Basic pH question

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

My ph with lights off is ~7.8. Is low ph a concern when lights are off or lights on (LPS if that matters)?

Can low ph cause ALK to rise?

Thank you!

 

[Gribbles]

While a pH of ~7.8 with lights off is within the acceptable range, consistently low pH can indicate issues with CO2 levels and gas exchange. By improving aeration, ensuring proper ventilation, and considering methods like kalkwasser dosing and reverse refugium lighting, you can stabilize your pH and maintain a healthy environment for your LPS corals. Regular monitoring and balanced dosing will help prevent alkalinity from rising unexpectedly and keep your tank parameters stable.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

While a pH of ~7.8 with lights off is within the acceptable range, consistently low pH can indicate issues with CO2 levels and gas exchange. By improving aeration, ensuring proper ventilation, and considering methods like kalkwasser dosing and reverse refugium lighting, you can stabilize your pH and maintain a healthy environment for your LPS corals. Regular monitoring and balanced dosing will help prevent alkalinity from rising unexpectedly and keep your tank parameters stable.

Thank you. I believe my aeration is good. If I lengthen my lighting period this would "boost" pH correct? I run 8 hours plus 2 hours ramp up/down. Debating running 8 hours with 4 hours ramp up/down.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you. I believe my aeration is good. If I lengthen my lighting period this would "boost" pH correct? I run 8 hours plus 2 hours ramp up/down. Debating running 8 hours with 4 hours ramp up/down.

Good aeration is likely what lowers the pH at night. it drives high CO2 air from the room into the water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

While a pH of ~7.8 with lights off is within the acceptable range, consistently low pH can indicate issues with CO2 levels and gas exchange. By improving aeration, ensuring proper ventilation, and considering methods like kalkwasser dosing and reverse refugium lighting, you can stabilize your pH and maintain a healthy environment for your LPS corals. Regular monitoring and balanced dosing will help prevent alkalinity from rising unexpectedly and keep your tank parameters stable.

Are you a human generating your responses? A lot of your posts (such as this one) read as an AI to me, and I'd caution that current AI's make a lot of reef chemistry mistakes. This post has such problems.

 

[Gribbles]

Are you a human generating your responses? A lot of your posts (such as this one) read as an AI to me, and I'd caution that current AI's make a lot of reef chemistry mistakes. This post has such problems.

Yes, am human. Beep boop I've read some of your previous posts about ai responses.

I thought my post is pretty accurate, though, what is inaccurate?

 

[RoanokeReef]

Are you a human generating your responses? A lot of your posts (such as this one) read as an AI to me, and I'd caution that current AI's make a lot of reef chemistry mistakes. This post has such problems.

Appears it is

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I thought my post is pretty accurate, though, what is inaccurate?

Ignoring the fact that it sounds like an AI, and as above, the detector I used ( a different one) also claimed 100% AI, this claim is specifically what I was referring to as a concern:

"By improving aeration, "

Improving aeration by itself can raise or lower pH, or do each at different times of the day, depending on the tank pH, alk, and air CO2 level.

 

[Gribbles]

Ignoring the fact that it sounds like an AI, and as above, the detector I used ( a different one) also claimed 100% AI, this claim is specifically what I was referring to as a concern:

"By improving aeration, "

Improving aeration by itself can raise or lower pH, or do each at different times of the day, depending on the tank pH, alk, and air CO2 level.

Ok, fair enough. I didn't read it that way at first, but point taken.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

Good aeration is likely what lowers the pH at night. it drives high CO2 air from the room into the water.

Thanks Randy! I actually now question if I have good aeration. I read one of your other posts and have some tank water in a bucket with a mini skimmer. After a few hours the bucket is showing slightly higher level of pH even with a few hours of the tank light being on!

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

Update: improved surface agitation and added mini skimmer last week. Got the Hanna pH tester, reading 8 in morning and 8.3 before lights off. have a co2 monitor coming, will be interesting to use that. noticed my ALK consumption even went up

 

[14 foot reef]

Update: improved surface agitation and added mini skimmer last week. Got the Hanna pH tester, reading 8 in morning and 8.3 before lights off. have a co2 monitor coming, will be interesting to use that. noticed my ALK consumption even went up

This is a great outcome directly related to the OP being willing to listen, take advice from a forum mentor, and be willing to learn. Bravo to the OP and thanks Randy for always giving great advice to the members of this forum.