Can phyto crash ORP?

[Mr.BobDobalina]

Just started dosing some phyto the past 3 days and ORP has sunk like a stone from 415 to 245. Tank is super young at 40 days and Im not worried as the corals are doing well and I have no fish so not trying to chase a number, but trying to understand why. The biggest animals are a sea cucumber and a mantis and both are still alive.

I added a bunch of pods this week and introduced new salt mix, but salt mix seems unlikely as its being added at ~1% a day. Any ideas?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Yes. But I honestly wouldnt even focus on ORP. It will be affected by things that are functionally inconsequential to how you care for your tank.

 

[Mr.BobDobalina]

Yes. But I honestly wouldnt even focus on ORP. It will be affected by things that are functionally inconsequential to how you care for your tank.

Thanks for the reply. I don't really "focus" on it other than a sign of something dying or a canary in the coal mine. I just have never dosed phyto so its new to me and I like to understand the "why." If pods are happy, Im happy!

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Thanks for the reply. I don't really "focus" on it other than a sign of something dying or a canary in the coal mine. I just have never dosed phyto so its new to me and I like to understand the "why." If pods are happy, Im happy!

The "why" is based on what ORP truly is. The oxidative-reductive potential. The ability to gain or lose electrons. Due to the way most organics are biochemically built, they push towards a low ORP. Thats why foods, your hand, a dead fish, etc will cause a plummet in ORP. Again, doesnt mean anything really in terms of functional care of your aquarium (aside from a dead fish, LOL). Unless youre dosing ozone, Id use ORP exactly as you mentioned- as a barometer measuring trends. The numerical values themselves arent going to be really useful.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the reply. I don't really "focus" on it other than a sign of something dying or a canary in the coal mine. I just have never dosed phyto so its new to me and I like to understand the "why." If pods are happy, Im happy!

No idea why yours dropped, but ORP also drops just by adding low ORP forms of trace elements such as iron.