24/7 lights on refuge

[CoralClasher]

Do macros need night time? I have a 120 gallon DT with a 55 gallon refuge half of the tank has a recurve light the other side has a place for a skimmer and return basket. I haven’t run the skimmer since I setup this refuge little over a year ago I have rocks in it place and wooden air stone from outside air pump. I haven’t been happy with the pH at 7.8 but never chased the numbers. I got some bugs and sand from Garf Grunge and I was talking with him about macros and he runs lights 24/7 so I’m at the 24 hour now and my pH is 8.1. If I can keep nitrogen and phosphate above 0 can I leave lights on for ever? Right now No3 10ppm phosphate 0.12. The pH could be it’s spring time now and windows are open more.

 

[Spare time]

From my understanding, they do not need a rest period as algae does not sleep. I run mine all day except now i give the light some time to cool down.

 

[CoralClasher]

From my understanding, they do not need a rest period as algae does not sleep. I run mine all day except now i give the light some time to cool down.

Yeah that light is getting hot. I do have 160 pounds of Oolite sand in the refuge, is it possible that when the lights turn off the oxygen levels drop too much and that’s what is causing my low pH?

 

[Spare time]

pH has to deal more with CO2 than oxygen. This should help explain how CO2 is lowering the ph

Ocean acidification

In the 200-plus years since the industrial revolution began, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has increased due to human actions. During this time, the pH of surface ocean waters has fallen by 0.1 pH units. This might not sound like much, but the pH scale is...

www.noaa.gov

 

[CoralClasher]

pH has to deal more with CO2 than oxygen. This should help explain how CO2 is lowering the ph

Ocean acidification

In the 200-plus years since the industrial revolution began, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has increased due to human actions. During this time, the pH of surface ocean waters has fallen by 0.1 pH units. This might not sound like much, but the pH scale is...

www.noaa.gov

Ok I think I got it. The macros are not producing oxygen while lights are on but are using CO2. So my CO2 levels are probably high and keeping the refugium lights on 27/7 should help? A power head pointed at the surface should help too? Thanks for that article.

 

[Spare time]

Ok I think I got it. The macros are not producing oxygen while lights are on but are using CO2. So my CO2 levels are probably high and keeping the refugium lights on 27/7 should help? A power head pointed at the surface should help too? Thanks for that article.

Yes they stop using CO2 (and even produce some) along with all other photosynthetic beings at night. When the lights are on, they take in the CO2.