Tricky problem

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13818809#post13818809 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kmacartney
Ok, just did a fresh test....

ph 8.8!!!!!
Ca 380
Alk 9

OK this is messed up...
Click to expand...

Are you measuring pH with a test kit? Those are rarely accurate, in my experience. I don't even really worry about pH. I measure Alk, Mag, and Calcium, as well as Salinity & temperature. pH will be what it is if the rest of the numbers are good.

Be careful with kalkwasser, since it has a pH of 12. White vinegar will bring it down, but you only need a tiny bit. I don't have a measurement, but we are talking about a teaspoon or two, depending on the water volume of your system.

Are your lights on a timer? Can you control them in sets, or it is all-on, all-off at once?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13819112#post13819112 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mathias999us
What's wrong with having the lights too close to the water (aside from salt creep, splashing, etc)?
Click to expand...

It is too intense for some corals. One person was going to do a study on UV radiation (his theory) but no-one stepped up to help him.

He believes T5s should be 6 to 7" off the water.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13819602#post13819602 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
It is too intense for some corals. One person was going to do a study on UV radiation (his theory) but no-one stepped up to help him.

He believes T5s should be 6 to 7" off the water.
Click to expand...
Gotta link?
 
Fascinating. Maybe we've got the same problem. I have a tank up for about a year now with T5's that are about 3" off of the water. I've always found that most of my corals seem happier (more PE, more colorful and full) in the more shaded parts of the tank as well, but never understood why. I was running 4 48" T5s up until about 5 weeks ago, and I removed two of the bulbs per someone's suggestion. Some improvement, but still corals favor the shaded areas...
 
Also, as another piece of anecdotal info to support the "T5s too close to the water" theory, I had an emergency with this tank about 2 months ago, where I had to drain it and put the corals in an adjacent low-light (NO 50/50 flourescent) lightly-stocked FOWLR for about 24 hours. I thought for sure my SPS/LPS would suffer badly from this, but to my surprise, they colored up and expanded more in the FOWLR than I had ever seen before. When I put them back in the tank with the T5s the next evening, they still looked better than ever, which lasted a couple of weeks. Then the regressed more to the "not 100% looking, favoring the shade" condition.

Would be a PITA for me to raise the lights, but geez, seems like its worth an experiment at least....

(trying to contribute, not hijack)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13819581#post13819581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Are you measuring pH with a test kit? Those are rarely accurate, in my experience. I don't even really worry about pH. I measure Alk, Mag, and Calcium, as well as Salinity & temperature. pH will be what it is if the rest of the numbers are good.

Be careful with kalkwasser, since it has a pH of 12. White vinegar will bring it down, but you only need a tiny bit. I don't have a measurement, but we are talking about a teaspoon or two, depending on the water volume of your system.

Are your lights on a timer? Can you control them in sets, or it is all-on, all-off at once?
Click to expand...

All I have is a kit for pH.

I have a 5 gallon bucket that I mix kalk for ATO. I mix about 1 Tbs per gallon and about 30ml of vinegar per gallon in the ATO.

For the lights I have 2 cords on two separate timers. 2 bulbs on one timer and 4 on the other.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13821078#post13821078 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mathias999us
Also, as another piece of anecdotal info to support the "T5s too close to the water" theory, I had an emergency with this tank about 2 months ago, where I had to drain it and put the corals in an adjacent low-light (NO 50/50 flourescent) lightly-stocked FOWLR for about 24 hours. I thought for sure my SPS/LPS would suffer badly from this, but to my surprise, they colored up and expanded more in the FOWLR than I had ever seen before. When I put them back in the tank with the T5s the next evening, they still looked better than ever, which lasted a couple of weeks. Then the regressed more to the "not 100% looking, favoring the shade" condition.

Would be a PITA for me to raise the lights, but geez, seems like its worth an experiment at least....

(trying to contribute, not hijack)
Click to expand...

Good info, thanks for sharing!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13821117#post13821117 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mathias999us
kmacartney - How high were your lights in your 30g with the 4 x 39 T5s, when these corals were doing better?
Click to expand...

The lights were actually closer but there were less bulbs with lower wattage 4X39W vs 6X54W.
 
I am going to be out of town for a few days. I will shorten the photo period on the lights while I am gone to see if this helps.

Also can any chime in the Ca/Alk ratio I have. Is this good? Should the calcium be higher?
 
If your calcium/alk is 380 / 9, then your calcium is low relative to the alk, but the alk sounds good.

I use this reef calculator to determine how much additives I need, and it also spits out useful 'balanced' calcium alkalinity values based on your inputs!

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

according to that calculator, your calcium should be 425 if the alk is 9. Personally I think 9 is a great target for alk.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13821800#post13821800 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefEnabler
If your calcium/alk is 380 / 9, then your calcium is low relative to the alk, but the alk sounds good.

I use this reef calculator to determine how much additives I need, and it also spits out useful 'balanced' calcium alkalinity values based on your inputs!

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

according to that calculator, your calcium should be 425 if the alk is 9. Personally I think 9 is a great target for alk.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks for the info! I have some plain calcium stashed away.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13821417#post13821417 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kmacartney
All I have is a kit for pH.

I have a 5 gallon bucket that I mix kalk for ATO. I mix about 1 Tbs per gallon and about 30ml of vinegar per gallon in the ATO.

For the lights I have 2 cords on two separate timers. 2 bulbs on one timer and 4 on the other.
Click to expand...

If you can do it, raise your lights 2" higher.

Set the actinics (2 bulbs hopefully) to 10 hours and the rest of the lights for 8 hours. See how your tank responds.

Your calcium level is within target range. Alk is fine as well.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13821024#post13821024 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pito
Gotta link?
Click to expand...

Not handy, but the author's name is Fijiblue and it should be in the Lighting forum.
 
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