The takeaway should be to make one change at a time, so so slowly, and give the tank an opportunity to adjust before doing anything else. Changes aren't bad, they just need to be made thoughtfully.
@@scuba_john4758 I guess good water quality would play a factor in what coral growth and raising clownfish have to do with one another. I was simply saying I know what I am doing in this hobby well enough to do something that most people don't/can't do, and they provide information that people on all levels of the hobby can learn from.
I stopped trying to aim for 9 dKh. My tank doesn't like it and it stabilizes around 10.7 to 10.9 dKh. I keep a solid 8.3 to 8.39 ph too. I only have LPS corals and not going to change a thing since my tank told me no once, lol. Great advice (as always) from BRS. 9 dKh is a great starting point. Keep the videos coming because they are always fun to watch and learn from.
hi, there is a continue debate among reefers on the topic : which one consume more trace elements between skimmer and ats and also what type of trace elements are consumed by skimmers and ats individually , this could be interesting for the format "brs investigates", thanks for the attention.
Big thank to these two knowledgeable guys. They explained and Illustrated the problems so well. Thank you! And I’ll definitely keep watching this channel and visit your website
Best way to increase coral growth? Switch to metal halides. I’ve used all types of lighting and have found metal halides to be by far the best for coral growth.
A cool thing I picked up off Than from Tidal Gardens saying, is that if you really want like double the rate of growth and progression, probably the best way to do that is to double the water volume or at least increase it by adding a sump.
Just into yr 4 and have noticed some coral shrinkage recently though params remain stable. Stuck my hand in front of the pumps and found the answer. Need new pumps...not enough flow any more
Best way to increase coral growth? Switch to metal halides. I’ve used all types of lighting and have found metal halides to be by far the best for coral growth.
Is hand dosing alk bad if its not a huge amount like 15 mls? If I get a dower and dose in a 24 hour period can that help ifs its only 14. Oh I just bought ALF is that not going to up like ur soda ash does? Is there any gear that can up ph and lower nutrients beside a fuge? I just dont have room for one! My ph is about 7.8! No room for any of the gear Except my aio I can turn back into a small fuge. I cant figure a way that wont be unsightly like a HOB! Cant add a line outside because I live in hot humid fl and have lawn spayed! Possibly a small co2 scrubber may work in one tank. Are you also saying we should feed when lights are out? It looked to me that the amino acids doubled the growth as much at raising ph! I cant imagine doing both but I am going to try to figure a way to up my ph and going to start back with red sea reef energy. I left mine out to many times and it spoiled! lol. My biggest problem is over buying on bay auctions! To much at once! lol. Then had to change dosing levels ect to get right! Is 25 nitrates time to bring them down? Does carbon dosing have any effect on PH?
No one ever realizes the corals need co2 also. Read about the relationship between zooxanthellae, corals and co2. there’s better ways to combat low ph then worry about co2. “The zooxanthellae cells use the carbon dioxide and water to carry out photosynthesis. Sugars, lipids (fats) and oxygen are some of the products of photosynthesis which the zooxanthellae cells produce. The coral polyp then uses these products to grow and carry out cellular respiration.”
We understand that $100 might seem steep, but keep in mind that once a brand new meter is used and returned, we can't sell it as new any longer. For most reefers, buying a $500+ meter to use once just isn't an option and spending the $100 to set up their lights right the first time will pay for itself when you don't lose corals due to too much or too little light.
Even Zoas do not grow in my tank. Some do not even open fully. Not dying, not growing. Alk stable in past months. Using Triton Method. Dosing Reefroids and Aminos. Messed with flow and light to zero effect. Will try PAR meter again...(Seneye is the cheapest PAR meter you can get by FAR!) I remember my first tank with crap lights and loads of algae yellowish water and yet every single softie would carpet-cover all rocks.
Look at your water chemistry: do you use RO/DI water? Do you regularly change filters, how many waterchanges (if at all) do you do? Do you have any metals in the water (ICP test!?), in that case use a spongelike laboratory filter that adsorbs all metals and if that turns dark in a week you know it was a kind of metal. Probably available in your LFS or at BRS
You can put plants around the tank to absorb Co2. Indoor plants will use the aquarium lights. Sansevieria trifasciata is very hardy and does not take much watering.
@@cruelolol actually it’s a fact that plants Absorb c02 and also a fact that the less c02 in the ambient air around your tank the less c02 will be in your tank
Plants cannot keep up with the elevated levels of CO2 introduced into a closed room by humans. A plant next to your sump is about as effective at lowering ambient CO2 levels as, say, a burrito.
Could someone explain to me my PH issue.. when I first got the tank set up 3 years ago..I would take R/O water add a little buffer at a time to get it where I needed and add a little as needed to maintain it..I got fancy and bought a ATO just a simple one..I have a five gal bucket in cabinet with the pump..I add 1/4tsp of buffer to R/O each time I fill it up..I can check my PH at any time of the day when lights are on or off PH lives around 7.6-7.8 ... what's dropping the PH could it be the plastic bucket? My LFS seems to think I'm not adding enough buffer.. he was the one who wrote 1/4 Tsp on lid of buffer.. anyways I would love some advice.. oh I have a All in one tank no sump type...
Less important vs tanks with LPS and SPS corals, but the "big three" shouldn't be ignored. There are a lot of beneficial creatures that rely on calcium and alkalinity like snails to build their shells as well as coralline algae.
I do love your videos, you come across as very thoughtful. I do have to comment on one point though, if the pH of the a tank fluctuates above 7, it will still be above the neutral point so the tanks alkalinity will be fluctuating as opposed to becoming more acidic.
How do i get alk at nine when my salt from aquaforest is lower in alk. I do weekly water changes, so if i gonna wanna keep it at 9 i make swings al the time with water changing
How can I raise ph in a 20 long softie frag tank with an hob? I dont have a skimmer and I don't dose kalk or dose at all. I can think of anyway and I live in florida so I cant open windows! Plus tank is in a small home office with my dogs and me all day and half the night! PLEASE HELP! hOW COME YOU DONT RECOMEND RAISING PH ADDITIVES?
It sounds like you've ruled out most of the common ways to raise pH. The only other one that you could consider is a HOB refugium. We don't recommend pH boosters because they will raise alkalinity substantially and the increase in pH is only temporary.
They forgot to mention that there could always be an issue with the salt brand you are using. I have heard people are having issues with a certain salt mix. I will not mention the salt mix by name.
$100 isn't pocket change for most people, but when we're spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on corals over the years, $100 to get our aquarium lights set up right the first time could pay for itself quickly in avoiding coral mortality. It's certainly more accessible than purchasing a nearly $600 meter.
Sorry to hear that you're having troubles with your corals. Feel free to give us a call if you ever need help or advice. If you're on Facebook, our AskBRS group is a great place to get pointed in the right direction too
A healthy tank should not need much. Sometimes a 40% water change. One thing a healthy tank should not need is any scrubbers. Don't put too many fish in one tank and remember coral is a natural filter. Keep the blue light on for the coral. Keep your temp constant. Reef fish are the most adaptive so they can withstand the most change. Don't feed too much, fish can live on very little food. After all, they float all day. They don't have to overcome gravity. Make sure your salinity is constant. Check it every other day. If needed add distilled. Make sure all your pumps are working. Anything else one can change gradually. Do all your fish get along with each other? Do you have a cleaner shrimp to eat parasites? Do you have hermit crabs to scour the bottom of the tank? How is your turbo snail to burrow into the sand? Have you ever put a red light on to see just how many critters live in the tank that only come out at night? Are your rocks live? All that and you don't need to watch vids to keep it healthy.
I have had various salt water tanks since 1988 back when this was in its infancy. I have a thriving mini reef to the point that I am removing and cutting corals and sponges to sell back to the local fish store about every 4 months. I have not tested my water in over 10 years and the only equipment that I run is a cannister filter and a Bak Pak protein skimmer and my water circulates to a 29 gallon refugium tank under my display tank that is full of seaweed with a light to keep it growing. I have had disasters over the years as I had to watch my tank get destroyed as fish and corals were dying by the day. How did I solve 99% of my issues?....by getting a 5 stage RO and dual stage DI filter system. If you are using tap water in your tank..STOP! BRS sells RO systems and DI filters with nuclear grade resin. Purchase them. I use a 350 gallon per day RO and have it fill a large plastic garbage pail with water, then use that water to mix in my salt. If the city water plant mixes in Alum for high turbidity, that will end up in your tank and you can say hello to a nightmare. RO filters solve all of this.
I've been able to get my Zoas frag to reopen after reducing nitrates below 5ppm, but my Green stars have basically dissolved. I think my issue is related to pH, which I've been trying to manage with alk buffer additives, which ultimately lead to a huge water change. I test about once per week, if not more, and have never been able to keep the pH above 7.8 for more than a day or two. I've tried to keep the pH between 8.2 and 8.3 using pH buffer, but this tends to raise the alk more than the pH, and then the pH just drops again overnight back to 7.8. At that point, the alk is still high so I can't add more without a huge, huge, water change, which seems to be more destabilizing than just trying to keep the pH above 7.8. Between adding alk buffer and water changes, the tank seems to only consume about 0.1-0.2 dKH per day according to my data. My Alk tends to be between 9.5-13.0 dKH (and I have overdosed as high as 24 dKH when I did the math wrong once, but quickly did a water change the same day)
For the reasons you've mentioned, pH buffers aren't a great solution to keeping pH up long term. The best way to see if CO2 is your issue is to open all of your windows and monitor the pH. Alternatively, if you have an aquarium controller that logs your pH for you, you can leave for a weekend and watch the pH graphs. If the pH increases while you're not at home for the weekend, this is a sign that you have a CO2 issue leading to your low pH.
@@BRStv AHH I've been trying to come up with some sort of control for a CO2 test and I think the vacation idea is one to try. I've not yet been able to afford a monitoring solution but am leaning towards the Apex JR since its expandable.
The coral shown at 10:27/10:30. can you give me the name please? I have one of those in my tank for years now but I never knew it’s name 🤷♂️ thanks a bunch
That is a Chalice, but not 100% what it's "commercial" name is. Many coral vendors put their own names on corals and it's just hard to keep up sometimes. :P
7-12 dKH is the generally agreed upon range to keep our reef tanks at with stability within that range the even more important part. If you want to lower your alkalinity, you have a couple of choices. One is to do water changes with a salt mix lower in alkalinity. I suggest using a salt mix that has the desired tank dKH because this way, your water changes after adjustment won't affect alkalinity as much. Option two is to stop all dosing and let your corals consume it. If you have a lot of corals, this will happen pretty quickly, usually within a couple of days. If you have few corals, then this will happen slowly.
Can you do a freshwater fish video I have a biocube and I have to do water change every Friday or Saturday due to alage my tank keeps tuning super green and I only have 4 fishe
We're very focused on the saltwater side of the hobby, but many of the same basic principles apply to each. There are also some great Freshwater UA-cam channels that would be a great resource 😃
Ive given you a dislike for this one because all you talk about are additives. This easest way to keep ph stable is use the right sand. The sand keeps it at 8.2 naturally. There is no need to make things harder and more exspensive than they need to be
Aragonite based sand can help buffer the pH within our tanks, but it's not a solution in all cases. pH is basically the measurement of hydrogen ions in the water, so there are a number of other factors at play. Ryan's Master pH video really helps explain the science behind pH in our reef tanks: ua-cam.com/video/GKMM20I9DWk/v-deo.html
You can get away with that in some tanks with certain livestock, but differences in filtration, bioload, feeding habits, and more might make water changes a useful tool for some reefers 😀
First tip: don't mess with the tank. Next nine tips: here's how to mess with your tank lol
The takeaway should be to make one change at a time, so so slowly, and give the tank an opportunity to adjust before doing anything else. Changes aren't bad, they just need to be made thoughtfully.
I have been reefing for 4 years and successfully breed clownfish and I still watch these videos. Always something to be learned.
Any tips on breeding clowns
@@Fifthimagez just be patient and do lots of research.
@@Fifthimagez 9⁹99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999
What’s breeding clownfish have to do with coral growth ?
@@scuba_john4758 I guess good water quality would play a factor in what coral growth and raising clownfish have to do with one another. I was simply saying I know what I am doing in this hobby well enough to do something that most people don't/can't do, and they provide information that people on all levels of the hobby can learn from.
I stopped trying to aim for 9 dKh. My tank doesn't like it and it stabilizes around 10.7 to 10.9 dKh. I keep a solid 8.3 to 8.39 ph too. I only have LPS corals and not going to change a thing since my tank told me no once, lol. Great advice (as always) from BRS. 9 dKh is a great starting point. Keep the videos coming because they are always fun to watch and learn from.
New to the hobby BRS is nice to have to learn from and try and stop before I make some of these mistakes.
hi, there is a continue debate among reefers on the topic : which one consume more trace elements between skimmer and ats and also what type of trace elements are consumed by skimmers and ats individually , this could be interesting for the format "brs investigates", thanks for the attention.
Incredibly informative, love the emphasis on research, science and well designed studies. You guys rock. I absorb a few videos every night.
57
Thank you BRS for another great video!!!
Just a 100 dollar restocking fee lol or I just buy on Amazon use then return for free? There's some game for yall
Love BRS!!!!
Would like to see a video about heavy metal removal from your water. Which media works best and which media removes what.
How did it get there in the first place? Need to be using rodi water or distilled if you can for top offs or salt mixing
@@iceicetimmay Most of the times food or Balling methode.
Big thank to these two knowledgeable guys. They explained and Illustrated the problems so well. Thank you! And I’ll definitely keep watching this channel and visit your website
Best way to increase coral growth? Switch to metal halides. I’ve used all types of lighting and have found metal halides to be by far the best for coral growth.
Absolutely, no comparison between MH and LED. MH will always be the best for corals.
A cool thing I picked up off Than from Tidal Gardens saying, is that if you really want like double the rate of growth and progression, probably the best way to do that is to double the water volume or at least increase it by adding a sump.
I swear, anytime I start to heavily Google a topic, BRS makes a video on it the next day! LOVE IT
Same!!!!
That’s the way the matrix is programmed
Haha, it's the quantum field I guess; it makes things happen for you
Me too. It's weird
Just into yr 4 and have noticed some coral shrinkage recently though params remain stable. Stuck my hand in front of the pumps and found the answer. Need new pumps...not enough flow any more
Best way to increase coral growth? Switch to metal halides. I’ve used all types of lighting and have found metal halides to be by far the best for coral growth.
Is hand dosing alk bad if its not a huge amount like 15 mls? If I get a dower and dose in a 24 hour period can that help ifs its only 14. Oh I just bought ALF is that not going to up like ur soda ash does? Is there any gear that can up ph and lower nutrients beside a fuge? I just dont have room for one! My ph is about 7.8! No room for any of the gear Except my aio I can turn back into a small fuge. I cant figure a way that wont be unsightly like a HOB! Cant add a line outside because I live in hot humid fl and have lawn spayed! Possibly a small co2 scrubber may work in one tank. Are you also saying we should feed when lights are out? It looked to me that the amino acids doubled the growth as much at raising ph! I cant imagine doing both but I am going to try to figure a way to up my ph and going to start back with red sea reef energy. I left mine out to many times and it spoiled! lol. My biggest problem is over buying on bay auctions! To much at once! lol. Then had to change dosing levels ect to get right! Is 25 nitrates time to bring them down? Does carbon dosing have any effect on PH?
No one ever realizes the corals need co2 also.
Read about the relationship between zooxanthellae, corals and co2.
there’s better ways to combat low ph then worry about co2.
“The zooxanthellae cells use the carbon dioxide and water to carry out photosynthesis. Sugars, lipids (fats) and oxygen are some of the products of photosynthesis which the zooxanthellae cells produce. The coral polyp then uses these products to grow and carry out cellular respiration.”
How do i achieve stable alkalinity?
What supplements please and thanks
I run my reef on a fluval 407 canister filter and feed reefroids and it’s thriving… I haven’t done a water change in over a year
Seriously?
I sent some water into ICP testing. They sent me back a Faygo.
Haha
I was told by a friend to just "not touch anything" when it comes a reef tank.
Now all this pH and alk talk also apply to softies???
SMALL RESTOCK FEE! $100 😆 🤣 😂
We understand that $100 might seem steep, but keep in mind that once a brand new meter is used and returned, we can't sell it as new any longer. For most reefers, buying a $500+ meter to use once just isn't an option and spending the $100 to set up their lights right the first time will pay for itself when you don't lose corals due to too much or too little light.
You should make one also about Corals coulours.
My home does not need an air exchanger. It's droughty enough as is.
Even Zoas do not grow in my tank. Some do not even open fully. Not dying, not growing. Alk stable in past months. Using Triton Method. Dosing Reefroids and Aminos. Messed with flow and light to zero effect. Will try PAR meter again...(Seneye is the cheapest PAR meter you can get by FAR!) I remember my first tank with crap lights and loads of algae yellowish water and yet every single softie would carpet-cover all rocks.
Check po4....zoas don't care about alk ime
@@Sammy31Dee I will but no algae, I dose NoPoX, might be too sterile, there is cyano. Fish fed daily.
take them out and dip them, see if anything falls off. if nothing try an iodine dip as well
@@KrzysztofC-1 cyano and dino is absolutely a result of a low nutrient system....po4 should not go below (.07)
Look at your water chemistry: do you use RO/DI water? Do you regularly change filters, how many waterchanges (if at all) do you do? Do you have any metals in the water (ICP test!?), in that case use a spongelike laboratory filter that adsorbs all metals and if that turns dark in a week you know it was a kind of metal. Probably available in your LFS or at BRS
Thank you BRS for making a awesome video .
You can put plants around the tank to absorb Co2. Indoor plants will use the aquarium lights. Sansevieria trifasciata is very hardy and does not take much watering.
This a misconception and not based on any real data.
@@cruelolol you are probably right. Whoever heard of a plant making oxygen?
@@cruelolol actually it’s a fact that plants Absorb c02 and also a fact that the less c02 in the ambient air around your tank the less c02 will be in your tank
Plants cannot keep up with the elevated levels of CO2 introduced into a closed room by humans. A plant next to your sump is about as effective at lowering ambient CO2 levels as, say, a burrito.
@@cruelolol Are you saying burritos create oxygen or are you saying plants do not? I would prefer to have a room full of burritos.
just sent my water out today can’t wait for the results
6 months into my first reef tank and I’m already bored of it. Nothing grows and I can’t stand looking at coral plugs.
Sounds more like aquatic lows
@@samuelphillian1286 at least now I know I’m not a saltwater guy
As I always say to new reefers. Take care of the water and it will take care of you.
I'd rather had the water take care of my corals and fish:)
@@martijnvanbeek4387 that’s what it does you absolute tool…you maintain healthy water and that helps keep things alive
Could someone explain to me my PH issue.. when I first got the tank set up 3 years ago..I would take R/O water add a little buffer at a time to get it where I needed and add a little as needed to maintain it..I got fancy and bought a ATO just a simple one..I have a five gal bucket in cabinet with the pump..I add 1/4tsp of buffer to R/O each time I fill it up..I can check my PH at any time of the day when lights are on or off PH lives around 7.6-7.8 ... what's dropping the PH could it be the plastic bucket? My LFS seems to think I'm not adding enough buffer.. he was the one who wrote 1/4 Tsp on lid of buffer.. anyways I would love some advice.. oh I have a All in one tank no sump type...
that high alk? :O I though that best alk is about 8 dkh :S
7 to 11 dKH is generally considered an acceptable range, but we suggest 9 dKH to allow room for errors and test kit accuracy ranges.
How important is a stable alkalinity, ca and mg for soft corals only?
Less important vs tanks with LPS and SPS corals, but the "big three" shouldn't be ignored. There are a lot of beneficial creatures that rely on calcium and alkalinity like snails to build their shells as well as coralline algae.
Another great video to make me a better reefer
I do love your videos, you come across as very thoughtful. I do have to comment on one point though, if the pH of the a tank fluctuates above 7, it will still be above the neutral point so the tanks alkalinity will be fluctuating as opposed to becoming more acidic.
Reef tank pH is often 8.2 or a bit higher.
If you pH is only around 7, you better crank it up.
How do i get alk at nine when my salt from aquaforest is lower in alk. I do weekly water changes, so if i gonna wanna keep it at 9 i make swings al the time with water changing
I miss Randy
Wait you brought back the par rental?
no more rental. now you can keep it for 2 months and return it with an open box fee.
So do you offer the used ones for a discount?
We sure do! Check the Open Box page on the site for them. www.bulkreefsupply.com/specials/open-box-discount.html
👍
👍👍
Sometimes you just have to accept the fact nothing you do will get your corals to grow and you've wasted a ton of money.
Hey BRS, do LED’s fade over time? (Get dimmer) Like fluorescent light 💡
Only 10 😂
IS SODIUM HYDROXIDE considered a supper buffer?
Been watching your videos for years now & I noticed the changes 😂. ❤ you guys
How can I raise ph in a 20 long softie frag tank with an hob? I dont have a skimmer and I don't dose kalk or dose at all. I can think of anyway and I live in florida so I cant open windows! Plus tank is in a small home office with my dogs and me all day and half the night! PLEASE HELP! hOW COME YOU DONT RECOMEND RAISING PH ADDITIVES?
It sounds like you've ruled out most of the common ways to raise pH. The only other one that you could consider is a HOB refugium. We don't recommend pH boosters because they will raise alkalinity substantially and the increase in pH is only temporary.
9.0!?!? You need at least 11-12 for corals
They forgot to mention that there could always be an issue with the salt brand you are using. I have heard people are having issues with a certain salt mix. I will not mention the salt mix by name.
Does it come in a blue bucket?
Starts with an F and rhymes with “boobs”
@@Waynerock77 no starts with T
@@truereefkeeping6022 nope white bucket.
small $100 stocking fee lmao. not small.
$100 isn't pocket change for most people, but when we're spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on corals over the years, $100 to get our aquarium lights set up right the first time could pay for itself quickly in avoiding coral mortality. It's certainly more accessible than purchasing a nearly $600 meter.
@@BRStv great answer
How many out there had family and friends over for the holidays and watched their pH drop like a rock. Mine went down .10 in a few hours.
Because they shut all the windows and doors they thought you forgot to close?
Do you have anything indepth about the solenoid and c02 scrubber? I'm not understanding what you mean about the solenoid
This is an older video, but here is info on the solenoid that we're using
ua-cam.com/video/M1iY-Vz3-V4/v-deo.html
I’m just trying to grow corals. So I’m doing everything wrong if everything is dying but my fish
Sorry to hear that you're having troubles with your corals. Feel free to give us a call if you ever need help or advice. If you're on Facebook, our AskBRS group is a great place to get pointed in the right direction too
A healthy tank should not need much. Sometimes a 40% water change. One thing a healthy tank should not need is any scrubbers. Don't put too many fish in one tank and remember coral is a natural filter. Keep the blue light on for the coral. Keep your temp constant.
Reef fish are the most adaptive so they can withstand the most change.
Don't feed too much, fish can live on very little food. After all, they float all day. They don't have to overcome gravity.
Make sure your salinity is constant. Check it every other day. If needed add distilled.
Make sure all your pumps are working.
Anything else one can change gradually.
Do all your fish get along with each other? Do you have a cleaner shrimp to eat parasites? Do you have hermit crabs to scour the bottom of the tank? How is your turbo snail to burrow into the sand?
Have you ever put a red light on to see just how many critters live in the tank that only come out at night? Are your rocks live?
All that and you don't need to watch vids to keep it healthy.
lol @ cleaner shrimp eating parasites
I have had various salt water tanks since 1988 back when this was in its infancy. I have a thriving mini reef to the point that I am removing and cutting corals and sponges to sell back to the local fish store about every 4 months. I have not tested my water in over 10 years and the only equipment that I run is a cannister filter and a Bak Pak protein skimmer and my water circulates to a 29 gallon refugium tank under my display tank that is full of seaweed with a light to keep it growing.
I have had disasters over the years as I had to watch my tank get destroyed as fish and corals were dying by the day. How did I solve 99% of my issues?....by getting a 5 stage RO and dual stage DI filter system. If you are using tap water in your tank..STOP! BRS sells RO systems and DI filters with nuclear grade resin. Purchase them. I use a 350 gallon per day RO and have it fill a large plastic garbage pail with water, then use that water to mix in my salt. If the city water plant mixes in Alum for high turbidity, that will end up in your tank and you can say hello to a nightmare. RO filters solve all of this.
Anyone know a current promo code, new to the hobby and buying lights. TIA
No promo codes at the moment, but you can always check out the Deals tab on our site! www.bulkreefsupply.com/specials.html
I've been able to get my Zoas frag to reopen after reducing nitrates below 5ppm, but my Green stars have basically dissolved. I think my issue is related to pH, which I've been trying to manage with alk buffer additives, which ultimately lead to a huge water change. I test about once per week, if not more, and have never been able to keep the pH above 7.8 for more than a day or two. I've tried to keep the pH between 8.2 and 8.3 using pH buffer, but this tends to raise the alk more than the pH, and then the pH just drops again overnight back to 7.8. At that point, the alk is still high so I can't add more without a huge, huge, water change, which seems to be more destabilizing than just trying to keep the pH above 7.8. Between adding alk buffer and water changes, the tank seems to only consume about 0.1-0.2 dKH per day according to my data. My Alk tends to be between 9.5-13.0 dKH (and I have overdosed as high as 24 dKH when I did the math wrong once, but quickly did a water change the same day)
Is there a way to test for CO2, or carbolic acid? my research has lead me to Alk and CO2 for pH stabilizing. Any suggestions?
For the reasons you've mentioned, pH buffers aren't a great solution to keeping pH up long term. The best way to see if CO2 is your issue is to open all of your windows and monitor the pH.
Alternatively, if you have an aquarium controller that logs your pH for you, you can leave for a weekend and watch the pH graphs. If the pH increases while you're not at home for the weekend, this is a sign that you have a CO2 issue leading to your low pH.
@@BRStv AHH I've been trying to come up with some sort of control for a CO2 test and I think the vacation idea is one to try. I've not yet been able to afford a monitoring solution but am leaning towards the Apex JR since its expandable.
The coral shown at 10:27/10:30. can you give me the name please? I have one of those in my tank for years now but I never knew it’s name 🤷♂️ thanks a bunch
That is a Chalice, but not 100% what it's "commercial" name is. Many coral vendors put their own names on corals and it's just hard to keep up sometimes. :P
@@BRStv I am used to the Latin names because of that. But your answer helped me to find out that it is an Echinophylia ;) thanks
Hi, I seen many video about alkalinity need to keep about 9 but my tank was always stay at 12. How I gonna do to lower it?
7-12 dKH is the generally agreed upon range to keep our reef tanks at with stability within that range the even more important part.
If you want to lower your alkalinity, you have a couple of choices. One is to do water changes with a salt mix lower in alkalinity. I suggest using a salt mix that has the desired tank dKH because this way, your water changes after adjustment won't affect alkalinity as much.
Option two is to stop all dosing and let your corals consume it. If you have a lot of corals, this will happen pretty quickly, usually within a couple of days. If you have few corals, then this will happen slowly.
@@BRStv thank you and sorry for late reply but have any choice for salt with lower alkalinity?
Can you do a freshwater fish video I have a biocube and I have to do water change every Friday or Saturday due to alage my tank keeps tuning super green and I only have 4 fishe
They only do saltwater lol
We're very focused on the saltwater side of the hobby, but many of the same basic principles apply to each. There are also some great Freshwater UA-cam channels that would be a great resource 😃
Turn the lights off when you're not home. No more algae.
Curious what you thought the “R” was in BRS?
Can amino acids replace coral food?
Aminos and coral food are two different things, so they're not completely interchangeable.
I don’t get why everyone is obsessed with dirty kalkwasser
😮 why do people want the set it & forget it method. How boring that would be😂
Some people just want to get stoned and look at the tank
Not first
That comment just earnt you a subscriber
@@JustTobyGaming 🤣 Thanks
What is that at 0:44 ?
That would be a clip of F Aiptasia being used 🙂
www.bulkreefsupply.com/f-aiptasia-pest-anemone-treatment-frank-s-aquarium-products.html
@@BRStv thanks for the Reply !!
its just a hobby
First
Here is ur 🍪
Ive given you a dislike for this one because all you talk about are additives. This easest way to keep ph stable is use the right sand. The sand keeps it at 8.2 naturally. There is no need to make things harder and more exspensive than they need to be
Aragonite based sand can help buffer the pH within our tanks, but it's not a solution in all cases. pH is basically the measurement of hydrogen ions in the water, so there are a number of other factors at play. Ryan's Master pH video really helps explain the science behind pH in our reef tanks: ua-cam.com/video/GKMM20I9DWk/v-deo.html
Brilliant video, best one yet!
BLAH BLAH BLAH. You didn't even mention what we can do lmfao
Just stop doing water changes, I have done maybe 3 water changes in the last 3 years and my tank is so over grown.
You can get away with that in some tanks with certain livestock, but differences in filtration, bioload, feeding habits, and more might make water changes a useful tool for some reefers 😀
When not doing water changes you have go add the nutrients needed for coral growth right?