Copper would kill the nems in a second
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unable to keep sps.
- Thread starter johnnyb
- Start date
Copper would kill the nems in a second
Yeah just grasping at straws trying to find an answer . thought maybe if super low levels of it were present it might only effect sps . I know not enough flow will kill them but usually very slowly . lighting generally kills via bleaching from top down fairly quickly Alk would start at the bottom and work up sometimes slow and sometimes really fast . high temps will kill them as well overnight . I have run anywhere from 75 -80 and had no issues with either temp . just tossing some Ideas out there
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johnnyb
Non-member
Interestingly enough I just went down stairs to check levels I noticed my ph probe read 8.2 which is down so I tested everything most numbers were the same as they have been. Except the ph was maybe a shade lighter and instead of 10 drops on the alk it took 9 drops to turn the sample yellow. So in the interest of completing this test of the lights I dosed some more soda ash to bring it up a little. When I was adding it to my sump I noticed some white stuff on the tip of the rocks in my sump. The white stuff was just out of the water and I noticed the water had recently topped off as the top off tank was a little low. I was checking what the white stuff was and I believe it was dryed soda ash. I wonder if the first time I dosed if the water was low and the rocks absorbed a bunch of the ash and as the water goes up and down if the rocks where in effect dosing the water itself? Just a thought. But I will see now if the dosing is needed to maintain the 10.2
I think you should not be chasing PH . let it fall where it may most times it will hover around 8.2 or just under but not usually under 7.8 and that is just fine . everytime you dose for PH it changes things and fast . SPS likes stability good heavy flow and light . some don't even like the high lite
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johnnyb
Non-member
This maybe my next move. I am going to ride the low light out for this test with the ph up where the store suggested I keep it. If the caps die ( which if it goes like the last 3 it should be tomorrow or the next day) I will probably ask dzt what he would like me to set lights and chemistry at and add some more caps and see what we get. But at least for now I want to follow through with this test to eliminate one possibility
I'm starting to question the advice you're getting from that fish store. If they are telling you to chase a PH number with additives then I would suggest finding a different source of advice.
PH in seawater is a function of alk and Co2. If your alk is in the normal range (say 8-12) then your PH WILL be in the normal range (say 7.8-8.4) unless there is a lot of Co2 driving the PH down. PH is not the number to be paying attention to, alk is. If the alk is normal and the PH low, then you need to look at Co2. Co2 will come from elevated Co2 in the air around the tank, for example of the house is closed up all the time with AC keeping it cool allowing Co2 to build up, OR it could be excess Co2 from your Ca reactor.
Next thought... "white stuff on the tip of the rocks" This easily could be precipitation caused by having too much Ca/alk or having good levels and then adding too much of a supplement. Considering that you just added a supplement to water that seemed to be in the normal Ca/alk ranges, and now you are seeing white stuff, you may well be edging on a serious precipitation event aka snow storm. (snowstorm meaning massive precipation, suddenly the Ca and all start sticking together in mass and you literally see white stuff falling out of solution which looks like it's snowing in your tank.)
Now really jumping......... Maybe your Mg is low making it hard to keep Ca and alk in normal range. With that, you need to keep the Ca reactor cranked way up causing too much Co2 going into the water, which in turn causes the PH to be driven down falsely suggesting that something else is low.
Hmm, Dong (dz6t) you're the chemist here - am I heading in the right direction? Please explain in more educated terms
PH in seawater is a function of alk and Co2. If your alk is in the normal range (say 8-12) then your PH WILL be in the normal range (say 7.8-8.4) unless there is a lot of Co2 driving the PH down. PH is not the number to be paying attention to, alk is. If the alk is normal and the PH low, then you need to look at Co2. Co2 will come from elevated Co2 in the air around the tank, for example of the house is closed up all the time with AC keeping it cool allowing Co2 to build up, OR it could be excess Co2 from your Ca reactor.
Next thought... "white stuff on the tip of the rocks" This easily could be precipitation caused by having too much Ca/alk or having good levels and then adding too much of a supplement. Considering that you just added a supplement to water that seemed to be in the normal Ca/alk ranges, and now you are seeing white stuff, you may well be edging on a serious precipitation event aka snow storm. (snowstorm meaning massive precipation, suddenly the Ca and all start sticking together in mass and you literally see white stuff falling out of solution which looks like it's snowing in your tank.)
Now really jumping......... Maybe your Mg is low making it hard to keep Ca and alk in normal range. With that, you need to keep the Ca reactor cranked way up causing too much Co2 going into the water, which in turn causes the PH to be driven down falsely suggesting that something else is low.
Hmm, Dong (dz6t) you're the chemist here - am I heading in the right direction? Please explain in more educated terms
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johnnyb
Non-member
They didn't tell me to chase ph. They said my alk was too low and my ph was also. They had me dose to get my alk to 10.2 I was just saying I noticed for the first time that my ph probe reading was low and when I tested it had dropped a little and my alk dropped. I dosed to maintain the 10.2 number while doing this low light experiment. The only thing 2 different stores said was the 10.2 number is right.
delta
Impatient Reefer
I ll say it again, Go back to basics you have ammonia readings your tank is at the very least in a mini cycle.
Get a current parameter reading by having a local reefer come over and get a second set of eyes on all this. then report back.
As John said any one telling you to adjust PH is steering you wrong. PH is an indicator of what everything else is doing not a parameter you adjust
Get a current parameter reading by having a local reefer come over and get a second set of eyes on all this. then report back.
As John said any one telling you to adjust PH is steering you wrong. PH is an indicator of what everything else is doing not a parameter you adjust
OK, that sounds like more reasonable advice. I agree with the plan, leave other variables alone and see what happens with the light experiment.
I would not add any more alk supplement now that you have seen the "white stuff". That potentially is a sign that you are very close to a precipitation event which would not be helpful at all.
I"m pretty sure he said Ca reactor. Not sure about Mg monitoring and corrections.
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johnnyb
Non-member
All numbers are tested 3 times a week no changes ( other than today's mini drop) mag cal alk are still the numbers I posted originally. I have had the water tested by myself and 2 other stores. All same or very close readings. My numbers seem to be staying stable through my water changes and the original dosing. I do have a calcium reactor.
I'm thinking the white residue was when I poured my original dosing in the water level was such that the soda ash stuck to the Rock and dryed as the water level in the sump goes up and down the rocks have been dosing more of the additive I originally put in during the initial alk and ph adjustment. I haven't dosed in over 1 month and the numbers have stayed on their own.
I'm thinking the white residue was when I poured my original dosing in the water level was such that the soda ash stuck to the Rock and dryed as the water level in the sump goes up and down the rocks have been dosing more of the additive I originally put in during the initial alk and ph adjustment. I haven't dosed in over 1 month and the numbers have stayed on their own.
As John K wrote some postings backs. This is a screenshot I did a couple of days ago for another posting.
See how PH fluctuate every day as John K wrote.
I do nothing. It just fluctuate with the light cycle due to Co2 and the photosynthesis process.
Sorry.... I could avoid to continue posting to provide some help or support !!
Ps: my skimmer brings air from outside. That helps.
See how PH fluctuate every day as John K wrote.
I do nothing. It just fluctuate with the light cycle due to Co2 and the photosynthesis process.
Sorry.... I could avoid to continue posting to provide some help or support !!
Ps: my skimmer brings air from outside. That helps.
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johnnyb
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I have 2 skimmers in my system to bring oxygen . I also made the way I return my water so if I don't run a sock my system would turn white with micro bubbles I use a clothes hamper with sock material I sew together to form a 30 inch round sock and that stops the micro bubbles from returning to my system. Is there a way to test oxygen levels? I would think my system has a lot of aeration and the levels would be good. My fish and soft stuff looks great.
