PH for SPS

[hondacbr600rr]

Hi everyone, I’m learning more each day and hope to work towards a successful SPS reef at some point in my future. Tank is currently 150 gallon mixed reef.

I’m maintaining ALK at 9.2-9.6. I’m about to add an algae scrubber to hopefully help control my phosphates, which were .9 last I tested.

I’m wanting to learn if my PH is likely to change much when I go to the algae scrubber.

Currently I’m running my fuge light for 8 hours opposite of my display tank lights. I can run the algae scrubber for this same 8 hour period, but wonder if I will need it to run the light longer to help knock the phosphates down.

I hope to maintain stable PH, and just wanted to get the groups advice if my current PH is changing too much between day and night, and what schedule I should try to keep the turf scrubber lights on when I remove the refugium and light for that.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@Reefer Matt

 

[PPBlimpy]

The algea scrubber running the same schedule as the refugium may bring the swing down a bit but I would be very happy with those numbers. the swing isn't bad at all.

Do you have your skimmer pulling fresh air? How does the swings look if you keep a window open for fresh air for 48 hours?

 

[hondacbr600rr]

Thank you, I do have a skimmer running 24/7. Currently it just pulls in air from inside the tank stand. The tank is in a room in the house that does not have people in it the majority of the time. I could open a window in this room. Running an airline to the outside would be tricky.

 

[PPBlimpy]

The window open would be a test to see if running an airline outside would be beneficial to a degree.

But yes in my opinion running the ATS along side you refugium will help raise PH during those hours making the swings less

 

[Uncle99]

Your PH is fine.
Easy to go down the rabbit hole with both your money and time with PH.

 

[backbayreef]

Before you tackle pH, I would focus on getting PO4 down from 0.9ppm. If it’s a typo and supposed to be 0.09ppm, then you’re good.

WRT achieving higher pH, 2-part alone should help. If you’re crazy (like me) do kalk 24/7 and 2-part dosing at night to flatten out that curve. If you’re crazier than me, hook up your CO2 scrubber (which I recently shut down).

This is my pH on the frag tank doing kalk + 2-parts. I don’t think that it got to 8.6 and will need to calibrate. What’s clear though, I’ve switched to dosing 2-parts at night the last few days - it helps a little.

Having said all that — not sure that it will make a huge difference, time will tell. Good luck!

 

[get-salty]

That is about how my PH is exactly. My corals are doing really well. That p04 on the other hand is a bit high - I'd concentrate on that first.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The pH looks perfectly fine for any reef tank. A scrubber may raise the pH somewhat when it is lit.

The phosphate may be perfectly fine, but lowering it slowly is also a fine plan.