Will lower pH effect acros?

[reefndude]

OK, thanks.

What am I missing here?

 

[robby2782]

increased ph will increase growth rate in my experience. co2 scrubbers do an amazing job at raising the ph, but are a pain because the media exhausts so fast. I gave up and went back to a ph of 8.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What am I missing here?

I'm just trying to understand how readily people see SPS growth increases when the pH rises, all other things being equal.

 

[reefndude]

I'm just trying to understand how readily people see SPS growth increases when the pH rises, all other things being equal.

So the increase in growth is more likely due to tje increase in ph? Better colors from adjusting alk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So the increase in growth is more likely due to tje increase in ph? Better colors from adjusting alk?

Color is very complicated and I personally don't know that alkalinity directly matters that much for color unless the alkalinity is too low. Other factors may predominate color issues in many tanks.

For some corals, it is known that higher pH accelerates growth and that low pH slows it, which is one of the reasons why people are worried about coral reefs and acidification from global CO2.

 

[reefndude]

Color is very complicated and I personally don't know that alkalinity directly matters that much for color unless the alkalinity is too low. Other factors may predominate color issues in many tanks.

For some corals, it is known that higher pH accelerates growth and that low pH slows it, which is one of the reasons why people are worried about coral reefs and acidification from global CO2.

I see. My pieces have really took since some tweaks in parameters.
I believe colors have improved since I lowered alk. I was keeping alk at around 10 with low nutrients. Seems corals were getting burned. Now that I'm at 8-8.5 colors are looking much better...and still improving

 

[Keithcorals]

I've consistently noticed better color with lower (7-8) alk and consistently noticeably better growth with higher ph. The trick is having both at the same time I've managed both with a co2 scrubber the media only runs me around $15 a month and it seems to be worth it for the amount of growth I get.

 

[-Logzor]

Call me crazy, but ever since I started running limewater in my top-off, which has resulted in consistently higher pH, I've noticed my asterina starfish coming out onto the glass much more often. They usually hang out and much on my bird of paradise. Is it possible the higher pH is causing the tissue to harden and be less susceptible to the starfish?

 

[robby2782]

I've consistently noticed better color with lower (7-8) alk and consistently noticeably better growth with higher ph. The trick is having both at the same time I've managed both with a co2 scrubber the media only runs me around $15 a month and it seems to be worth it for the amount of growth I get.

$15 a month is impressive! I was nearly $50! Lol

 

[Keithcorals]

Could be a little more some months but I use the cheap stuff from a medical supply website and don't
run the skimmer for 8hrs in the middle of the day giving me 30% less time a day that the media is used. I'd like to figure out a way to have it pull air through or not depending on my ph with apex just haven't figured out a way to have it turn on and off without turning the skimmer on and off.

 

[reefndude]

ph is.usually 8.1-8.3
kh 8.1

since I've been at these numbers growth and color has improved

 

[robby2782]

I used medvet stuff too since it changes color when exhausted. The sprung media is a crazy ripoff.

That makes since if you're not running your skimmer 24/7. I use a vertex alpha 200 that pulls a ton of air.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I see. My pieces have really took since some tweaks in parameters.
I believe colors have improved since I lowered alk. I was keeping alk at around 10 with low nutrients. Seems corals were getting burned. Now that I'm at 8-8.5 colors are looking much better...and still improving

The burnt tips in ULNS systems does happen at higher alk and that presumably impacts other things as well.

Would be interesting if folks who do not have low nutrients see the same thing with respect to color and alkalinity.

 

[Reefnjunkie]

Would be interesting if folks who do not have low nutrients see the same thing with respect to color and alkalinity.

What would be the range in your opinion of what would constitute a "non low nutrient" system. I assume nutrient applies to NO3 & PO4 but I don't know which is why I ask.

I have seen my PH be the same for the past 5 years 7.65/7.7 at night 7.95/8.0 during the day-In the summer when the doors and windows get opened I just smile when the APEX display reads 8.2 or higher LOL I actually got into the 8.3s this year but assumed the PH probe was out of calibration.

I would be in trouble if my SPS grew faster :neutral: