PH swings?

[Shunopoli]

Can anyone assist with this? Should I be worried about these swings?

dKH is at 9.0

 

[Shunopoli]

Here is a 24hr window

 

[andrewey]

Looks like normal pH changes to me. I wouldn't chase a number personally and wouldn't change a thing.

There are ways to increase the average pH, but unless you take steps to dose when your lights are off or grow something in a reverse photoperiod, you will likely always have a difference between the pH during daylight/photosynthesis and the pH at night.

 

[W1ngz]

Photosynthesis!

If you look closely at several days, you'll see that the peak is at or near the end of your lighting period, and the low is early morning before the lights come on.

In general the peaks trend a little higher from Monday towards Friday, and drop again on the weekend, because you're at home more and breathing. CO2 in the air makes the water slightly more acidic, lowering the ph. Photosynthesis consumes the CO2, which makes the ph rise when the lights are on.

 

[Shunopoli]

I also do run a fuge light opposite my main lights for 12 hours. I just heard that you want your ph above 8. I also heard to not try and chase your ph. So I shouldn’t worry to much?

 

[Difrano]

Sometimes when you chase pH you can create more problems than leaving the pH swing, if you don't go below 7.3 or above 8.7 you're livestock will adapt.

 

[W1ngz]

Above 8 is preferable for growth, but anywhere between 7.8-8.3 can grow a successful tank.

Your lows fall a little low for my own liking, but I don't see anything outright wrong with your numbers. You might find the average goes up by opening some windows (and the stand doors if you have a sump) when possible.

 

[Difrano]

Yesterday had my daughter birthday at home and a few people came in you can see it never went above 7.75 as the other days. Also is a new tank pH swings are expected

 

[W1ngz]

don't go below 7.3 or above 8.7

That range is too wide. A pH regularly below 7.7 or above 8.4 will have long term consequences on the health of the corals.

 

[Shunopoli]

Yesterday had my daughter birthday at home and a few people came in you can see it never went above 7.75 as the other days. Also is a new tank pH swings are expected

My tank is roughly 3months old so it’s still new also.

 

[beaslbob]

check the alk. I had swings until I got kh up to 9 dkh or so.

Adding macro algae (usually in a refugium) will increase the ph.

my .02

 

[Shunopoli]

check the alk. I had swings until I got kh up to 9 dkh or so.

Adding macro algae (usually in a refugium) will increase the ph.

my .02

In a 24hour period my alk went from 9.4 to 9.0. So as of this morning it’s 9.0. This is with a Hannah checker. I also have a small fuge

 

[beaslbob]

In a 24hour period my alk went from 9.4 to 9.0. So as of this morning it’s 9.0. This is with a Hannah checker. I also have a small fuge

That sounds pretty good to me anyway.

I would read the improved diy two part from DR. Holmes-Farley to check calcium and (less importantly) magnesium.

For instance my calcium was 350ppm or less. When I got that up to 450 or so, then alk started dropping. So I eventually started dosing baking soda and finally just implemented the diy two part.

I was using instant ocean (not reef crystals) and magnesium was way low like 700ppm or so. It took pounds of epsom salts to get the 55g up to 1350pm

my .02

ps sorry I didn't read the dkh value in your first post.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

What’s in the tank?

 

[Shunopoli]

That sounds pretty good to me anyway.

I would read the improved diy two part from DR. Holmes-Farley to check calcium and (less importantly) magnesium.

For instance my calcium was 350ppm or less. When I got that up to 450 or so, then alk started dropping. So I eventually started dosing baking soda and finally just implemented the diy two part.

I was using instant ocean (not reef crystals) and magnesium was way low like 700ppm or so. It took pounds of epsom salts to get the 55g up to 1350pm

my .02

ps sorry I didn't read the dkh value in your first post.

I’m also using instant ocean and not reef crystals. I get my salt water form lfs ( until I get my awc set up ) when I first got my Hannah checker my dKH was at 7.9 and calcium was at 360. About a week later I went to get a 5 gallon bucket of salt water to do a 5 gallon water change. I tested my alk the and cal the next day and it was at 9.4 and 470. I then tested my alk the next day in 24hrs and it was at 9.0. They had to mix a brand new thing of salt as they didn’t have any ready so not sure if this spiked my alk and calcium, but I don’t think 5 gallons would do that. My tank is 65 gallons total water volume

 

[Shunopoli]

What’s in the tank?

About 6 frags of zoas, 3 head Duncan, 2 head frog, one head torch, frag of gsp, super freak mushrooms and two Ricordia. Nothing much really

 

[Shunopoli]

That sounds pretty good to me anyway.

I would read the improved diy two part from DR. Holmes-Farley to check calcium and (less importantly) magnesium.

For instance my calcium was 350ppm or less. When I got that up to 450 or so, then alk started dropping. So I eventually started dosing baking soda and finally just implemented the diy two part.

I was using instant ocean (not reef crystals) and magnesium was way low like 700ppm or so. It took pounds of epsom salts to get the 55g up to 1350pm

my .02

ps sorry I didn't read the dkh value in your first post.

Also I have yet to test mag as I don’t have test for that. I probably should test this

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sometimes when you chase pH you can create more problems than leaving the pH swing, if you don't go below 7.3 or above 8.7 you're livestock will adapt.

pH 7.3? Wow, you are an extremist. I could not agree with that. Coral skeletons will be slowly dissolving. Some folks run CaCO3 reactors at that pH.

It is a common mantra to “not chase pH”, but IMO, you cannot cause harm if you optimize pH in appropriate ways and in appropriate degrees.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Also I have yet to test mag as I don’t have test for that. I probably should test this

It is a low priority. I wouldn’t bother. It will be exactly what is in the salt mix.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m also using instant ocean and not reef crystals. I get my salt water form lfs ( until I get my awc set up ) when I first got my Hannah checker my dKH was at 7.9 and calcium was at 360. About a week later I went to get a 5 gallon bucket of salt water to do a 5 gallon water change. I tested my alk the and cal the next day and it was at 9.4 and 470. I then tested my alk the next day in 24hrs and it was at 9.0. They had to mix a brand new thing of salt as they didn’t have any ready so not sure if this spiked my alk and calcium, but I don’t think 5 gallons would do that. My tank is 65 gallons total water volume

That calcium boost is mostly test error In one or both readings. It cannot jump 110 ppm from a 10% water change.