Fluctuation of pH from day to night

[scarab]

I've been monitoring the pH level from the digital read out and have notice that the fluctuation of the pH level from day to night is about 0.35. My carbonate alkalinity, which I know will affect the pH fluctuation, is about 10 dKH.

So is the 0.35 fluctuation too much? If so what can I do to solve that?

[huanjie]

Me no expert, but what i did was dripping Kalk when the lights goes off, to top up and at the same time prevent PH to drop too much.

it work !!

[scarab]

you drip kalk everyday?

[huanjie]

yeah, I have to top up 2l of water everyday, so usually will drip with either kalk depending on parameters, sometimes its reef builder or calcium advantage. will dosing kalk everyday cause problem ?

[scarab]

Don't know. Never use kalk before. Maybe should start using.

[Cookiemunster]

I dose kalk using my kalkreactor with auto top up water. Maintainance and trouble free.

PH fluctuation of 0.35 is normal.

When the lights are on, my ph is 8.35, and when its off its 8.0

This is due to carbon dioxide being used by algae during photosynthesis in light and the opposite during lights off.

Dosing kalk everyday has absolutely no problems. I use REEFEZ Kalk everyday as top up water to replace evaporated water. it is done slowly as water evaporates slowly.

But you can drip it in daily too. Just do not pour it in at once.

The dripping method uses 1 teaspoon mixed with 1litre of freshwater and dripped 1 drop per second everyday.

[scarab]

Thanks for the info Cookiemunster.

BTW how does your kalkreactor look like? What's the size? Been thinking of getting calcium/kalk reactor but got no place in my cabinet.

[Cookiemunster]

Pls pm me if you are interested.

Cheers