High Temp / Low PH

Tangweed · 08/24/2008, 12:25 PM

My temp has been running around 80 - 81.5. My PH on my Pinpoint tester is low 7.8. Can a high temp cause a low PH? My temp won't go down even at night, it's up to 79. I think I mite have to get a chiller for my set up.

Any tips on hoe I can cool my tank down?

jansenwrasse · 08/24/2008, 01:14 PM

Higher temps hold less Oxygen so in a way yes lower temps encourage lower pH but any system at 81 should be capeable of maintaining 8.2. Most common cause of low pH is elevated CO2 levels. Here is the article by randy

Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

Hope this helps

crvz · 08/24/2008, 02:25 PM

chiller or fans to cool the tank, but I'd lean towards fans first due to costs. I just use them to keep my tank cool here in Houston, and it's plenty if you've got good airflow over the water (with house air, not just circulating canopy or stand air).

Tangweed · 08/24/2008, 04:30 PM

Anyone know of any chillers they would suggest for a 58 gal tank?

Tangweed · 08/24/2008, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jansenwrasse
Higher temps hold less Oxygen so in a way yes lower temps encourage lower pH but any system at 81 should be capeable of maintaining 8.2. Most common cause of low pH is elevated CO2 levels. Here is the article by randy

Low pH: Causes and Cures
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm

Hope this helps

Thank you for the article!

crvz · 08/24/2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tangweed
Anyone know of any chillers they would suggest for a 58 gal tank?

I used a 1/4 hp Arctica by JBJ, which worked well (it didnt need to be on for long, as it was pretty well powered). But again, that'd be my second solution, as fans will be about $500 cheaper (if not more).

greenbean36191 · 08/24/2008, 06:08 PM

First of all, your tank is not running warm at all. It's running below the worldwide average for reefs and the optimal temp for most coral. You certainly don't need a chiller.

Second, the temperature effect on oxygen concentration is negligible over the range of reef temps. Also, oxygen saturation has no direct relationship to pH.

Tangweed · 08/24/2008, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by greenbean36191
First of all, your tank is not running warm at all. It's running below the worldwide average for reefs and the optimal temp for most coral. You certainly don't need a chiller.

Second, the temperature effect on oxygen concentration is negligible over the range of reef temps. Also, oxygen saturation has no direct relationship to pH.

Thank you for saving me $400 plus on a chiller. At what temp do you start to worry? Also I've added Seachem PH Buffer and that only raises the PH for 1/2 or so. Should I just keep up with water changes? What else is there to do?

Tangweed · 08/24/2008, 06:19 PM

Also I've added Seachem PH Buffer and that only raises the PH for 1/2 hour or so.

cristhiam · 08/24/2008, 06:33 PM

My temp right now is 84, no problem that I've seen. I'm in FL. Not planning on a chiller.

Tangweed · 08/24/2008, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cristhiam
My temp right now is 84, no problem that I've seen. I'm in FL. Not planning on a chiller.

Wow 84! I guess I can relax on the temp thing. I'll focus on the PH.

greenbean36191 · 08/26/2008, 02:49 PM

You can safely go as high as 88 degrees or 2 degrees above the normal summertime high, whichever is lower. So if your tank normally sees about 81.5 you can safely go to about 84, though if you slowly raise your temperature or increase the swing you can increase the safe limits.

FWIW, the yearly average for reefs is about 82 (or it used to be) anyway. The center of diversity runs about 82-84, which is also the range where most corals show optimum growth. The yearly range of temperatures on an average reef is 77-86.

jhentr · 08/26/2008, 06:26 PM

Yeah, mines is kept at 83 in the summer (It's in the garage and thank goodness the garage is insulated, or it'll be over 90+). My fan kicks in at 84 and stays stable then. I've kept hardy SPS/LPS/Softies/clams fine...although I don't have any colonies...only a few frags.

It's hit as high as 88 before I got my Ranco one stage temp controller to work with my six inch clamp on fan (no chiller). In the winter time, I'll keep it about 78.

My corals been hardy so far the past two years with these wild swings. Also my pH per Salifert is low. I attribute it to the high CO2 in my house (7.7 pH). I'll have to get another test kit to verify though.

08/24/2008, 12:25 PM	#1
Tangweed Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mohnton, PA Posts: 1,002	High Temp / Low PH My temp has been running around 80 - 81.5. My PH on my Pinpoint tester is low 7.8. Can a high temp cause a low PH? My temp won't go down even at night, it's up to 79. I think I mite have to get a chiller for my set up. Any tips on hoe I can cool my tank down?

08/24/2008, 01:14 PM	#2
jansenwrasse Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Irondequoit, New York Posts: 1,042	Higher temps hold less Oxygen so in a way yes lower temps encourage lower pH but any system at 81 should be capeable of maintaining 8.2. Most common cause of low pH is elevated CO2 levels. Here is the article by randy Low pH: Causes and Cures http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.htm Hope this helps __________________ "Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value." Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: I am allergic to seafood ... yup its that bad epi pen and all so I cant have a tank.

08/24/2008, 02:25 PM	#3
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	chiller or fans to cool the tank, but I'd lean towards fans first due to costs. I just use them to keep my tank cool here in Houston, and it's plenty if you've got good airflow over the water (with house air, not just circulating canopy or stand air). __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

08/24/2008, 04:30 PM	#4
Tangweed Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mohnton, PA Posts: 1,002	Anyone know of any chillers they would suggest for a 58 gal tank? __________________ Thanks! Jeremy Current Tank Info: 90 gal with 40 gal breeder sump / fuge, Octo skimmer, lights and some water.

08/24/2008, 06:08 PM	#7
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	First of all, your tank is not running warm at all. It's running below the worldwide average for reefs and the optimal temp for most coral. You certainly don't need a chiller. Second, the temperature effect on oxygen concentration is negligible over the range of reef temps. Also, oxygen saturation has no direct relationship to pH. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

08/24/2008, 06:19 PM	#9
Tangweed Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mohnton, PA Posts: 1,002	Also I've added Seachem PH Buffer and that only raises the PH for 1/2 hour or so. __________________ Thanks! Jeremy Current Tank Info: 90 gal with 40 gal breeder sump / fuge, Octo skimmer, lights and some water.

08/24/2008, 06:33 PM	#10
cristhiam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Groveland, FL Posts: 3,099	My temp right now is 84, no problem that I've seen. I'm in FL. Not planning on a chiller. __________________ 2 yellows tail damsels, yellow watchman goby, tail spot blennie, purple pseudocromis, starry blennie, 2 clowns, 1 black clown, mandarine & Yellow tang Current Tank Info: 125 AGA, 3 40W 6500K, 3 110W URI Actinics, running on 2 IceCaps 660, CSS125

08/26/2008, 02:49 PM	#12
greenbean36191 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 10,598	You can safely go as high as 88 degrees or 2 degrees above the normal summertime high, whichever is lower. So if your tank normally sees about 81.5 you can safely go to about 84, though if you slowly raise your temperature or increase the swing you can increase the safe limits. FWIW, the yearly average for reefs is about 82 (or it used to be) anyway. The center of diversity runs about 82-84, which is also the range where most corals show optimum growth. The yearly range of temperatures on an average reef is 77-86. __________________ Some say the sun rises in the East. Some say it rises in the West. The truth must be somewhere in the middle. Current Tank Info: tore them down to move and haven't had the time or money to set them back up

08/26/2008, 06:26 PM	#13
jhentr Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Inland Empire, Ca Posts: 559	Yeah, mines is kept at 83 in the summer (It's in the garage and thank goodness the garage is insulated, or it'll be over 90+). My fan kicks in at 84 and stays stable then. I've kept hardy SPS/LPS/Softies/clams fine...although I don't have any colonies...only a few frags. It's hit as high as 88 before I got my Ranco one stage temp controller to work with my six inch clamp on fan (no chiller). In the winter time, I'll keep it about 78. My corals been hardy so far the past two years with these wild swings. Also my pH per Salifert is low. I attribute it to the high CO2 in my house (7.7 pH). I'll have to get another test kit to verify though.