Anyone see an anemone look like this?

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ds38

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Open sump, so opening the canopy probably won't help much.

if at all possible, see that little tube on top of the silencer for the skimmer(that little red barrel that the red tube is connected to)? Connect an airline to that nipple, then run it outside and see what happens. Will take a good day to get any noticable results. Just keep that in mind, that it's not an instant thing. You have to rid the water of all the excess CO2 first.

Hey Homer, & everyone.

Homer gave a great suggestion about connecting an airline to the nipple of the skimmer and running it outside to get air, and removing the CO2 from the water. I have not done that yet, but he is definitely on to something. What I have done for 24 hours is open my living room window and kitchen window, and leave them open. Literally for the past 24 hours. Not only do I never leave them open at night, but I rarely open them at all lately. So my place has become a sealed off CO2 box for the past month, never opening a window, only time CO2 escapes living room where the aquarium is when I open front door to exit and return. Tonight the peak PH level should have been 7.92 or less like the previous nights at 2AM, but I reached 7.94 when the aquarium lights shut off for the night at 2AM. It used to say 7.92 was the max, now it says 7.94. I am now leaving the windows open for a 2nd day, and perhaps during the day I'll have less of a valley, and by tonight, I'll have a higher Peak yet again, perhaps I'll do 7.96 or more. Probably can't get past 8.0 unless I do the air tube thing for a direct flow, or this:


Do you recommend this instead Homer? Is your idea a crude one, and I could just get this CO2 scrubber that is specifically for your idea to be max efficient?

Scary though 9 steps, I have little confidence in my installation skills:


Pretty mind boggling that neither maintenance guy that I was paying $200-$300 a visit for, EVER suggested raising my PH by opening a friggin window at least!!!!! Probably because they use their junk test kits, which kept showing 8.2 PH, and 0.25pm phosphates. AFTER A YEAR OF WASTING A TON OF MONEY AND BEING SCAMMED BY TRENTON SMITH OF CRYSTAL DYNAMIC AQUARIUM, AND THEN HIS REFERRAL PATRICK MAYNARD, I CAN TELL EVERYONE - DO IT ALL YOURSELF!!!! $50 PER LAB TEST WITH TRITON, AND DO WATER CHANGES YOURSELF WITH SOME SALT AND RODI WATER AND HANNAH CHECKERS!!! UNBELIEVABLE HOW EASY IT IS COMPARED TO HOW OVERWHELMING IT SEEMED FIRST GETTING AN AQUARIUM.

PH high.jpg
 
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homer1475

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Co2 scrubbers most certainly work, but at the cost of CO2 media(which IMO is not cheap).

If running an airline to the outside hooked up to your skimmer is easy enough, I would try that first. Then if you find your PH is still chronically low(IMO 7.94 is not low for a nighttime reading, but still should be above 8.0 during the day), then try the CO2 scrubber.

For some the outside airline works well enough, while others report no change with it. It's up to you to decide if its sufficient. For myself an outside airline raised my PH from 7.8 at night to 8.0, and 8.0 during the day to 8.2ish.

FWIW if you want to call someone to your thread so they take notice(like myself), just use their full nick, like this:
@homer1475
@ds38
Then we get a notification that our nick was used and on what thread.
 

MThorne

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My magnesium is not so bad now! Just tested it (first time I've ever done this since I'm done with maintenance people scamming me)

1270 or so is my magnesium.

The last reading was March 13 and the maintenance guy changed my dosing from 8 to 9ML so it has raised a little.

So now when I just tested it it's 1270
I'll change the dosing to 10ML right now.

I guess raising my salinity from 1.024 to 1.026 is the last thing you guys are saying to try ...

Hopefully these 2 things make the anemones happy :(

IMG_20200320_2344366.jpg
Keep in mind raising the salinity will also raise the calcium and magnesium levels depending on the salt you mix. The higher the salinity in the water the more mix was put in the water to achieve this thus resulting in higher trace element levels. Your apex allows you to increase in small increments so jumping whole numbers may result in larger swings then you want. Balance is very beneficial to our tank inhabitants so gradual swings are easier on the system to adjust a accordingly. I noticed on your notes you raised the alkalinity from 8 to 10 in one week. That may be the cause of your anenome dying..they are sensitive to any change
 
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ds38

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Keep in mind raising the salinity will also raise the calcium and magnesium levels depending on the salt you mix. The higher the salinity in the water the more mix was put in the water to achieve this thus resulting in higher trace element levels. Your apex allows you to increase in small increments so jumping whole numbers may result in larger swings then you want. Balance is very beneficial to our tank inhabitants so gradual swings are easier on the system to adjust a accordingly. I noticed on your notes you raised the alkalinity from 8 to 10 in one week. That may be the cause of your anenome dying..they are sensitive to any change

Yes, that was the previous maintenance guy who was tweaking my apex dosing , we were trying to get the triton core 4 dosing solutions just right, and alkalinity was up and down.

Hopefully anemones get happy. Stabilizing everything.

Learning to do everything myself now. His test kits were junk. Who knows if my alkalinity was even 8 or 9 or 10. Getting the Hannah checkers this week. . .
 
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ds38

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Co2 scrubbers most certainly work, but at the cost of CO2 media(which IMO is not cheap).

If running an airline to the outside hooked up to your skimmer is easy enough, I would try that first. Then if you find your PH is still chronically low(IMO 7.94 is not low for a nighttime reading, but still should be above 8.0 during the day), then try the CO2 scrubber.

For some the outside airline works well enough, while others report no change with it. It's up to you to decide if its sufficient. For myself an outside airline raised my PH from 7.8 at night to 8.0, and 8.0 during the day to 8.2ish.

FWIW if you want to call someone to your thread so they take notice(like myself), just use their full nick, like this:
@homer1475
@ds38
Then we get a notification that our nick was used and on what thread.

@homer1475

Well 7.76 Ph during the day is getting risky right?
It only comes up once lights turn on.

My lights run from 4pm to 130am.... So the PH is highest when the lights have been on the longest, right before they shut off at 130am..... Thats why every 2am it shows 7.92, and now thanks to open windows, 7.94 .... Your saying the daytime should be higher PH and nighttime lower PH, regardless of lights?

It's Day 2 of Windows open 24/7 so we will see what the PH hits tonight at peak lights hour....

And even if the air tube to the outside works, then what is permanent solution? Because a tube on the floor of my living room, through a wall to the outside, or I'll try through front door but probably squeezed off when closed, isn't practical long-term..... Would prefer a free fix like that, but don't mind the co scrubber media if it's under 50 a month.
 

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Boy seems to me like you are chasing numbers. IMO that needs to stop. Slow down, dont dose, dont chase numbers. Look to your big three to get those where they need to be and keep them consistent. Small frequent water changes should stabilize any parameters that are off a bit. Consistency is the key. Even numbers that are slightly off, if they are consistently off then I think your ok.
 

MichaelReefer

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Had no idea 1.022 vs 1.026 salinity is a huge difference. So when I do a water change each week, I need to make sure to add the same every time? Not 1.023 one week and 1.024 the next?
But I should do 1.026 every week? That's what anemones want?


Anemones are VERY sensitive. And Salinity definitely could be making it unhappy.
 

homer1475

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Daytime/Nighttime is dependent on your lighting schedule. So for you your "daytime" is 4pm to 1:30am, and your "nighttime" is 1:30am to 4pm.

Like said above though, quit chasing numbers. Yes 7.76 at "nighttime" is fine. Increasing PH to that magical 8.3 only helps coral growth.
 
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ds38

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@homer1475

Do you think it's overkill to get the jumbo?

 

homer1475

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I honestly don't know. You would have to ask someone familiar with CO2 scrubbers. I've never run one, never had a need to, so I've never researched them. My PH is fine where it is, and I have no need to chase that elusive 8.3 dragon.

But wow! 100$ difference for 4 metal tubes they are calling "legs"? I'm really starting to think BRS is not the company they once were.
 
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ds38

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I honestly don't know. You would have to ask someone familiar with CO2 scrubbers. I've never run one, never had a need to, so I've never researched them. My PH is fine where it is, and I have no need to chase that elusive 8.3 dragon.

But wow! 100$ difference for 4 metal tubes they are calling "legs"? I'm really starting to think BRS is not the company they once were.

@homer1475 LOL yea, and the reviews say don't bother getting the legs! That it's a waste

Well, night 2 ended, and I stayed at the same 7.94 peak :(
So opening windows got me a 0.03 spike
Maybe Day 3 open windows won't get me higher, guess I won't hit 8 PH unless I do tubing to outside air, or CO2 scrubber.

But the base was a lot more consistent, not falling further, the range is a lot less, so I don't know if Day 3 - 5 would build upon the tighter range, or would still stay stuck under 8. I thought for sure I'd go higher tonight, since 7.88 was my minimum drop, where all other days closed windows it would drop to 7.74, but it acted like the tortoise and the hare.. the hare was way ahead and then barely did anything to go from 7.88 low to 7.94 peak!

Even if tubing to outside air works, I don't think I saw how that would become a permanent solution? Can't leave tube on living room floor, or to the outside, door would pinch it closed. So CO2 scrubber way to go! Don't know how long 7.5 pounds last, but $35 aint bad. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/color-changing-co2-absorbent-media-bulk-reef-supply.html

night 2.png
 

homer1475

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Your chasing an elusive number. Stop getting hung up on a number.

Permemant solution? I drilled a hole through my floor. Up to you on how to make it permanent.
 
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ds38

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Your chasing an elusive number. Stop getting hung up on a number.

Permemant solution? I drilled a hole through my floor. Up to you on how to make it permanent.

@homer1475
But my coral has never grown. I hear of everybody having to cut their ever growing coral and they sell it. My ricorea mushrooms never grow. My buttons never grow. Even the grass doesn't grow.

Isn't 8 or 8.1 or 8.2 way different than 7.8 or 7.9 for growth?

If I drill a hole in my wood floor I don't know how the tube travels threw the glued down panels and out the door.

I'm getting the CO scrubber. It says it automatically gets you to 8.3. Why is it so elusive.

And on a cool note, day 3 of Windows open got me up another 0.02. Now at 7.96 with an hour left of the lights.

I'll update again after CO2 scrubber is installed and how it boosts my PH, also after I get the par meter @i_declare_bankruptcy I'm just buying it because the $70 rental page is always "out of stock"


Screenshot_20200401-010945.png Screenshot_20200401-010956.png
 
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ds38

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@homer1475

Fish shop gave me this today. Have you heard of it? Amazon reviews seem good. And the info on it seems pretty direct - use it to raise PH to 8.3. Have you tried before? Am I understanding right that getting 8.3 is easy with it, but may make my alkalinity 11, 12, 13 etc who knows?




Way simpler than a co2 scrubber. Any negatives about this?

IMG_20200402_1710309.jpg
 

homer1475

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100% negative! MY GOD DO NOT USE THAT!!!!!!

All PH buffer do is add a small amount of alkalinity for a small temporary increase, to only fall back down when the buffer gets fully mixed in, you raised your alkalinity and your PH is right back to where it was before you added it.

Again your PH is absolutely fine, quit chasing numbers or the tank will crash and all your hard work and money will be down the drain.

Pretty sure I've tried to to tell you in the last 4 or 5 posts to quit chasing numbers, but your refusing to listen.
 

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Chase the health of the animals, not number. pH is unreliable at best. IMO/IME the only useful pH probe is the one in the Ca reactor. I never have problem with low pH. When you have problem, it is the chemistry, something relatively large (or a lot of small animals) for the tank dead, that cause low pH, due to all the nutrients dump out. You don't have to measure the pH to know that there is a problem.

Why do you have to re-calibrate the pH probe all the time? BECAUSE IT IS UNRELIABLE AND GIVE WRONG RESULTS. Stop chasing it.

If you really want pH stablility have a large refugium with reverse light cycle. This is really not need. There are plenty of tank with no reverse cycle refugium and the corals grow is astronomical, the fish are healthy and fat. pH of these tanks will dipped at night too. Some people measure the pH other successful reefers do not pay any attention to it. pH is an interesting number but not very useful.
 
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OrionN

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A buffer is a compound that keep the pH at a certain point. The chemical donate H+ when ever the pH raised above certain point and take up H+ when pH lower below a certain point. The actual pH depends on where the chemist want to keep the pH. Useful and important for many thing in the chemistry, but not in a reef tank. All living organism need very stable pH internally and they have buffer capability to keep internal pH stable.
This is the definition of buffer (chemistry):
A buffer is a solution that resists changes in pH when acid or alkali is added to it. Buffers typically involve a weak acid or alkali together with one of its salts.
 
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