Controlling PH

[samindenver]

I've been out of the hobby about 4-5 years but I'm back now. I have a 125 gallon mixed reef. It's been set up around 8 - 10 weeks and all numbers look great except PH. It varies from 8.0 just before dawn to 8.3 just before dusk. Is this acceptable or should I look at ways to balance it around a 8.2 full time. Would you suggest a refugium with lighting 24/7 or is there a better direction I should go?

 

[Andrew_bram]

Controlling PH

I know a lot of people like kalk. I am not a user if it however a lot if people like that route. Have you thought of increasing surface agitation. Are you running a skimmer.

 

[sinister]

more importantly... what's your hardness

 

[samindenver]

I am skimmer. I'm using a Aqumaxx Cones C-1. It drawing like a champ. Also using a Reef Dynamics Bio Pellet reactor to drive down Nitrate and Phosphate. Haven't checked hardness. I can pick up a tester tomorrow at LFS and check.

 

[Walter White]

It's perfectly normal for that kind of pH fluctuation. It's right where it should be I wouldn't even mess with it.

 

[jda123]

Keep the alk stable and don't chase the PH - all that you can do is damage. It is fine.

 

[Smiley]

a refugium with apposite light cycle works for me to keep ph within one tenth. It was swinging 3 tenths with same light cycles..

 

[Jeremiah]

Keep the alk stable and don't chase the PH - all that you can do is damage. It is fine.

+1 I recently asked the same question because I was having .4 swings and I already run my refuge on opposite light cycle. Everytime I measured ALK I was always low, so recently I've been more diligent with testing and dosing alk and my swings are down to .3. I don't want to raise the ALK too fast so I am taking it slow, but the higher it has gotten for me the less my swings have been.

 

[jda123]

Oh, I assumed that you have aragonite sand, rock, etc? If so, then it will supply buffer if the pH gets low enough - if you have silica sand, or bare bottom, then their might be more need to worry if your alk gets low.

 

[samindenver]

I checked my calcium levels tonight and am at 400. Guess I'm doing ok. Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[sethsolomon]

ideal calc is 475

 

[samindenver]

I added some calc tonight and am trying to raise it slowly, but think I'm getting close. I'll keep checking daily until I get there. Thanks again. I appreciate the help.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Controlling PH

Just my opinion but, alkalinity is more important to ph than calcium. 400 is fine for calcium, 450 or 475 will provide for better growth provided your alk is in a desirable range. Again, many people have opinions there! Keeping it stable is the key.

 

[Smiley]

Re: Controlling PH

Just my opinion but, alkalinity is more important to ph than calcium. 400 is fine for calcium, 450 or 475 will provide for better growth provided your alk is in a desirable range. Again, many people have opinions there! Keeping it stable is the key.

+1

Sent from my C771

 

[FinsUp]

Just my opinion but, alkalinity is more important to ph than calcium. 400 is fine for calcium, 450 or 475 will provide for better growth provided your alk is in a desirable range. Again, many people have opinions there! Keeping it stable is the key.

+1

Calcium is important if you have LPS and SPS, so that they can grow their skeletons, but alk is what keeps your ph in line. Opposing lights are a great way to go for that.

 

[jda123]

Flat out - don't worry about the PH.

If you want to run a fuge, then running one a reverse light cycle is OK, but don't get a fuge just because of the PH.

Some of the most awesome tanks around are in basements, or with sumps in the basement, where airborne CO2 is very high and the daily PH goes between 7.85 and 8.15. This is just not a big deal.

If you do care to worry about the PH then the best thing that you can do is to frequently air out your house/basement/whatever with outside air.

 

[FinsUp]

there's a lot of good reasons to have a fuge/sump, other than just for ph.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Controlling PH

there's a lot of good reasons to have a fuge/sump, other than just for ph.

Plus 1

Don't do a fuge for the ph only. You can add volume for stability. Clean up the inside of tank from equipment, keep the tank cooler in the summer, nutrient export, dose in it, makes water changes quicker... But if you are just worried about the ph? Maybe a lot of work for that. I've seen a number of awesome tanks with no sump/fuge, most people like to run them though. Makes a lot of stuff more convenient.