How much air is too much?

[JamesShall]

I did some reading today in hope to solve my existing pH problem in my tank. I read on http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html that aeration helps to raise kH and pH. I have a 72 gallon tank with a bubble screen that runs nearly completely all the way accross the 3 foot wide tank. I'm also running a dual bio wheel HOB filter.

My question - Is that TOO much aeration that will cause a dramatic increase in pH?

I have another post going in the sick fish area that gives some more insight to the pH problem. http://aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=22095

 

[fish_doc]

It is not just the air you need to worry about. the amount of airflow and water current should vary depending on the type of fish you keep.

 

[malkore]

aeration will not do anything to raise Kh...that's total bunk.
The only reason pH can rise when you aerate water is because there's a lot of CO2 in the water. CO2 is acidic so it lower's pH. when you outgas it with an airstone, the pH rises to it's actual level, which is directly related to the Kh level.

So, to answer your question: no you are not aerating too much, and it sounds like you should have enough filtration and circulation.
I'll look at your other post, as I have the feeling you have a very low Kh level, which means you have little to no buffering capacity to prevent pH swings....not a good thing.

 

[Menagerie]

If you want to raise the pH, there are natural substrates to add to the tank, or to the filter.

 

[fish_doc]

Actually airflow can affect pH if you are using a undergravel filter and have not used a gravel vac in a while. When a tank gets to "dirty" it will cause the pH crash. And if you increase the airflow on a undergravel filter during that time it will pull more of the waste through the filter speeding the pH crash.

But in your case of just having a bubble wall it should be fine. But like I stated above make sure the water currents and bubbles match the fish you decide to keep. Some fish like rapid moving water where others like slow moving water. After looking at the mix of fish in your other post. You should be fine.

As far as lowering your pH

Lowering pH is not as easy as raising it. Filtering over peat moss is the method of choice. It is continuous and relatively easy to do. The use of bogwood to decorate the aquarium has a similar effect, although it’s not as easy to maintain as using peat moss in the filter.

Another method to lower pH is to mix distilled or RO (reverse-osmosis) water with your tap water to reduce both the hardness and pH. This is effective for smaller pH changes, and you must keep in mind that every time you perform a water change, or top off the tank you’ll have to mix water. In other words, if you need to greatly lower the pH of your water, think twice – it is going to be an uphill battle.

The addition of CO2 will lower the pH of your water. If you have live plants, the use of CO2 is an excellent option. There are several means of adding CO2, from high-end commercial equipment to simple do-it-yourself systems.