SPS AND PH

[marke]

Will a slightly higher ph produce better sps growth?

 

[biophilia]

Will a slightly higher ph produce better sps growth?

Generally speaking, yes. Calcification rates will increase with pH up to about 8.5 or so. That being said, suppression of calcification due to low pH can be partially mitigated by elevating alkalinity -- which is sometimes easier to accomplish than chasing pH.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Will a slightly higher ph produce better sps growth?

Absolutely! There are several fairly easy and safe ways to try to keep an elevated pH. In my experience these methods works fairly well and are well worth the potential boost in pH:

- Opening windows in the house if possible
- Running your skimmer air intake line outside if possible
- Installing a CO2 scrubber to your skimmer
- Running a refugium on a reverse light cycle
- Installing a kalk reactor or using kalkwasser in your ATO
- Using soda ash instead of sodium bicarbonate

 

[marke]

Using soda ash instead of sodium bicarbonate

agree with the co2 stuff above! You mentioned sodium bicarbonate------how about sodium hydroxide? Think I am going to try it to replace the bicarbonate. Any thoughts?

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Using soda ash instead of sodium bicarbonate

agree with the co2 stuff above! You mentioned sodium bicarbonate------how about sodium hydroxide? Think I am going to try it to replace the bicarbonate. Any thoughts?

Sodium hydroxide may be a little rough for commonplace use. I’d recommend trying some of the other options before messing around with sodium hydroxide.