pH and New Windows

[flowerseller]

We live in Old McLean and our house was built in '51.

 

We replaced all the windows in our house right before the Christmas rush.

Besides making a huge difference in comfort, it has had a dramatic effect on my systems pH.

 

With the house closed up for the cooler months and the heat on, I used to evaporate around 4gph.

This caused more kalk to be added and the tank enjoyed an elevated pH of 8.3-8.4.

 

Quite the opposite during the summer with the A/C on.

 

This winter, It's been luckey to get much higher than 8.15 8.2 if I slightly opened a window when my wife

wasn't in the room.

 

I guess a drafty old house with crappy windows has it advantages.

[gastone]

Chip, I live in an old rowhouse built circa 1763. Insullation hah! We ain't got no stinkin' insullation. I don't check my ph as I don't have a fancy device to do that. I assume that it is fairly high (don't remind me about assuming). Can you run the air hose from your skimmer out of doors?

 

Garrett.

[SkiCurtis]

Flowerseller that's awesome that you know your water parameters and can identify why those changes have taken place. You know your tanks

 

Curtis

[Brian Ward]

Chip, I live in an old rowhouse built circa 1763. Insullation hah! We ain't got no stinkin' insullation. I don't check my ph as I don't have a fancy device to do that. I assume that it is fairly high (don't remind me about assuming). Can you run the air hose from your skimmer out of doors?

 

Garrett.

 

 

 

Yes. Dan (Dandy7200) actually does this specifically to draw the outside air so he can keep his pH high.

[flowerseller]

Dan's skimmer and sump is outside in a shed.

 

I did the ole run a hose from the skimmer inlet to the outdoors in my old house 10-11 years ago.

While this skimmer draws a ton of air given it's a down draft, (that is one reason how they got the name) it still equalizes after a short amount of time in a closed house.

 

Bear in mind, my system is heavily stocked, heavily fed, and I been around for 18ish years.

You never acheive the same pH values as a tank recently set up (only a few years) and/or lightly stocked/fed.

 

This not a skimmer related issue nor is the idea of excess CO2 indoors is old.

I can remember long ago noticing a difference when I had several people over to see the tank.

My pH used to drop like a rock, only to increase after the folks left.

 

The only way I see increase is to have a partially open window, but with a tiny wife who's always cold unless it's 80+, that's hard to do. She keeps shutting it.

Sooooo,...... my tank suffers, because of her...............

[mogurnda]

Two simple steps:

1. A big dehumidifier next to the tank.

2. Stop breathing.

[flowerseller]

Two simple steps:

1. A big dehumidifier next to the tank.

2. Stop breathing.

 

I've been threatening to bring the dehumidifier back down stairs but it seemed to pull too much tank water alone, even locating it in the next room. I guess I could try it further away.

Will you come move it for me?

[mogurnda]

Will you come move it for me?

I'm busy that day.

[FishWife]

You never acheive the same pH values as a tank recently set up (only a few years) and/or lightly stocked/fed.

 

Huh? Can you expand on this? We are fighting to keep our pH UP TO 8.0. :( How long should we plan to wait, and will opening to the air (easy for us: mudroom/fish room opens to garage) help even if our tank IS young?

 

(BTW: thanks for the anemone. He seems to have settled down nicely into our frag tank/anem farm.)

Edited March 14, 2008 by FishWife

[flowerseller]

I find access to fresh uncompromised air is a help.

Tight houses keep CO2 trapped, aiding lowered pH values.

You may or may not have other circulatry issues compounding that.

 

I mentioned younger tanks because they often are lighter stocked and carry less baggage than an older set up.

Many have referred this to "old tank syndrone".

Having a SB also aids to lower pH since calcium carbonate or arragonite sands hovers around 8 or below.

Below once the sand get a coating and then kind of lowers it's buffering ability as well.

I stir my sand periodically with a DIY long T handle stick. If you have long arms, you could make short handled T. This helps "grind" off some of the coatings and helps keep the sand free and clear.

[Larry Grenier]

I've been threatening to bring the dehumidifier back down stairs but it seemed to pull too much tank water alone, even locating it in the next room. I guess I could try it further away.

 

This may sound too simple-minded but could you put the de-humidifier on a timer to run only at night?

[extreme_tooth_decay]

 

With the house closed up for the cooler months and the heat on, I used to evaporate around 4gph.

 

 

 

Good gracious, and I thought I had a lot with 4gpd!

[flowerseller]

 

This may sound too simple-minded but could you put the de-humidifier on a timer to run only at night?

 

No not really, I couldn't run a long enough cord to my ACIII and I'm DONE WITH TIMERS!

I sure don't miss adjusting all those timers for a time change or power failure.

 

Our unit does have a 2 hr, 4 hr, or continuous setting.

Normally set 2 hr on 2 hr off but when it's really really cold outside, it needs to be continuous.

[ReeferMan]

You could divorce your wife and then keep all the windows open all day everyday. Just a thought

Edited March 15, 2008 by phisigs79