Dosing limewater in a low CO2 environment

[JHawlz9989]

If limewater is dosed in a low CO2 environment, does the hydroxide ion remain in solution?

If this is true, does that mean the pH will remain elevated until the hydroxide combined with a CO2 ion until it forms bicarbonate? Or is there another factor that will help push the pH lower?

Josh

[disc1]

It will react with bicarbonate to make carbonate. That will hold the pH higher. You don't need much CO2 in the air to re equilibrate that. If you have any animals in the tank they should produce enough.

How low of a CO2 concentration are you talking about?

[JHawlz9989]

I'm not really sure. My goal is to run the tank without a skimmer. I originally was running it during the daytime only, and cut it off completely for the last few days, but the pH was rising to 8.5-8.6. At that point, I was having trouble keeping my alkalinity and calcium levels up.

It appears I may have to run the simmer more often than I'd like? Hopefully once I get a sump plumbed into the system I won't have these issues.

Josh