Bare bottom tank and pH

[DevilBoy]

For the people that are running bare bottom tanks, how does every one keep their pH up? I have a small sand bed in my sump section, but it does not seem to be cutting it for me. my pH usually runs 7.7 to 8.0 and that is too low for my liking. Yes i know i can drip kalk, but my alk is already running at 10 - 12 dKH . I really dont know how else to keep up my pH. Skimmer is vented to outside of the stand. I have had windows open. I have used reverse lighting on my sump, and it still drops to 7.7 at night. The only other thing that it could possibly be is the tank is still young only at about 5 months old.

[Alex T.]

DevilBoy,

I run barebottom as well and have no sand bed in the display, refugium or sump. My ph hovers slightly above 8.0 at night and reaches 8.15 during the day. I do drip kalk (very weak concentration) and alkalinity is at 9. We need some more information.

Four questions:

1. What is the ph of your salt mix when you perform a water change?
2. How long is your photoperiod?
3. What is your lighting setup?
4. What is your fish load and tank size?

[needyreefer]

I've been wondering about the same thing. Without a sandbed to act as a buffer, how are all you barebottom. . .ers keeping a steady ph?

[biecacka]

+1 on the kalk dosage. it keeps mine fairly steady around 7.5-8

[outy]

the sandbed does not buffer anywhere near to what you think it might under normal conditions.

you have another issue that needs adressed

[Nereaga]

Low ph could be high co2 in your house, try getting fresh air in the room. I run barebottom and my ph isstable at 8.2-8.4

[purge43]

Im doing a partial bare bottom, 125g /240-260lb LR(80-90 lps sps zoas softy's, 10 fish and crew) with a 3 inch strip of fine sand in front, 2 inches high(I syphon about 1/2 inch off each week,on the 4th week i replace with fresh clean sand back to the 3 inch heigth). I run purigen or chemi-pure, and rowaphos in a canister. I dose weak 2 part B-ionic. I do 35 gal water change every week(EVERY week).ph @dark cyl 8.0 , ph @light cycl 8.2-.4

[williamjhitchcock]

My bare bottom tank PH has been working great. I have no sand, no kalk,no refugium and my PH is always over 8. I think with my tank being bare bottom it really helps promote a low nutrients environment. Without a bunch of nutrients building up it keeps my PH up. Any snail poop or extra nutrients are easily filtered out of the water instead of building up in the sand (my particulate filter pulls a ton of my stuff out of the water). I don't dose any chemicals but i do 20% water changes every week with Red Sea Salt.

just my 2cents every tank is different.

[bmullikin1]

i had to run a fresh airline outside for my skimmer, helped alot.

[DevilBoy]

DevilBoy,

I run barebottom as well and have no sand bed in the display, refugium or sump. My ph hovers slightly above 8.0 at night and reaches 8.15 during the day. I do drip kalk (very weak concentration) and alkalinity is at 9. We need some more information.

Four questions:

1. What is the ph of your salt mix when you perform a water change?
2. How long is your photoperiod?
3. What is your lighting setup?
4. What is your fish load and tank size?

1. My salt mix pH is 8.0
2. Halides- 8 hrs T5s- 10 hrs
3. 2x250w mogul 20k Reeflux and 2x54w T5 Actinics
4. 90g tank w/ 30g sump. I have 3 fish. 1 Tail Spot Blenny, Pair of Black Clowns. 1 Cleaner Shrimp, and my snails

I have not checked the pH of my ro/di water. What should that pH be? 7.0 ?

[DevilBoy]

Low ph could be high co2 in your house, try getting fresh air in the room. I run barebottom and my ph isstable at 8.2-8.4

My original post says i have tried having the windows open, which has not helped.

[Laddy]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/june2002/chem.htm

Dripping kalkwasser doesn't push Alk upwards, but rather buffers kalk/ca.

How are you measuring pH, test kit, or controller?

If your @ 7.7 degrees at night, you're way above that number during your photo period.

To be honest, I'm not sure I'd worry about pH in the range you describe.

Good luck.

[newtank]

I run bare bottom on 300 system and have kept PH around 8.2. In my other tank my ato was lowering my salinity and also PH because the top off water was not buffered.

[DevilBoy]

it shouldnt drop your salinity if you have an ATO. my SG stays at 1.026 Like i said if i add kalk to my ATO water it makes my Alk climb to almost 12 dKH. I always thought that dosing kalk would only keep your ca/alk levels steady instead of dosing a 2 part additive. But after having conversations with Randy Holmes Farley, he said that kalk can raise your alk levels. If you are adding more kalk to the tank then what the tank can handle, it will raise the level.

[rezaktp]

The best is to topp off with kalk, keeps mine in the range of 8.2 using a saturated (2 tsp of kalk per 1 gal of RODI water) kalk solution.