Can increasing PH drop nutrients?

[doubleshot00]

So over the last month i have been diligent on keeping my ph above 8.2 and have been pretty successful in doing so according to my Apex. Now my corals look amazing. Brighter than they have ever looked in the 6-7 months me adding them to the tank.

But my nutrients have tanked since chasing the PH. My nitrates have been between 10-20 and my po4 has always been .08-.1. for weeks. But just in the last week they have been 8-15 and po4 is 0 to .02 to .04 on some days. I started feeding like crazy and dosing neophos (just ordered sodium phosphate last night).

And the kicker now is my sand bed is a bit brown with bubbles on it. I assume dinos. I have a microscope coming this weekend. Like what gives. Is chasing one thing just result in another problem.

 

[Gtinnel]

I may be wrong but I don’t believe the two things are related.

 

[TokenReefer]

If you equate coral growth to ph then I'd say you're going to lose nutrients to growth... In my mind...

 

[Pntbll687]

So over the last month i have been diligent on keeping my ph above 8.2 and have been pretty successful in doing so according to my Apex. Now my corals look amazing. Brighter than they have ever looked in the 6-7 months me adding them to the tank.

But my nutrients have tanked since chasing the PH. My nitrates have been between 10-20 and my po4 has always been .08-.1. for weeks. But just in the last week they have been 8-15 and po4 is 0 to .02 to .04 on some days. I started feeding like crazy and dosing neophos (just ordered sodium phosphate last night).

And the kicker now is my sand bed is a bit brown with bubbles on it. I assume dinos. I have a microscope coming this weekend. Like what gives. Is chasing one thing just result in another problem.

Upping the PH has benefits in coral growth. The corals is uptaking the nutrients from the water.

Keeping the PH up my not directly affect the nutrients, but the coral growth does.

 

[doubleshot00]

If you equate coral growth to ph then I'd say you're going to lose nutrients to growth... In my mind...

This was my thought. The corals are eating my nutrients fast than i can add.

 

[Gtinnel]

Is the boosted coral growth enough to make a noticeable impact on nutrient levels?

 

[Pntbll687]

Is the boosted coral growth enough to make a noticeable impact on nutrient levels?

So, for this short period of time, I don't think the coral has actually "grown" all that much. It's more likely that the higher ph allows the coral to absorb more nutrients to it's full capacity.

Like a giant balloon (coral), you need to fill the balloon with air (nutrients) before it even starts expanding.

OP did say his coral looks "brighter" than before, probably just getting all the nutrients they need at this point.

 

[doubleshot00]

Is the boosted coral growth enough to make a noticeable impact on nutrient levels?

Yeah ultimate question. Did i shoot myself in the foot chasing ph. If i have to battle dinos idk if this is for me. :pleading-face:
I say that because i test diligently and work hard at keeping my levels elevated but now its all going downhill.

 

[Garf]

Is the boosted coral growth enough to make a noticeable impact on nutrient levels?

You would need masses of growth in my opinion, both for living tissue and skeletal.

Yeah ultimate question. Did i shoot myself in the foot chasing ph. If i have to battle dinos idk if this is for me. :pleading-face:

How did you raise pH?

 

[Pntbll687]

Yeah ultimate question. Did i shoot myself in the foot chasing ph. If i have to battle dinos idk if this is for me. :pleading-face:

Suck them out right before the lights go off for the day.

Keep on top of nutrients, and add some beneficial bacteria if needed.

 

[doubleshot00]

You would need masses of growth in my opinion, both for living tissue and skeletal.

How did you raise pH?

Recirculating co2 scrubber. My ph before was always 7.6-7.8