Fluctuating pH

[40breederzach]

I have been wondering if i am alone in this. I have been running a CO2 scrubber on my skimmer for a couple weeks now. My Red sea kit says my pH is 8.2 but my apex says otherwise. This is my apex chart. My corals have been doing ok (kenya tree, and a torch) my other two zoa colonies havent opened more than 1/2 way. I dont know what the problem is i dont have nitrates or nitrite or ammonia. Anyone have any ideas

 

[40breederzach]

 

[Gary Inwood]

I use to chase PH but now I have stopped, my corals are all doing great and my fish are happy too.

 

[40breederzach]

I’ve had fish for close to a year I thought I finally could get some corals but after about 2 weeks it doesn’t look like I’m doing any good.

 

[Gary Inwood]

I’ve had fish for close to a year I thought I finally could get some corals but after about 2 weeks it doesn’t look like I’m doing any good.

As long as you have stable parameters and good lighting and flow you should be ok. just go slow when adding corals and check your Cal, Alk regularly and dose to maintain stable levels.

 

[Hemmdog]

I’ve had fish for close to a year I thought I finally could get some corals but after about 2 weeks it doesn’t look like I’m doing any good.

What’s your alk, cal, magnesium and lighting? pH really doesn’t matter if your alk, cal, and mag ( & salinity) are in proper ratio.

 

[40breederzach]

im getting in the test kit monday on those parameters i have an 16" sb reef light on it now but have twoo radion xr30 coming to upgrade the tank its a 40 breeder

 

[Hemmdog]

im getting in the test kit monday on those parameters i have an 16" sb reef light on it now but have twoo radion xr30 coming to upgrade the tank its a 40 breeder

Sweet. You have some power heads in there to I assume?

 

[40breederzach]

yes two jebao ow-10 on pulsing alternating every 2 seconds

 

[Hemmdog]

yes two jebao ow-10 on pulsing alternating every 2 seconds

Cool. What %’s do you have your light on. It looks pretty white. Also do you have coraline anywhere in the tank? A year old tank should be completely purple, so that is kinda a red flag. Have you dosed medicine(copper) or anything into the tank? What’s your water source as well.

Here to help

 

[40breederzach]

no havent dosed anything an dont have any coraline been kind of upset about that i have it set on what they they recommend daily schedule at sb reef lights

 

[40breederzach]

i have an ro buddie to make ro water and test it before i make salt and its at 0 tds

 

[Hemmdog]

Nice. Sounds like your set up for success. Let’s see what your test kits say once you get them. What fish do you have?

 

[40breederzach]

i have a tomini tang, a purple dotty-back, a tail-spot blenny, 4 pajama cardinals, 2 maroon clowns and a coral bannded shrimp

 

[40breederzach]

its a 40 breeder

 

[Hemmdog]

i have a tomini tang, a purple dotty-back, a tail-spot blenny, 4 pajama cardinals, 2 maroon clowns and a coral bannded shrimp

Sounds like a cool tank. Post your #’s once you get them! We will figure this out!

 

[40breederzach]

will do!

 

[Shinister]

I have the same issue. My red sea test kit and a PH pen meter show 8.2 but my apex shows 8.05. There was some build up on my probe so I cleaned it with vinegar and toothbrush and recalibrated twice and still shows the same.

 

[Larry L]

That pH graph looks totally typical, it's supposed to fluctuate during the day. Normally it starts ramping up as your lights come on and the zooxanthellae in the corals start to photosynthesize - they take up CO2 so it makes the pH go up. Then at night CO2 levels typically rise since nothing is photosynthesizing (unless you are e.g. running algae in a refugium with a reverse lighting schedule).

The Red Sea test kit has an accuracy of ±0.2, so you have to take that into account to when comparing to your probe readings.