Question

soldier1911 · May 20, 2005

What's up guys? Still working on getting my water parameters right. Got my calcium down to about 480. My alk is still a little high at about 13 last time I checked on the salifert. I'm working on getting rid of any phosphates that I have by using a reator with phosban as the media. I have two questions. First, what are some good ph monitors/probes that I can leave in my refugium and second a LFS told me that you can't get coraline algae growth with metal halides (is this true

). I'd like to thank you all for all of your input on my previous post. Hey Brad great thread on husbantry

wrightme43 · May 21, 2005

I dont own a ph monitor yet, I plan on buying a pinpoint unless someone has a better one for about the same price. Coraline will grow with metal halides. It just seems to like shady areas a little better. I have heard of rolling a piece of pvc across the top of your tank to random places every day will really make it take off. I think that is Dons idea but I am not sure. If not I apoligize to who ever I got it from. HTH Steve

bradreef · May 21, 2005

one of the sponsors has the powerbuy on ph monitors that is a great deal.

NaH2O · May 21, 2005

Brad's right - there is a powerbuy going on right now for pinpoint monitors. Take advantage of it if you can.

soldier - I have coralline growing under my MH. My nano tank under PCs had faster growth, but the big tank's walls and bottom are almost solid coralline. Does your refugium have algae's growing in it? The reason I ask, if you put a pH monitor in the refugium, I'm not sure if that would give you an accurate reading as to the tank's pH value because of the algae respiration. Has anyone tested the pH value in their macro algae fuge compared to the tank? I'll have to think about this one. Its still early for me....

soldier1911 · May 21, 2005

No algae growing in it yet. That's my next step. I gotta get these sps' growing. They just sit there.

Maxx · May 22, 2005

I also have corraline growth under MH's and I have DE bulbs....

A couple of things to keep in mind with regard to Pinpoint pH monitors...

1...If you have electronic ballasts, I would suggest you either put the monitor on a different outlet or use batteries only. My IceCap ballasts seem to giving my monitor fits as my pH readings, ( on the monitor), seem to fluctuate wildly while my lights are on, but not when the lights are off......and I'm dripping Kalk...so I know my Ph is stable.
2...kinda no brainer, but....you should mount the monitor someplace secure w/o vibration. The monitors are calibrated by a screw, and placing the monitor near a pump could knock the monitor out of calibration.

Nick