This month I have learned a little bit more about Ph. I learned from someone that dosing Kalk with a Metering pump slowly will kill Briopsis if done properly without disturbing animals. Finally using a Ph Meter for myself, I watched ph rise while lights are on (normal) and lower when lights were off(normal). I knew one way to try to stabilize Ph was to have a Refugeum with lights running on a opposite photo period of your Reef tank photo period. Your PH changes due to gas exchange. The amount of CO2 and Oxygen in your tank. I try to put a flag in peoples minds to remember to keep your top of your tank open to let CO2 excape. Did you know that corals desire a proper PH to consume feed, to grow, and to become healthy?
I wanted to do a Calcium reactor. I volunteered to test a reactor from a friend. But wait a minute, this reactor only runs for about 8 hours a day. When do I turn it on I asked. You want to turn it on a hour after my lights are on. When do I want to turn it off I asked. The manufacturer stated a hour before my lights go off. That sounded pretty easy.
The more I thought, What about my Ph lowering at night. I was told to run a dosing pump with Kalk a hour or so after my lights go out. And when do I shut it off I asked. I was told a hour before my lights go on.
I started thinking of adding additives and how many hours I was told to wait before testing. So I use a Calcium reactor which can possibly lower PH during the Day. The Kalk reactor which raises Ph during the night. Maybe a controller for both of these is not such a bad idea.
Is using a Calcium reactor easier or harder than dosing? I guess time will only tell. I definitely will monitor my Ph more often. I know that raising PH too fast can burn off your algae, shock your animals, kill your corals. Here is a thought to put a flag in your head. When Ph drops you can monitor your snails crawling up the glass from bottom quite often. Do you think this has something to do with PH? I do.
I hope your doing great!
Ed
