New Tank Syndrome?

[Ranjib]

I am using 2 AI Hydra 26 lights, but have not measured PAR.

That not enough I think. Those are 90W each. You should shoot for 5W per gallon, and run them at 80% (3-4W) for longivity and consistency. For your tank thats 80x5 = 400 Watts, or 5 AI hydra. What about flow?

 

[Pongo]

That not enough I think. Those are 90W each. You should shoot for 5W per gallon, and run them at 80% (3-4W) for longivity and consistency. For your tank thats 80x5 = 400 Watts, or 5 AI hydra. What about flow?

That is the standard lighting kit for a Reefer 425XL deluxe model.

A full listing of details of his tank would be helpful.
If pH is really 7.4 something is wrong.

 

[Jason Partridge]

You mentioned your tank is 5 months old.
I think pH is least of your problem . Share as much info as possible about your tank. Tank parameters, equipment details, chores, livestock, major past events. This will give us some context and then we can methodically suggest you what needs to be checked next, or corrected next. pH is really not on in that lest. Stability, flow, light , chemistry (Ca, Alk) all comes way before pH. Given you have some corals already, i think you need to maintain stable water chemistry (20% water change is way too much). But, lets first understand the current state of things

Total system volume is 112 gallon running a Various 6 return pump split via manifold into 2 Vertex reactors, 1 for nitrate pellets and the other with Rowaphos. My skimmer is a Reef Octopus elite INT 150 powered by a Varios 2 pump. In the display tank, I have 2 MP40s on either side and the AI 26 lights. I tested my water just a moment ago and have the following parameters;

Temperature: 77.2 °F
pH: 7.4
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Phosphate: .17 ppm
Salinity: 1.024 SG
Alkalinity: 9.2 dKH
Calcium: 410 ppm
Magnesium: 1230 ppm

 

[Ranjib]

Total system volume is 112 gallon running a Various 6 return pump split via manifold into 2 Vertex reactors, 1 for nitrate pellets and the other with Rowaphos. My skimmer is a Reef Octopus elite INT 150 powered by a Varios 2 pump. In the display tank, I have 2 MP40s on either side and the AI 26 lights. I tested my water just a moment ago and have the following parameters;

Temperature: 77.2 °F
pH: 7.4
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Phosphate: .17 ppm
Salinity: 1.024 SG
Alkalinity: 9.2 dKH
Calcium: 410 ppm
Magnesium: 1230 ppm

Your params are not bad. pG 7.4 can be the lowest on your pH cycle, even if its correct (which I doubt). If possible take a pH reading 12 or 8 hours later. Lets see what others say,

 

[Jason Partridge]

Your params are not bad. pG 7.4 can be the lowest on your pH cycle, even if its correct (which I doubt). If possible take a pH reading 12 or 8 hours later. Lets see what others say,

I have tested towards the end of the photoperiod, as well as 2 AM local time and have not seen much of a difference, but I have also been told not to try and chase PH.

 

[Pongo]

I agree, don't chase pH, usually.
But..... your tank is a little out of the normal range.

Have you read this article about low pH in the reef tank, causes and cures?

Do you think you have adequate surface agitation to maximize aeration of the tank?

I run my split return nozzles, MP40s and WAV pumps near enough to the surface to cause a lot of surface agitation.

 

[reefwiser]

Man for a 5 month old tank you are spending way to much time on this. The tank is very new still. Rising alk indicates that there is nothing taking up the alk in the water. PH is not an issue. Doing a 20% water change shows that the alk from that is not being taking up by corals in the tank. All this action and fiddling on the tank is causing the corals not to thrive. Back off on the water changes do them every other week. Otherwise you are heading for dinoflagellates land in your aquarium.

 

[Vincent100]

Man for a 5 month old tank you are spending way to much time on this. The tank is very new still. Rising alk indicates that there is nothing taking up the alk in the water. PH is not an issue. Doing a 20% water change shows that the alk from that is not being taking up by corals in the tank. All this action and fiddling on the tank is causing the corals not to thrive. Back off on the water changes do them every other week. Otherwise you are heading for dinoflagellates land in your aquarium.

I agree with what reefwiser wrote

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

Where are your power heads in relation to the water surface? Promoting gas exchange via surface agitation will typically improve your pH.

Can you perform a pH water test on your water source before you add it to your tank? You mentioned that you get your water from your LFS, is that premixed saltwater? If so, what salt do they use?

Do you have anything covering your reefer's open top?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the alk is really rising, one good candidate is the lfs water. Try measuring the alk of it.

What product have you been using for magnesium? I want to be sure it doesn’t have alk in it.

In general, the only problem number is pH, and it may just be testing error. Please read the article linked above.

 

[Jason Partridge]

If the alk is really rising, one good candidate is the lfs water. Try measuring the alk of it.

What product have you been using for magnesium? I want to be sure it doesn’t have alk in it.

In general, the only problem number is pH, and it may just be testing error. Please read the article linked above.

My LFS water is usually in the 8.5-8.8 range, using Red Sea blue bucket. I have been using the B Ionic magnesium. I am going to follow rerfwiser's suggestion and just let the tank do it's thing and reduce the frequency of the water changes and monitor absorbtion rate of the alkalinity. Does that sound like a good action plan for now?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, but I meant testing the top off water for alk.

 

[vetteguy53081]

To NO offense but rather concern, it appears at an early stage you are chasing numbers and values, and need to step back and enjoy what you have just created and let the inhabitants speak to you.....as then you will know by unhappy specimens something has changed within your tank and then you can check on it.
Regular water changes in early stage provided you are using good test equipment and salt will get you through the early stages of new tank setup/syndrome and remember to add specimens SLOWLY and feed sparingly the first couple of months

 

[Jason Partridge]

Yes, but I meant testing the top off water for alk.

Just tested the top off water and got 0.1 dkh on my Hanna checker. Is it safe to assume that +/- .1 is an acceptable range for error?

 

[Jason Partridge]

To NO offense but rather concern, it appears at an early stage you are chasing numbers and values, and need to step back and enjoy what you have just created and let the inhabitants speak to you.....as then you will know by unhappy specimens something has changed within your tank and then you can check on it.
Regular water changes in early stage provided you are using good test equipment and salt will get you through the early stages of new tank setup/syndrome and remember to add specimens SLOWLY and feed sparingly the first couple of months

No offense at all, I need all the help I can get. I have been told numerous times that stability is key, but I simply cannot fathom why the alkalinity increases without dosing. I have basically given up on the PH numbers in the hopes that once calcium, magnesium and alkalinity begin getting absorbed, the PH will follow. Someone earlier in the thread suggested doing water changes every other week, instead of the weekly changes I have been doing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No offense at all, I need all the help I can get. I have been told numerous times that stability is key, but I simply cannot fathom why the alkalinity increases without dosing. I have basically given up on the PH numbers in the hopes that once calcium, magnesium and alkalinity begin getting absorbed, the PH will follow. Someone earlier in the thread suggested doing water changes every other week, instead of the weekly changes I have been doing.

I agree....until tank ages well, every other week.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I’d do em once a month.

It’s not a job. It a reef tank. It’s more like a garden.

Always keep test error in Mind when you use hobby tests.

 

[Jason Partridge]

I’d do em once a month.

It’s not a job. It a reef tank. It’s more like a garden.

Always keep test error in Mind when you use hobby tests.

Lol, I certainly do not have a green thumb (I can kill fake plants!). It is my OCD to want to make things perfect, but it is safe to say I am a bit over my head, so please keep sharing suggestions and experience!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Lol, I certainly do not have a green thumb (I can kill fake plants!). It is my OCD to want to make things perfect, but it is safe to say I am a bit over my head, so please keep sharing suggestions and experience!

Lol.
How this then. Ya got kids ?
Don’t hover parent?
By the third kid your like
“Ok, it’s bleeding ? How bad? You’ll live “

 

[Jason Partridge]

Lol.
How this then. Ya got kids ?
Don’t hover parent?
By the third kid your like
“Ok, it’s bleeding ? How bad? You’ll live “

That is so very true, great analogy!