Any advantage for stable alkalinity or over stable pH overnight?

edsbeaker · Jul 21, 2017

edosan said:
For ph, a co2 scrubber works great if co2 is the reason for low ph, basically is an air filter or co2 filter for the air intake of the skimmer, with soda lime.

Thank you. I already have one running, but need to change out media every 7 days. This is expensive, even when getting the 5 gallon buckets from welding or medical supply companies. But it does work great!

edosan · Jul 21, 2017

Sorry, just read that you mention the scrubber in page 1
Kalkwaser might help too, dosing at night, but if you need to change soda lime everyweek, looks that you have a Co2 problem

TravisParsley · Jul 21, 2017

edsbeaker said:
Thank you! All great points. I also have radions that I have recently ramped up to 100% from 50% over the past month. Hopefully I will get the same results as you. My set up is newer, so corals are fairly new and haven't gotten to that growing stage yet, so like you bring up, that will probably help as well.
Either way, I think I will add a macro algae reactor. It will probably help in many ways, with no disadvantages.

I like the idea of a macro algae reactor. I would love to know impact.

Saltyanimals · Jul 21, 2017

Not sure if I need a algae reactor, but going to build one anyways. =) My pH swings 7.9 - 8.4 night/day. I do have the occasional very sharp spike from low to high when I turn off kalk ATO to add water and kalk. Jumps .4 in prob 20 mins. Prob not healthy for such a quick spike, but haven't seen any issues yet that I've noticed.

edsbeaker · Jul 21, 2017

I'm going to invest in the DIY macro algae in the video above from Marine Depot, but wanted to consider getting a larger reactor with more room for plant growth. I contacted Marine Depot just to find out if the pump and LED light strip would be the same if I purchased the larger reactor then the smaller one showed in the video. I was told, no problem. Plenty of light and flow for the larger one. The difference between the two is pretty significant, .18 gallon capacity compared to .66 gallon capacity . So I can grow almost 4 times as much algae for a difference of an additional cost of $15 to get the larger Aquamaxx XL reactor instead of the Aquamaxx standard size. My tank has a total water volume of only 66 gallons, but I can't see why for $15 I would want less cheato growing. I'm assuming the rationale would be the same for algae reactors as for a refugium... get the biggest that will fit, right?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 21, 2017

edsbeaker said:
Thanks Randy, that sounds good! Do you think it would be of help to get an algae reactor inline, since my pH is normally low anyway? Could it help with increasing pH By reducing some of the CO2?

Yes, growing macroalgae can have that effect.