What is more important: pH peak or pH stability over the day/night?

[dfwjr1973]

Interested in public feedback... pH Peak or stability?

What is more important: reaching 8.3 or 8.4 pH during the day but having a bigger dip at night (i.e. down to 8.0 or 8.1) or having a slightly lower pH during the day but having less of a change day/night (i.e 8.2 day to 8.1 night)?

If I control to run my CO2 scrubbed skimmer only during the night, I get less of a drop at night as it seems it has more of an effect on the pH when it isn't run all the time. But, if I run it all day, I get a higher peak, but less effect at night...so pH drops more when the lights are off.

The day/night swing is about 0.4 for running the skimmer constantly vs. 0.1 or 0.2 by only running the skimmer at night...

Another possible answer: stop chasing pH numbers...

 

[TX_REEF]

I think stability is more valuable than a higher peak. Corals thrive on stability.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m not sure the answer is established, and may depend on what metric you use to decide.

 

[dfwjr1973]

I’m not sure the answer is established, and may depend on what metric you use to decide.

I guess my metric is the coral happiness scale... ;-)

 

[djkms]

My alk/ca consumption increases with a peak of 8.4 and dip to 8.1 over a more consistent 8.1-8.2

 

[Troylee]

My ph changes a lot over night.. to answer your question I don’t know the answer but for me personally I try to reach the highest target during the day so it doesn’t drop at night to low numbers.. chasing high ph targets during the day has increased my low ph numbers at night if that makes sense.. for example if I target 8.1 during the day it drops to 7.8 at night but if I’m hitting 8.4 during the day which I do for the most part my lows at night are 8.1 ish. In return my calcium and alk usage has rose which tells me my corals are growing faster.