Aeration of Reservoir Affecting PH

[brightskies]

Hey everybody!

I just added a new chiller and a pump in my reservoir to run it.

Its creating lots of great turbulence in the res, but my PH almost instantly dropped 1.0.

Do I adjust my PH back up to where it was? Or do I turn off the turbulence when I check the PH level?

EDIT: Found the problem- loose PH meter connector... DUH!

 

[Two-Dogs]

what was it then and what is it now? anything from 5.2 to 6.5 is acceptable, I prefer 5.8-6.3 personally. If its under 5.0 then definately up the PH to above 5.2 at the least.

 

[brightskies]

It dropped from 5.6 to 4.6

 

[brightskies]

I'm running ebb & gro buckets and initially set my res at 5.3. My dehu water drains into the rez, causing it to rise to 6.2 over a week's time at which time I correct it.

 

[radneo]

with the new chiller added what is the difference in res temps now?

 

[Two-Dogs]

Id either PH up it to 5.2 or above or dump the rez and start again.
6.2 is nice, no need to adjust really

 

[buddin_904]

i dont think the responses are addressing the real cause of the pH problem......USUALLY when you aerate a rez the pH should climb from more oxygen being introduced....but your mentioning should u pH with or without the turbulance from the pump.....I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM....if i goto pH when the pump is running the #s are WACKED OUT TOO LOW....then i click the pump off and its a stable, higher pH value.....THIS i cannot explain but i know exactly what your talking about......pH with the pump off

 

[Ursus]

how much did you lower your rez temperature by?

edit: RADNEO beat me to it.

If you dropped it 5 or more degrees that might explain it.

 

[buddin_904]

heating of a rez solution would cause the pH to drop.......not cooling......when u heat the solution dissolved oxygen turns to gas resulting in a drop in the pH....soooooo?????? and guys i dont think your understanding what hes really asking.....

see for yourselfs....turn your pump on and stick a pH in there...the #s will be all wacked out and lower than actual.....i dont no SHIT about this 'phenomenon'....guesses??? idk?? maybe the magnet in the pump???

 

[delta9nxs]

Here is an explanation I wrote several years ago intended for bio-buckets but the same principles apply to most aerated reservoirs.

“atmospheric co2 in contact with water will be absorbed until it's partial pressure is equalized. in undersaturated water it will be picked up by aeration. in supersaturated water it will be out gassed. in solution co2 reacts with h2o to form carbonic acid. it will do so until equilibrium is reached. however, most of the co2 is not converted to carbonic acid but remains in solution as co2 molecules. it is the carbonic acid that causes ph drop. low ph caused by increased co2 affects the flow of nutrients across the root membrane causing lockout and incorrect solution ratios of cal-mag-k, complicated by the use of too much ph up, usually in the form of potassium hydroxide. in commercial aquaponics and aquaculture water is aggressively aerated to out gas co2 continuously to help control ph. co2 related ph shifts can also be caused by microbial respiration and oxidation of organic waste from plants and nutrients. Out gassing co2 dilutes levels of carbonic acid temporarily. but if this "temporary situation" is going on continuously it helps to maintain a ph stable environment."

i hopes this helps, d9

 

[brightskies]

My res temp has not changed.

I'm replacing one chiller with another that had a drop-in coil and no turbulent pump was required to operate it.

 

[brightskies]

i dont think the responses are addressing the real cause of the pH problem......USUALLY when you aerate a rez the pH should climb from more oxygen being introduced....but your mentioning should u pH with or without the turbulance from the pump.....I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM....if i goto pH when the pump is running the #s are WACKED OUT TOO LOW....then i click the pump off and its a stable, higher pH value.....THIS i cannot explain but i know exactly what your talking about......pH with the pump off

Yep that's what's happening buddin. At least I'm not going mad (well, not about this anyway).

Although I'm not using an airstone, I imagine I'm still getting good aeration from the turbulence and the waterfall effect of the chiller water dumping into the res.

 

[buddin_904]

OK COOOOL! .....sooo ? for you brightskies.....if you pH when the pump is on are the numbers low and wacked out.....then if you pH when the pump is off and the rez is stagnant are the numbers normal???? this is a 'phenomenon' i recently noticed a few weeks ago.....

 

[brightskies]

Oh Man... I figured it out...

The PH connector at the Tri-meter was loose! You should have seem me trying to do an add- back tonight- I though I was going insane. The PH kept bouncing all over the place.

I must have bumped it when I was hooking up the new chiller lines.

Thanks for all of the help- I really appreciate it! Sorry to waste your time!!!!!