I have been keeping sps pretty successfully for the last few years.I have awesome color and below average growth. All parameters are in good with zero phosphates. About six months ago I purchased an apex and have noticed that my ph never gets above 7.9.( never checked PH regularly before) It dips to 7.6 during the night with the average at 7.8 throughout the day. I know the preferred ph is 8.2 and wonder if the low ph is cause of the slow growth. I dose 2 part and lighting is the Radion Pro. Like I said color and health is awesome with amazing PE. Any thoughts ?
SPS & PH Question
- Thread starter chefmur
- Start date
michaelis88
New member
same question\!
SPS do require some low phosphates and nitrates to grow. Flow is a big factor as well and you may have enough lighting to keep them alive but higher lighting is required for growth. I'd post more specs about your tank, water parameters, equipment, etc. I'm honestly not sure about the ph part of your question. Possibly someone thats been doing sps longer can chime in.
downbeach
New member
It sounds to me like you've got the ideal tank. If its not broken, don't fix it. What are your Ca, Alk and Mg levels? What are you using to supplement them, i.e. two part, Ca reactor, etc.?
Is your pH probe calibrated? Co2 in your household atmosphere is affecting your tanks pH. As long as your Ca and Alk are within acceptable ranges, I wouldn't worry about it. But, if you wanted to elevate it some, you could start using some kalk in your top off, add a CO2 scrubber to your skimmer's air intake, run an air line from your skimmer's air intake to an outside source(if practicable).
Here's some reading about pH, and growth:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php#3
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/4/chemistry#section-9
Is your pH probe calibrated? Co2 in your household atmosphere is affecting your tanks pH. As long as your Ca and Alk are within acceptable ranges, I wouldn't worry about it. But, if you wanted to elevate it some, you could start using some kalk in your top off, add a CO2 scrubber to your skimmer's air intake, run an air line from your skimmer's air intake to an outside source(if practicable).
Here's some reading about pH, and growth:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php#3
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/4/chemistry#section-9
Thanks all for the input especially the article in reefkeeping magazine. I have not calibrated ph probe in over a year so I will do that. Light is good I checked par and radiums are pushing as much as my old 400 watt halides. I do have refugium on reverse light cycle. Alk is 8.5, Ca is 450 , mag is 1450, nitrates 0 and phosphate ( Hanna meter ) is 0
I run gfo and carbon so I may be starving tank although I feed pretty often oysterfest and reef chili. I can't complain really tank looks awesome just trying to get better growth. Once corals get going they are good but can take almost a year to go from 1 inch frag to 3 inches.
I run gfo and carbon so I may be starving tank although I feed pretty often oysterfest and reef chili. I can't complain really tank looks awesome just trying to get better growth. Once corals get going they are good but can take almost a year to go from 1 inch frag to 3 inches.
michaelis88
New member
when ur saying dose alk at night does that mean after the lights are out or just night time that reversed with Ca for 12 hours
The 7.6 low may be an issue. Calcium carbonate including coral skelton begins to dissolve at that point. Also at lower pH there is more H+ in the water.Stony corals take up bicarbonate and squeeze out an H proton as they calcify.At some point higher H+ levels in the water could make that more difficult.
one inch to 3 inch in a year aint to shabby.....
they seem to grow exponentially......in a few years you'll be saying ...slow down I got no more room....
as for ph....I got nothing, other than check the accuracy of your testing equipment....
YoungREEFA
New member
Since everything is good, besides the ph ,can you run your skimmer line to a fresher place? Like outside?
HurricaneSystem
Member
I had a PH issue too until I did one small thing. After adding my MH fixture, I put one of the Aqua Medic fans on the back of my tank. It blows right on top of the water to disperse heat.
Well, it stabilized my PH as well. I used to have 7.8 to 7.9 and now it is 8.2 almost like clockwork.
I never had that experience with power heads churning the surface or anything like that until I added the small fan. Really something.
Well, it stabilized my PH as well. I used to have 7.8 to 7.9 and now it is 8.2 almost like clockwork.
I never had that experience with power heads churning the surface or anything like that until I added the small fan. Really something.
Do you top off with kalkwasser or was it just the effect of the fan over the water surface?
