ph swing

[goulding.c]

Randy and everybody else,

Thanks for the help. The tablespoon of baking soda a night is keeping my alk just above 2 meq/litre. Now I have tested my ph in the morning and afternoon and have a swing from 7.9 to 8.2. I have a 55 refugium lights on all the time with macro algea but it doesn't grow. It is just a regualr florescent light. Should I add a pc light to try and get it to grow to help prevent the ph swing? Also I need the directions for cooking the baking soda to drive out excess co2. I have alos added airstones to the sump to try and help. Any suggestions would be great. thanks

CG

 

[steve the plumb]

what type of calerpa do you have.Cheato is supposed to be the best but I have had some die on me.I have tryed diff types and many have died.So far I have had the best results with grape calerpa,it is growing out of control.You can grow calerpa under florescent lights.Try 6700 k and leave lights on for 17 hr per day.I have added iron every week for the calerpa but it grows weather I add it or not.I use pc lights works well.My friend uses a light bulb and it grows.Try to get some current in the sump I placed a small powerhead inside just to mix things up.I also placed a sea urchin in my sump.I was getting fed up of over growth.The urchin has managed to keep the calerpa under control I never have to clip it again.Bake the soda for 1 hr at 300 degrees.Place in a pan spread it around so that its not to thick(I bake about 500 grams at a time)I leave it around1/4 inch thick.Randy does not use the Arm and Hammer brand.I use to use that because I could not find anything else.I am now using a store name brand I am not sure what brand Randy would reccomend you might want to ask him about that.

 

[goulding.c]

I'm am not sure what types of calerpa I have there are stringy ones and ones with long leaves and grapes. It used to grow out of control but since my nitrates and Phophates went to zero or very low it all stopped. When it was growing well when the tank first started 2 years ago I put some in the main dispplay "BIg Mistake" That will never happen again. But now it all just sits in my sump at the same size for the past year no new growth. I am going to add a pc light to see if it grows any better. Do you think that will help the ph swing? I am not to sure how to prevent it from dropping at night.

 

[steve the plumb]

ph always drops at night its only normal.Thats why most people have the lights on(in sump) when the main tank lights are off.This way you try to stabilize the ph swing.I try to leave sump lights on 2 hr before main tank lights go off then turn sump lights off around 2 hr after main tank lights turn on.Do you top off with kalk water.I find this helps keep ph levels up.I use an auto top off unit with kalk.I also have no phophates or nitrates in my tank so thats not the problem.Its strange how your calerpa stoped growing.Its not dead(turns white)Did you ever change the bulb/You should change the bulb at least every 6 months the calerpa does need a good spectrum of 6700 k to grow.How is the calcium level?Celerpa uses up calcium but so does the tank so I am sure you test for calcium.Have you tryed adding more calerpa from someone else to see if it grows.What are you using for substrate in your sump.I am using kent marine biosediment.I know that I am suppossed to add some every year because it tends to deplete.I don't know what else the problem may be.You might drip kalk at night to raise ph at night and stop dripping in the morning when lights are on.

 

[goulding.c]

My Calcium is very high 550 ansd sometimes higher my test just doesn't go that high. My alk is always low below 2. I am slowly switching to instant ocean salt from oceanic to hopefully get things alittle more normal. My calerpa just quite growing when I put it in the sump. My guess is the lighting. It is very dim. I will add a pc light to it and see what happens. I have 4 inches of mineral mud mixed with aroganite sand. the tank has also 4 inches of aroganite sand. I do not drip kalk but I am thinking about it since everyone recomends it. Is it hard to do? I am trying ot make my tank as automated as possible, because when my work season starts in the spring I don't have much time for anything other than water changes and feeding. Thats the other thing I just changed. I am doing biweekly changes 50 gallons each instead of weekly changes to save on salt money. I am setting up a float valve to the ro unit this weekend to auto top off to. Thanks for the help.

CG

 

[goulding.c]

Here is my tank. As you see the coralene algea grows very well. I just want to get things going more steady so I can add more corals like acropora and the more challanging things.

 

[goulding.c]

The other thing I noticed in that pic is that the green bottler brush plants also died off "Or were eaten"

 

[steve the plumb]

I would reccomend that you use an auto top of unit to dose.I to am never home.I am a plumber and have crazy hrs.I am using the tunze osmolator with the kalk disspencer.I use the aqua medic to dose randys 2 part formula.I found it work great.The best way is to keep levels at a norm.This will help corals stay at a constant stable level.You will find once you get a normal dosing levels(it will take some fooling around) you should be able to maintain them.You will have to take some tests and once you dose the correct amounts you will see better results.More coral growth plus I find it doesn't become a hassle to maintain the tank.Once you automate the dosing and get it down pact it becomes a routine.The only thing you might have to do is add more once you start to add more corals.That becomes easy aswell because once you know the system you just adjust and thing go back to normal.I would suggest you raise your alk and always test at least 2 to 3 times a week.If you decide to get into acros makeke sure you have the proper lighting.You don't want the corals to die.I have had this problem in the past do to lack of good help.This forum has helped me alot and I have noticed better growth and better levels since I started testing and doing my tank maitanence.You have to do your water changes and change carbon and the rest of that.You have to test you have to check your ph.I would suggest a ph monitor very good tool.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The tablespoon of baking soda a night is keeping my alk just above 2 meq/litre.

Is that baked baking soda? If not, baking it will give it a pH raising effect.

I grow both Chaetomorpha and Caulerpa racemosa in my refugia, and think they are a good way to go.

 

[goulding.c]

Randy,

I use the regular stor ebought arm and hammer baking soda. I will start baking it tonight. I think the tablespoon per night might not be enough unless you think I am ok at just above 2 meq litre and 500 calcium. The ph is 8.1-8.2 day and 7.9 at night. I might look into the kalk solution this weekend to and may start to use that. Do you have any advice on the kalk solution for me? Thanks Randy and Steve

CG

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would add enough to keep the alkalinity above 2.5 meq/L by the time you dose again.

Limewater is a good way to go,and is what I use.