Proof that alternate lighting schedules work!

[lilbitreefer]

So I have been dealing with Ph swings into the really low levels as low as 7.6. I had been trying an alternate lighting cycle with a cheap refugium light and was not seeing any differences. Last week I upgraded my fuge light to the Kessil H80 tuna flora refugium light, I did not really have an alternating schedule. I finally decided to set this schedule and have seen significant changes. Below is a screen shot of my pH levels through out the week. you can easily see where I placed this light. On the third I did a water change then switched to the alternate lighting schedule. My pH has been doing great ever since. I had done a water change on the 30th as well but you can still see those major pH dips even after a water change. So anyone thinking about doing this here is your proof it works.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Nice!

Thanks for posting it.

 

[lilbitreefer]

Here are my interventions. I am a scientist at heart, this is how I use my biology degree.

 

[ReefingwithO]

What size tank are you doing this on and are you using the grow setting?

 

[lilbitreefer]

it is a 120G and tes I have the H80 on the frow setting with max intensity. on the top of the tank I have two Verve lights

 

[ReefingwithO]

it is a 120G and tes I have the H80 on the frow setting with max intensity. on the top of the tank I have two Verve lights

I'm using the same light in my little mini fuge on my 75 gallon. I love it. I have it on the grow setting maximum intensity about 5 inches over the fuge.

 

[ReefingwithO]

Well , hate to be negative, give it a week running like it is , it will still have the swings , ph will just be lower, it will do that for first few days, and you will be excited, but after it cycle a few days what your seeing now will be mostly gone with a lower overall ph, there will still be swing, not as great, lower ph and less nutrient removal will be the results..imo

I really having a hard time following this. So after it "cycles for a few days. What cycle are you talking about? And why would the PH boost he is experiencing magically disappear after a few days. And why would the nutrient removal drop?

Since BRS started their series on refugium lights. I've tested a few and never experienced none of what you are talking about.

• Wavepoint Micro Sun - half the LEDS stopped working after a few months
• Tunze waterproof light - not enough PAR or "punch to aggressively grow algea, it was ok but I was looking for great.
• Kessil H380 - cannot be turned down and burned my cheato because it was a few inches away
• UFO grow light - powerful, loud grew algea well and all over my sump
• H80 - I wish it provided more par for the price but its currently working for me and is low profile enough to fit into my small sump area.

 

[lilbitreefer]

I expect to o have swings, the problem with my swing before it that they were getting the low and staying too low. My corals would close up and generally not be happy. So it is nice to see this last flying system keeep a bit higher ph maintained.

 

[ReefingwithO]

12 hour light cycle removes less nutrients than 18 or 24, just wait and watch, I've been playing with mine for a long time and only thing i found to help maintain a flater high ph is inject outside air into system, I can go back on my apex and show exactly what you have witnessed, wait for it equalize , you will have same dips, they will look slightly different at different times ,but will still have the ups and downs, and less overall ph.in reality the biomass and the lighting in dt and fuge would have to be identical to make it flat, like I said let it go for a few weeks and see..

This is still hard to read and understand but I'm trying to make sense. Yes I'm sure he will still see a drop in PH, his issue was that it was getting too low for his comfort at night and getting a better refugium light which increased the photosynthesis rate of his algae helped to less the steep pH drop at night. Yes he will still have the ups and downs, every reef tank I've ever seen has a drop in PH at night, some more than others. Are you saying yours doesn't?

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Do we really need proof of something that is already proven and been in practice for years?

 

[lilbitreefer]

Yes, I think it is good for new reefers to see the difference. My tank has been up an running for over a yeard almost two and I have just now come to this realization as to my pH problem with my tank. Since I made these changes my corals are much happier. Staying open longer. This change helped curb my severe pH swings and has also kept my pH higher over all. Corals need consistency so it is good to be able how htis in concrete data. There is not enough concrete data as to what works and what dosent.

 

[MnFish1]

Yes, I think it is good for new reefers to see the difference. My tank has been up an running for over a yeard almost two and I have just now come to this realization as to my pH problem with my tank. Since I made these changes my corals are much happier. Staying open longer. This change helped curb my severe pH swings and has also kept my pH higher over all. Corals need consistency so it is good to be able how htis in concrete data. There is not enough concrete data as to what works and what dosent.

However your overall pH is still less 7.91 for the entire day. I’m not sure there’s any proven benefit to removing the diurnal variation as it happens to a degree naturally as well. Why not leave your refugium lights on 24/7. Which should result in more nutrient removal and a higher overall ph though there would still be a diurnal swing

 

[MnFish1]

Do we really need proof of something that is already proven and been in practice for years?

I am not sure there is any proof that lighting the refugium at night only is better for the tank inhabitants than running the refugium light 24/7. Th

 

[lilbitreefer]

I am not sure there is any proof that lighting the refugium at night only is better for the tank inhabitants than running the refugium light 24/7. Th

The big dips you see in the begining of the week was when the refugium light was running 24/7. the last few days are where the pH is not so drastic i term of the pH swing was when I did an alternating lighting schedule.

 

[MnFish1]

The big dips you see in the begining of the week was when the refugium light was running 24/7. the last few days are where the pH is not so drastic i term of the pH swing was when I did an alternating lighting schedule.

Yes - Understood. It is somewhat hard to interpret the initial data since you did a light change and a water change at the same time at first. And then did that again - the number of days shown in both cases doesn't really show any type of 'pattern'. And the data itself is fairly variable. On my apex - I see a similar pattern if the Alk in my tank is somewhat different than the salt mix (though I try to match them) - i.e. the ph swing changes somewhat - then reverts. Additionally, changing your light may have also affected your algae growth/function so measuring so soon after those changes muddies the water - so to speak.

In any case, my point was that there is no detriment to a diurnal pH swing due to CO2 and keeping your refugium light on only at night will decrease nutrient export. Just a comment - assuming your probe is properly calibrated - seems to me that a constant pH less than 7.9 - is more detrimental to coral than the diurnal pH swing (which has little or no effect)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, it is somewhat unclear, or maybe better termed variable tank to tank, whether lighting 24/7 will have a lower pH minimum than lighting only at night. If you just spread out the same total amount of photosynthesis over 12 vs 24 h, then the night only will have a higher minimum. In the end, it may depend on what is limiting algae growth, light time vs nutrients or something else.

 

[MnFish1]

IMO, it is somewhat unclear, or maybe better termed variable tank to tank, whether lighting 24/7 will have a lower pH minimum than lighting only at night. If you just spread out the same total amount of photosynthesis over 12 vs 24 h, then the night only will have a higher minimum. In the end, it may depend on what is limiting algae growth, light time vs nutrients or something else.

Do you mean a higher ph minimum (than lighting only at night) - this would have been my thought. I dont see why lighting 24/7 would have a lower ph minimum.

It seems to me - that if CO2 is being taken out of the tank 24/7 (more in the day than the night) that the diurnal variation will be present - but the overall pH would be higher. Especially if there is a somewhat larger CO2 level in the air - than normal. Nutrient export would also be higher with 24/7 lights on as well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think it is too hard to predict the effects of night lighting vs 24 h. I can give arguments either way,

That said, if you actually crammed the same amount of photosynthesis into a shorter time period, and that happened at night, I think the pH would not drop as far as if you spread out that photosynthesis over a full 24 h.

 

[dragonfish]

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