pH and Skimmers

I recently replaced my skimmer needle wheel and my skimmer was still not skimming. I have been scratching my head, then it occured to me... low pH.

I have a calcium reactor on a small tank which makes keeping the pH up a little challenging..

plus this week I had a leaky ball valve on my return line which was dripping on my carpet. This was causing my auto top off to work overtime and replace the water with RO/DI water which is pretty low pH. 4 gallons worth over 3 days.

So all this low pH caused my skimmer to act like it is in freshwater, which means it doesn't create sludge at all!

I think this explains the behavior. Do you think I'm on to it now?

 

My office tank was/is running with a little low PH. After supplementing my skimmer went nuts and started overflowing. Good thing I was still at the office or I would have had a bigger mess on my hands.

 

Good point. What did you use to supplement?
I think I have some Seachem buffer around...

 

Matt I use seachem marine buffer and it keeps mine at 8.3, It tells you to add once a week at the start (if I remember right, then every other week once set) after that I think its monthly, I usually add every 3rd week unless its low. hope that helps.

 

I use seachem buffer to. Works well but it will also raise your alk. So in my case (a little low on the pH side but ok on alk) i get higher than wanted alk in the tank. Just a heads up, but im sure you already knew that

Marc.