PH swings?
- Thread starter Shunopoli
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Looks like normal pH changes to me. I wouldn't chase a number personally and wouldn't change a thing.
There are ways to increase the average pH, but unless you take steps to dose when your lights are off or grow something in a reverse photoperiod, you will likely always have a difference between the pH during daylight/photosynthesis and the pH at night.
There are ways to increase the average pH, but unless you take steps to dose when your lights are off or grow something in a reverse photoperiod, you will likely always have a difference between the pH during daylight/photosynthesis and the pH at night.
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
Photosynthesis!
If you look closely at several days, you'll see that the peak is at or near the end of your lighting period, and the low is early morning before the lights come on.
In general the peaks trend a little higher from Monday towards Friday, and drop again on the weekend, because you're at home more and breathing. CO2 in the air makes the water slightly more acidic, lowering the ph. Photosynthesis consumes the CO2, which makes the ph rise when the lights are on.
If you look closely at several days, you'll see that the peak is at or near the end of your lighting period, and the low is early morning before the lights come on.
In general the peaks trend a little higher from Monday towards Friday, and drop again on the weekend, because you're at home more and breathing. CO2 in the air makes the water slightly more acidic, lowering the ph. Photosynthesis consumes the CO2, which makes the ph rise when the lights are on.
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
Above 8 is preferable for growth, but anywhere between 7.8-8.3 can grow a successful tank.
Your lows fall a little low for my own liking, but I don't see anything outright wrong with your numbers. You might find the average goes up by opening some windows (and the stand doors if you have a sump) when possible.
Your lows fall a little low for my own liking, but I don't see anything outright wrong with your numbers. You might find the average goes up by opening some windows (and the stand doors if you have a sump) when possible.
W1ngz
Failed Padawan
That range is too wide. A pH regularly below 7.7 or above 8.4 will have long term consequences on the health of the corals.
Shunopoli
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My tank is roughly 3months old so it’s still new also.
Yesterday had my daughter birthday at home and a few people came in you can see it never went above 7.75 as the other days. Also is a new tank pH swings are expected
beaslbob
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That sounds pretty good to me anyway.
I would read the improved diy two part from DR. Holmes-Farley to check calcium and (less importantly) magnesium.
For instance my calcium was 350ppm or less. When I got that up to 450 or so, then alk started dropping. So I eventually started dosing baking soda and finally just implemented the diy two part.
I was using instant ocean (not reef crystals) and magnesium was way low like 700ppm or so. It took pounds of epsom salts to get the 55g up to 1350pm
my .02
ps sorry I didn't read the dkh value in your first post.
Shunopoli
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I’m also using instant ocean and not reef crystals. I get my salt water form lfs ( until I get my awc set up ) when I first got my Hannah checker my dKH was at 7.9 and calcium was at 360. About a week later I went to get a 5 gallon bucket of salt water to do a 5 gallon water change. I tested my alk the and cal the next day and it was at 9.4 and 470. I then tested my alk the next day in 24hrs and it was at 9.0. They had to mix a brand new thing of salt as they didn’t have any ready so not sure if this spiked my alk and calcium, but I don’t think 5 gallons would do that. My tank is 65 gallons total water volume
Randy Holmes-Farley
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pH 7.3? Wow, you are an extremist. I could not agree with that. Coral skeletons will be slowly dissolving. Some folks run CaCO3 reactors at that pH.
It is a common mantra to “not chase pH”, but IMO, you cannot cause harm if you optimize pH in appropriate ways and in appropriate degrees.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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It is a low priority. I wouldn’t bother. It will be exactly what is in the salt mix.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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That calcium boost is mostly test error In one or both readings. It cannot jump 110 ppm from a 10% water change.
