PH Levels Fluctuating

[Exib]

Good morning from the UK, 5 days into cycling new tank
Questions regarding PH Levels seeming to jump seems to happen when the lights go out then in the morning it starts to climb again when the lights come on, nothing in the tank apart from Carib Sea rock and sand

 

[AZMSGT]

Normal, don’t worry about it.

 

[Exib]

Normal, don’t worry about it.

Ok Thanks for the reply just wanted to check

 

[Larry L]

It is kind of interesting given that all you have is rock and sand... Do you have any algae going on? In a populated tank, you'll normally get a daily pH swing because when the lights come on, the zooxanthellae in the coral and other algae in the tank start photosynthesizing which consumes CO2 which makes the pH go up. Then the pH drops at night as photosynthesis stops and CO2 starts to accumulate again.

Do you get a sharp bump or drop right when the lights turn on or off? The pH probe cables are very susceptible to electrical interference, so as much as possible try to keep them away from other electrical cords.

 

[Exib]

It is kind of interesting given that all you have is rock and sand... Do you have any algae going on? In a populated tank, you'll normally get a daily pH swing because when the lights come on, the zooxanthellae in the coral and other algae in the tank start photosynthesizing which consumes CO2 which makes the pH go up. Then the pH drops at night as photosynthesis stops and CO2 starts to accumulate again.

Do you get a sharp bump or drop right when the lights turn on or off? The pH probe cables are very susceptible to electrical interference, so as much as possible try to keep them away from other electrical cords.

As the graph above seems pretty stable during the day, only thing in the tank Caribsea Rock, Caribsea Shapes,Caribsea Ocean Direct Live Sand, ATM Colony Professional Grade Nitrifying Bacteria.
This is what it is now 8.04

 

[Larry L]

This abrupt drop at the red line seems odd to me:

Is this when your lights shut off? If so, likely electrical interference.

 

[Exib]

They don't go off but that is when the start to ramp down, start dimming from 6pm through to off 10.30pm

 

[Billldg]

A little surprising on a new tank, but every little thing in the tank can effect PH. This is mine throughout the day.

 

[Exib]

Interesting I will do a 10% water change tonight when I get in from work and will also have a look at interference

 

[W1ngz]

Do you or someone else arrive home at around 5:30? That drop of 0.05 could be people arriving home (breathing CO2!), stopping the skimmer and pumps for feeding, plus the lights going off.

Not surprising that it cycles up and down day and night, most biological processes, even the bacterial ones, slow at night as it gets darker. The pH cycling up and down is just the tank breathing.

 

[Exib]

Do you or someone else arrive home at around 5:30? That drop of 0.05 could be people arriving home (breathing CO2!), stopping the skimmer and pumps for feeding, plus the lights going off.

Not surprising that it cycles up and down day and night, most biological processes, even the bacterial ones, slow at night as it gets darker. The pH cycling up and down is just the tank breathing.

Thanks for your reply I normally get home between 5/5.30pm could be that

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sudden changes (seconds) in pH are always electrical interference of some sort.

Day to night swings are normal due to photosynthesis consuming CO2 and raising pH.

Other effects can be due to changes in the ambient CO2 level, such as a pH lowering during a big party near the tank.

 

[Exib]

Sudden changes (seconds) in pH are always electrical interference of some sort.

Day to night swings are normal due to photosynthesis consuming CO2 and raising pH.

Other effects can be due to changes in the ambient CO2 level, such as a pH lowering during a big party near the tank.

Thanks for the reply

 

[mymarinedream]

Hey what’s the software you’re using to monitor PH like that?? Me want one.

 

[Larry L]

Hey what’s the software you’re using to monitor PH like that?? Me want one.

Neptune Apex

 

[Exib]

Running a CO2 Scrubber seems to have raised the PH overnight

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Looks good!