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The pH in my mixed reef has run between 7.9 and 8.1 ever since I got my calcium reactor a few years ago, despite an Alk targeted around 10. I never saw ill effects from it and sometimes I've wondered whether the excess CO2 (low pH = excess dissolved CO2 in the water) may do the corals some good, as I have always assumed the zooxanthellae ought to consume CO2 like any other form of algae.

Lately I have upgraded the equipment - started with a better skimmer, now better lights (PowerModule) and getting better flow soon and installing a controller - to keep more of an SPS tank and I'm not sure of the benefits of blowing off CO2 to raise the pH to the more acceptable range of 8.1 to 8.4

Right now the calcium reactor output feeds into the sump after the protein skimmer and before the refugium. I have thought about either feeding the calcium reactor output into the intake of the protein skimmer, or putting a MaxiJet with venturi into the sump and feeding the calcium reactor output into the Maxijet to aerate it.

Possible upsides include better coral health and growth from the higher pH assisting calcification. I am worried about the possible downsides of less growth due to less CO2 for the zooxanthellae, and a risk of bleaching or killing off my SPS if there is a change from the pH which they have been used to.

If anybody runs an SPS tank with this lower pH range, or if anybody is taking steps to blow off CO2 please let me know your experiences and opinion.

Edit: the title should say to raise pH, not to lower pH, can't change the title now