Acceptable Parameter Swings within 24 hours ???

[Doostur]

As we know stability is key in this hobby especially with certain corals such as SPS. For example, most people will say .5 ALK within 24 hours will cause problems. In my opinion, anything over .25 and I start to notice a difference. So from your experience, post what are acceptable swings in a 24 hour period before you begin to notice negative physical changes in a typical mixed reef.


- Alk = .25
- Calcium = 50
- Mag = 75
- Salinity = .02
- Temp = 2 degrees
- Nitrate = 2-3
- Phosphate = .03
- PH = Never noticed a difference with up to .50 swings

 

[vetteguy53081]

As we know stability is key in this hobby especially with certain corals such as SPS. For example, most people will say .5 ALK within 24 hours will cause problems. In my opinion, anything over .25 and I start to notice a difference. So from your experience, post what are acceptable swings in a 24 hour period before you begin to notice negative physical changes in a typical mixed reef.


- Alk = .25
- Calcium = 50
- Mag = 75
- Salinity = .02
- Temp = 2 degrees
- Nitrate = 5
- Phosphate = .05
- PH = Never noticed a difference with up to .50 swings

PH will change at night (lower). There's a reason for this swing ratio and root cause needs to be determined. Certain swings can have great impact while others- Insignificant.

 

[Doostur]

Ya I'm just curious what everyone else believes is acceptable swings in 24 hours.

Mainly curious about nitrates, alk, and phosphates. I guess it would be slightly different for a mixed reef vs a sps dominant tank.

 

[Patryk1982]

kh - it's safe to 0.5 per day

 

[Doostur]

kh - it's safe to 0.5 per day

Thats what most people will say. If i get close to that, my SPS starts to give me the middle finger. I shoot for .25

I'm usually swing .1 on a daily basis with a max of .2 worst case scenario.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

- Calcium = 50
- Mag = 75

There is no chance that you experienced a 50 ppm calcium change or a 75 ppm magnesium change in 24 h. Those are test error.

Real magnesium changes that are not due to salinity or water changes are about 1 ppm per day.

Calcium could change by about 20 ppm in a day if the alk declined by about 3 dKH in that same time.

 

[Doostur]

There is no chance that you experienced a 50 ppm calcium change or a 75 ppm magnesium change in 24 h. Those are test error.

Those are just estimates of what I think would be the number which would tick off a mixed reef. I have never gotten to those numbers but gotten close with no ill effects. This was back when I first started, after doing a water change, using store bought salt.

I know better now. Make my own salt and test my salt batch when complete. I dose it as needed to match my display tank parameters resulting in little to no change during my 1.5% auto water changes every evening.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Those are just estimates of what I think would be the number which would tick off a mixed reef. I have never gotten to those numbers but gotten close with no ill effects. This was back when I first started, after doing a water change, using store bought salt.

I know better now. Make my own salt and test my salt batch when complete. I dose it as needed to match my display tank parameters resulting in little to no change during my 1.5% auto water changes every evening.

OK, I thought those were the swings in your tank.