Severe Overnight PH Drop?

[LaraLouM]

any idea what would cause a tank ph to drop from 8.3 to 7.4 in one day? The absolute lowest it has been since set up was 8.0. All I did was add a small amount of Macroalgae last night to my 16G Biocube. Any ideas are appreciated!

 

[Katrina71]

Drop in an airstone!

 

[Katrina71]

It's a closed system. It has to do with CO2 in your tank. Prop open your feeding door a little.

 

[Katrina71]

This is just short term. How much macro did ya add? Just what is in your pic?

 

[Katrina71]

If you don't have an airstone I would point your powerhead toward the surface.

 

[Katrina71]

I would also do a water change. No more than 30%.

 

[LaraLouM]

This is just short term. How much macro did ya add? Just what is in your pic?

Yeah it’s just what is in the picture, definitely not a ton! I’m starting on my water change now. This isn’t going to be a nightly thing with the algae is it? I read they release more co2 at night.

 

[Katrina71]

It might be Overkill...I have had it happen twice. I call it a mini crash.

 

[Katrina71]

Do you have a fuge? I would move your ball of macro to the fuge for a bit. I think your tank may not be quite ready for that much macro.

 

[Katrina71]

If you need help, I'm off today.

 

[LaraLouM]

It might be Overkill...I have had it happen twice. I call it a mini crash.

I guess I will watch it tonight and see what happens. I may need to remove it. I have a whole bag leftover already, they sent such a huge quantity idk what I’m going to do with it.

 

[LaraLouM]

If you need help, I'm off today.

Ok awesome if it doesn’t stable out maybe you can come look at it lol. I’m going to kill my sons fish

 

[Waters]

How is your PH being tested? Any possibility of a testing error or "dirty" PH probe (if you are using a controller)?

 

[Katrina71]

Ok awesome if it doesn’t stable out maybe you can come look at it lol. I’m going to kill my sons fish

No you aren't. It's good. We can handle this!

 

[Katrina71]

What part of town do you live in?

 

[Katrina71]

I have saltwater.

 

[reef lover]

All ph drops at night as photosynthesis stops...thats why most reefs have a sump with a fuge and reverse daylight cycle...

 

[LaraLouM]

How is your PH being tested? Any possibility of a testing error or "dirty" PH probe (if you are using a controller)?

Just an API kit, nothing fancy. I tested multiple times with same result.

 

[LaraLouM]

All ph drops at night as photosynthesis stops...thats why most reefs have a sump with a fuge and reverse daylight cycle...

I have an AIO Biocube, so no large sumo/five. I can try to figure out how to switch the macro into the back, but I don’t have another light yet. Just shows how much I still have to learn, I really like the look of a partially planted reef tank, I didn’t realize that it would change so much.

 

[Katrina71]

I have an extra fuge light.