Argument against reverse lighting cycle on a refugium

[Tuan’s Reef]

Yes , if you are growing macro algae or even GHA then your PH will raise due to photosynthesis. High PH is desirable , although 8.4 is about as high as I want .

 

[flagg37]

My post-cycle is right were I want it. I'm not worried about that or the diatoms. I am worried about my pH continually going up. I haven't attempted to see if it would continue up above 8.45, but it does go up from 8.2 to 8.45 in less than 24 hours. That is what I need to solve. I assume it is the refugium lighting schedule? I've never had a refugium before.

I wouldn’t worry about your ph getting too high from the fuge. It would get to a point that it can’t go any higher because it’s depleting as much of the co2 as it can.

 

[jgaepi]

I wouldn’t worry about your ph getting too high from the fuge. It would get to a point that it can’t go any higher because it’s depleting as much of the co2 as it can.

What about reducing the light time? Interestingly, my fuge light is still on acclimation mode so it's not even at it's highest yet. Or running the light on a concurrent schedule with my display light?

 

[flagg37]

What about reducing the light time? Interestingly, my fuge light is still on acclimation mode so it's not even at it's highest yet. Or running the light on a concurrent schedule with my display light?

The ph is a secondary benefit to the fuge. It’s main purpose should be nutrient export. You can adjust the nutrient export by harvesting more/less of your macro algae or increasing/decreasing the lighting schedule.

 

[C. Eymann]

Low pH can inhibit calcification in some corals, yet leave other species unaffected.
This is why I run kalkwasser in addition to my calcium reactor, as my understanding is higher pH (to a point) faster growth rate?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I wouldn’t worry about your ph getting too high from the fuge. It would get to a point that it can’t go any higher because it’s depleting as much of the co2 as it can.

I would say that is true only so far as it is a competition between CO2 uptake and CO2 added via aeration. Without aeration, the pH can rise a lot more than without aeration.

When I experimented with no skimming, higher pH was the main effect I noticed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Low pH can inhibit calcification in some corals, yet leave other species unaffected.
This is why I run kalkwasser in addition to my calcium reactor, as my understanding is higher pH (to a point) faster growth rate?

I think that is true in many cases.