My 20-Gallon (Tall) Softie/lps Nano-Reef!

[Fishgirl2393]

Any ideas to fix the pH drop at night? The tank looks pretty good. I haven't been able to take or post pictures because I've been traveling and really busy for the past two weeks.

[jedimasterben]

Please throw away your pH test kit.

[Tamberav]

+1 don't chase pH. Running a fuge on reverse lighting as the display tank will help with a drop in pH at night but ya.. otherwise don't add any chemical fix or anything.

[Fishgirl2393]

OK. I know chasing pH is not good (and I really try not to) but I am almost positive that the pH is the problem. But I would prefer to do it all natural if possible (fuge on reverse light).

[jedimasterben]

Please throw away your pH test kit. Don't bother with a reverse fuge (their effect is negligible unless your refugium is significant in size and is extremely well-lit). Don't bother with any additives. Forget that pH exists.

[Eclipse]

Just have good surface flow and a salt like IORC that says it'll keep your ph at the right level, because it does and should. People make it seem like a huge issue but honestly it shouldn't be considered as such.

[jedimasterben]

pH is a function of alkalinity and dissolved oxygen levels. Raise dissolved oxygen when alkalinity is within proper range (120-200ppm) and pH will rise. Any pH is normal. Do not worry about pH.

[Fishgirl2393]

I need someone to help figure out why this cyano thing is happening. This is what the tank looks like in the morning (when lights come on)

 

And then later in the day (before lights go off).

 

WHY does this happen and what can I do? It's so weird that it goes away in the afternoon...

Help me figure this out. And there is Phosguard in the filter so it shouldn't be phosphate. Parameters are:

Nitrate: 7ppm

Alk: 9dKH

Calcium: 450ppm

pH: varies during the day and at night. Gets to about 7.9-8.0 during the day, can get as low as 7.6 at night

 

[Tamberav]

When did you last change the phosguard? What lighting do you have? Flow? What is your Alk?

 

Have you tried chemi-clean?

 

Growth can be accelerated by other factors (such as pH, lighting, temp, ect) but the cause of cyano comes from two main things: nutrients and flow. A shift in pH will not grow cyano on its own without the cause (nutrients) present. You need to find the root cause and fix it.

 

Enough flow and no dead spots will and the cyano can not hold on. Without excess nutrients (mostly Phosphate) the cyano can't survive.

 

 

I need someone to help figure out why this cyano thing is happening. This is what the tank looks like in the morning (when lights come on)

Morningslime.jpg

And then later in the day (before lights go off).

afternoonnoslime.jpg

WHY does this happen and what can I do? It's so weird that it goes away in the afternoon...

Help me figure this out. And there is Phosguard in the filter so it shouldn't be phosphate. Parameters are:

Nitrate: 7ppm

Alk: 9dKH

Calcium: 450ppm

pH: varies during the day and at night. Gets to about 7.9-8.0 during the day, can get as low as 7.6 at night

[Fishgirl2393]

Here's the deal though... Nitrates are as low as I can make them without my corals getting upset ( they are softies and LPS and do not like nutrient Poor water. Same with phosphate. My flow is good. I have used chemiclean twice. It worked but I don't like using it.

[Fishgirl2393]

Newest test results (just did tests, those ones above were from a while back and I made a mistake typing the alk test in because it was lower):

Nitrate: 7ppm (this stays about this level though it obviously fluctuates a bit due to water changes)

pH: 7.9-8.0

Alk: 7dKH

Calcium: 470ppm

[Chadf]

Newest test results (just did tests, those ones above were from a while back and I made a mistake typing the alk test in because it was lower):

Nitrate: 7ppm (this stays about this level though it obviously fluctuates a bit due to water changes)

pH: 7.9-8.0

Alk: 7dKH

Calcium: 470ppm

 

I thought you threw the ph kit away?

[Fishgirl2393]

No. I know I don't need to chase pH (and I'm not adding buffer currently and don't have any plans to do so any time soon either) but I've got to figure out how to stabilize it at night because that has got to be the main cause of the cyano growth. I know it requires nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) but I'm running media to remove phosphate and I cannot lower the nitrates much more because the soft and LPS corals do not like it if I do. My pH gets down to about 7.6 at night. I just need to figure out how to stabilize it some (I know there will be some swing, but I'd like to minimize it if possible).

[Fishgirl2393]

My pH this morning is 7.6. These low pH readings at night have to be the problem. 8.0 in the day to 7.6 at night is rather bad. Any tips?

[jedimasterben]

My pH this morning is 7.6. These low pH readings at night have to be the problem. 8.0 in the day to 7.6 at night is rather bad. Any tips?

 

Please throw away your pH test kit. Don't bother with a reverse fuge (their effect is negligible unless your refugium is significant in size and is extremely well-lit). Don't bother with any additives. Forget that pH exists.

 

pH is a function of alkalinity and dissolved oxygen levels. Raise dissolved oxygen when alkalinity is within proper range (120-200ppm) and pH will rise. Any pH is normal. Do not worry about pH.

[Fishgirl2393]

Still haven't done anything but pH still is not very high. It is about 7.5-7.6 right now and yesterday, did not get up to even 8.0 (it maxed out at about 7.8). This cannot be good for the stony corals because of their calcium carbonate skeletons. I think it must be excess CO2 causing it and I'm running an aeration test outside right now with tank water to see if it helps. I'm not chasing pH (to get the perfect number) as much as I'm trying to get into an acceptable RANGE. I know it will swing, I just would prefer it to swing within a good range. Any ideas?

[Fishgirl2393]

Outdoor aeration test brought pH up from 7.5-7.6 to 7.8-7.9 in 30 minutes. Should I run an airpump outside and run the tube inside and attach to skimmer? How is this done (any special precautions taken?)? Thanks.

[Fishgirl2393]

Anyone have any ideas? I don't want to start dosing but would like to stabilize it if possible.

[Tamberav]

My pH gets as low as 7.6 as well, more-so in winter since all the windows are closed. I don't have cyano and my nitrates are 10-15. I even dose carbon and I don't have cyano.

 

Siphon your sand bed or replace it with dry, clean those pumps, filters, blow off the rock, and do a W/C.

 

It's not like adding phosguard suddenly makes PO4 a non-issue.

 

Koralia Nano 425, unknown brand 45-GPH powerhead. <-- if you are still using these, this is NOT enough flow for a 20g tall. A 425g + return wasn't even acceptable in my 12g cube.

[Fishgirl2393]

How much flow do I need? The filters are supposed to be 100gph also (there are 2) so that needs to be added in too.

[jedimasterben]

Ignore filtration. Turnover (not flow) should be 40-100x the display volume. More is almost always better to the point where corals close or flesh shears off.

[Fishgirl2393]

OK, but the filters are hang on tank filters... They don't count?

[Tamberav]

Even adding the filters, + those pumps, you would not be at 40x let alone 100x. I try to go as high as I can until sand starts blowing around.

 

I had cyano in my 20g when I was overfeeding my mandy. I replaced my koralia with a mp10 and boy did that help. Obviously a mp10 is spendy but there are cheaper options out there.

 

Proper flow just helps since the cyano won't be able to "stick" easily.

Do you siphon your sand bed every week?

[jedimasterben]

Proper flow just helps since the cyano won't be able to "stick" easily.

Not entirely true. I have cyano growing on the sides of my MP40s.

[Fishgirl2393]

I siphon sand bed every water change and I try to do a 10%-15% water change every week. If I don't get one done EVERY week, I do a larger one. Never more than 2 weeks between them though.