you solve that problem. I cant wait to see it.

[myusername]

Is it hard to drill a hole into the skimmer? or is that a mistake whating to happen.
how can i see your gallery,of your tank.

[kiwireefer]

Don't worry about it. My pH runs at 7.8 at the end of the photo period with no ill effects to the corals.

Brendan

[fkadir]

My low point in a 24-hour period is 7.8-7.85. Dunt sweat it if its not really low like below 7.7.

Another thing you can do is to turn off the CO2 supply to the rector at night. I run my CO2 for 10 hours during the lighting hours and switch off the CO2 supply at nite while keeping the feed pump to the skimmer running.

[Orion76]

Is it hard to drill a hole into the skimmer?

No hole drilling in the skimmer, he means make the air intake of the skimmer draw air from outside the house

In my experience a PH as low as 7.8 at night is really not a problem, but I would say it's the lower acceptable limit.

Also make sure your PH meassuring device is accurate and properly calibrated, it often isn't

[myusername]

OK let me be clear,I can only run the reactor in the day time.and I an only talking about the pH in that time. the corals look so much better, when the pH is 8.30 or around that. when the pH is lower the corals get lighter. to light for me. they look stressed out. I would hope there is a way to keep it around 8.30. It was calibrated,two weeks ago.

[Diesel3443]

Check the DTOTQ and read what his alk and ph are. Stability is paramount. Mine runs about 7.8 to 8.0

[myusername]

it is stabill,if i dont run the Calcium reactor.I turnd it off last night.the pH is 8.02. alittal better then 7.96.and where do I Check the DTOTQ? Im a newbe!

[myusername]

I found it.Let's talk about this,"Consider phase 1 the initiatation of ZEOvit method. The basic 4 are used to reduce nutrients in a balanced manner. As nutrients & "reserves" are depleted, the corals become brighter, lighter in appearance & the quantities of the zeo's dosed becomes less. " That is me,but I'm in Phase 2. Besides the pH.I need some one to clear up Phase 2 for me.I am to reduce the Zeostart from .45 to .23 two times a day. and continue with Zeobac (three drops), Zeofood (three drops) every other day? for 6 weeks.

[Diesel3443]

I would reduce start2 dosage to about 0.3 ml 2x's a day to start and go from there. With a lower KH your pH will be low. For the link to the DTOTQ, its on theZeo home page