how to control PH swing? lighting cycle

[polywise]

If you look at my parameters, my PH always dips when my lights are off.
I am running a controlled calcium reactor.
also a ETSS1000 down draft skimmer.


I am interested in trying to reduce the range of the swing. I have a large sump that is in a room that is well ventilated to the out doors using fresh air from outside my house.

Any suggestion on what I should do?

 

[piranhapat]

Keep light on sump opposite time from main tank. This way you have some kind of light on all the time. This will keep ph up.

 

[polywise]

I do not have anything in my sump requiring lighting right now.

Have you ever tried turing on a larger air pump when the tank lights are off to try and raise the PH? and does it work?
Jim

 

[piranhapat]

Never tried that. I normally have a lot current anyway in main tank and sump. Your doing the right thing with outside air which suppose to help. It might not be a Co2 problem. How much does it drop at night? It is normal that Ph will drop at night.

 

[piranhapat]

Some people connect outside air into skimmer... Is your sump next to furnace or hot water tank.

 

[ecvernon]

How low does your ph get? What size tank do you have? People with larger tanks also use there calcium reactors with some kalkwasser in there ato reservoir or drip kalk continuously.it helps with the effects of excess co2. If your ph dips to about around 7.9 I don't think that it's much of a problem

 

[polywise]

PH swings
8.14 end of lighting cycle to 7.7 just before lights go back on

currently, I have a 150 gallon tank and 220 gallon sized sump that has 750 pounds of live rock in it, so I think there might be around 100ish gallons of water in it

so lets say total system volume 250 gallons.

I could control when ATO happens (can do during the night)
so should I drip kalk as a ATO feature IF the PH is low, and RO if it is with range during the night period? and with that being said, will my swing on the high end just go higher due to now being at a higher starting point when the light cycle begins?

Jim

 

[lnevo]

Your only talking about a .44 swing. I don't think it's much to worry about. How about adding some chaeto and a light to run at night. Dosing kalk at night is another way to offset it. Curious to hear what others think about that range though.

 

[Aquadicted]

why such a big sump? And no fuge? why so much live rock? Just curious... I also think if you have such a large sump throw some cheeto and a light

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

Jim to answer your question I really don't think it matters. EVERYONE's PH drops at night. I really wouldn't worry about it, your corals look great if it ain't broke don't fix it.

why such a big sump? And no fuge? why so much live rock? Just curious... I also think if you have such a large sump throw some cheeto and a light

Why wouldn't he? Have you seen his corals? The bigger the sump the better and the more live rock the better. Live rock will do much more than a fuge. We do it old school and trust me it works. I did the fuge thing and found it useless. Unless you have an obscene amount of macro in there it's not going to do anything significant other than eat up the trace elements that your corals need. Chaeto especially, it's all stringy and gets caught in your pumps too. I'm not a fan lol

 

[h2o]

Like others said it will always swing as long as its within safe zone u ok I have a fudge with a light on at night plus I dose my tank at night with 2 part to keep the swing to minimum so my tank go from 8.0 night to 8.15 day . You having a bigger swing from the calcium reactor adding co2 it lowers your ph
Also if your tank is close to the kitchen and the stove is used daily that will give u even lower reading so there's to many things that throw the reading off make sure the probe is clean and calibrated before you make any changes take pics with test results it will help u back track to where u like the tank the most .

 

[polywise]

aquadicted,
I should have mentioned that my situation is a SLOW work in progress. In 2009 I had a 500 gallon SPS system that was in my office that had been running since 2003 crash while I was on vacation.

That fall I decided to set up a system at my house.
I have this 300DD sitting in my living room. Soon to be hooked up to my fishroom.

My fishroom was built during the winter 2009-2010 it has a 150 gallon 4 sided 48"x48" holding tank that has been running since spring 2010. My live rock was purchased in 2003 and has been in my system since. Some of the coral you see pictures or videos of are waiting to be placed in the tank. (if I can ever get it going)

Jim C.

 

[Aquadicted]

Why wouldn't he? Have you seen his corals? The bigger the sump the better and the more live rock the better. Live rock will do much more than a fuge. We do it old school and trust me it works. I did the fuge thing and found it useless. Unless you have an obscene amount of macro in there it's not going to do anything significant other than eat up the trace elements that your corals need. Chaeto especially, it's all stringy and gets caught in your pumps too. I'm not a fan lol

Hey you'll never hear anything negative about live rock out of my mouth. But I'm just wondering if he would get similar results with half the live rock or is it a substantial difference to overload on LR?