thanks again !!

[Frogspawn]

yea i think i can do that. my heaters from my last SW set-up the numbers are faded but i will tinker with it till it gets just right. how could i make my PH more stable? and could that be the problem?

 

[roka64]

Depending on how old your tank is, (pH can swing the first few months after the cycle), you can make more surface ripple by adjusting your phs. If you have a cover, that will reduce the gass exchange, lowering your pH. Also keep in mind pH will be higher before lights out and lower after lights on, so you want to measure it around the same time every day.

 

[Frogspawn]

well my tank is only a few months old mabey 2. and my tank is uncoverd and i have a maxi jet 600 pointed at the top for good surface ripple all day and night long. i am thinking thats why my corals are acting up. going in to a ball. like pictured above. they do it only when lights come on and go off. there for some one told me mabey it was my temp swinging and i checked that and came up with a 1.4 degree swing. now i am thinkin mabey its my PH. and i was wondering how i could make my PH more stable. i have all the things above u mention. but it just seems like that is not getting it done.
how old befor a tanks has a stable PH. i will hold off on adding anything else to this tank.
do u think this PH swing could end up killing my corals?. i dont want to add any buffer. i have only had bad exp. with them.

 

[roka64]

What is the amount of the pH swing? What brand of salt are you using?

 

[Marc118]

What is the amount of the pH swing? What brand of salt are you using?

I was just going to suggest that he wouldnt have to add anything to buffer the PH if he were to do a PWC with a good salt mix, but it looks like thats what your getting at.

I have had success with IO.

 

[Frogspawn]

i use reef crystals and i dont know the ph swing yet. i have not been able to get a good measure on it yet. my test tests i think r a little screwy. thier a little old and i havent been able to get out to the store to get one yet. i will tomarrow for shure
any one know the time frame for a stable ph?

 

[MT79]

I would say things should start stabilizing around 4-8 months or so. Generally it takes about a year for all the processes to level out, and the tank to be fully stable/mature.

 

[tecwzrd]

Ditto on the 4-8 months. Also many times I've noticed people get there tanks out of whack by adding supplements like alk buffers, ca, mg, iodine, ect.. without testing to make sure they don't overdose or even if they need it.

Best thing you can do is keep up with regular pwc and adjust ph/alk/ca of your pwc mix (if needed) before adding to the tank and don't add anything to the tank you can't test for.

 

[MT79]

Also many times I've noticed people get there tanks out of whack by adding supplements... Best thing you can do is keep up with regular pwc and adjust ph/alk/ca of your pwc mix.

That is a good point to bring up. I absolutly agree.

 

[Frogspawn]

i havent added any buffers or nothing. just my PWC every week 2-4g on a 30g tank. i have noticed that my clown and 2 corals are growing. but yet i am still having the problem. is it normal for them to hide like that at night or whatever? they still look healthy they just hide sometimes. also i bought some coral and anomone food toda and a new PH test kit. at mid day it tested out at 8.0-8.1
and also how often should i feed the corals there food?

 

[Marc118]

Do you have a fuge?

What corals did you get?

 

[Frogspawn]

yea i have a fuge. its a HOB refuge from CPR (large) and the 2 corals i have is a pulsing zenia. and a torch coral.

 

[Marc118]

Get some chaeto and put the fuge on a reverse photoperiod and it will help stabilize your pH at night.

You really dont need to feed the torch, it will thrive off the algae from the light, but you can target feed some mysis every once in a while if you want. Same with the xenia, medium light and medium/low flow seem to work for me.