Lighting too much?

[WILL2002]

I have found that my zoa's in my 10g are morphing, turning white (i have 2 t-8's on there). I was wondering if the cf 96w quad retro would be to much for them? any advice greatly appreceated.

 

[musty baby]

Turning white probably isn't "morphing", it's most likely closer to "dying". Do I get this right - the zoas are bleaching so you wonder about throwing more light at them? What are your water parameters in the tank? I think I might be misreading your post...

 

[WILL2002]

ok, just got back from the lfs.
ph = 7.3
nitrates = 20ppm
temp = 78

i'm doing a water change and i have to adjust the ph. I was told that they (the lfs) doesn't adjust the ph back up. I thought that they did. Boy do i feel stupid. i'm gonna get that fixed slowly though so i don't send them into shock ( i hope i don't anyways)

i still want to get some more wattage on the 10g.

should i get the quad 96w pc or the this 20" double lamp pc?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=11419&N=2004+113347

 

[tmplge]

$95 for the retro?!!!! no way. for a 10 gal just go the home depot or osh and pick yourself up some regualr T12 light fixtures or T8 then go to the LFS and buy the right bulbs. Total cost with bulbs will cost you 50bucks.

 

[WILL2002]

well thats what i got right now. the color looks good to me, but i hear is that the 2 18" want be enough to sustain a 10g zoa tank. I just want to stock this tank with mainly zoas maybe a softie or two, a rainfordi goby, hermits, and nassarius snails.

 

[WILL2002]

sorry i ment i have 2- 18" t-8 one marine-glo and the other is a power-glo

 

[zolovinglover]

I'd not worry much about lighting at this point, the amount you have is fine. I would much rather find out how the ph dipped so low. Even if you never do water changes and the tank is fairly new it is very, very unusual for the ph to drop to 7.3.

 

[Stafford]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9325891#post9325891 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zolovinglover
I'd not worry much about lighting at this point, the amount you have is fine. I would much rather find out how the ph dipped so low. Even if you never do water changes and the tank is fairly new it is very, very unusual for the ph to drop to 7.3.

+1

 

[WILL2002]

would carbon effect the ph level? the only thing i can think of is what the lfs said about their water is not up to 8.3 and thats the only water i use.

 

[RedEyeElf]

my buddy never tests his tank, and just out of curiosity I tested his Ph the other day (20g polyp/nem tank) it was 7.4~

he does weekly water changes with well aerated salt mix water (mixed up week prior )

only thing we can guess was the skimmer overskimming and affecting PH

 

[ct_vol]

A lot of reef salts are specifically designed to not interfere with pH... I would try adding some SeaChem Reef Buffer, or some like product in order to stabalize your pH... Your nitrates are also high... I woul dthink about doing more water changes...

And overskimming will not affect pH either...

 

[RedEyeElf]

Fenner states in one of his books that it has an affect on ph
I'll have to poke around and see if I can find the quote

 

[WILL2002]

well i added some seachem buffer raise 8.3. goining to do a water change tomorrow and then again this coming friday. at 2 and a half gallons a time and checking and adding buffer and what ever else that needs to be added hopefully water quallity will the way it is suppose to be.

a side note though, amazing how lfs's do not let you know that the ph is low for saltwater when you buy it. Or am i just assumming too much? that could be a lot of new reefers problems if they do not constantly test, right? anyways i"ll let you know how the ph test go tomorrow.

 

[msman825]

I would buy me a ro unit and some salt and test kits, before lights. and shy away from the LFS

 

[WILL2002]

i hate to say it but i'm thinking the same thing.