Help & suggestions needed...

[dobbs]

Hello all,

I need a little help with a couple issues...

1 - My PH has been dropping to 7.75 at night - raising to 8.05 w/the lights on. How can I get my PH up & get it to stay up?

2 - I'd like to find a couple/few tank mates that will turn/clean the sand bed. Reef safe suggestions?

1 - Perc
3 - Green chromies
2 - Peppermint shrimp - may be camelback - they took care of the apstasia - killed my acan lords.
5 - Turbos
1 - Watchman goby
2 - Torchus snails
Corals - green milli acro, bali tricolor acro , an unknown tricolor acro, Pavona, Pink montipora digitata, and some zoanthids

Thanks,
Dave

[r6413utah]

I use two part bionic, just don't over do it get it to the point of adding little by little until you figure out what you 72 hour dose is, ie I add a 4ml each every three to 4 days.

[leveldrummer]

for sand stirring, try a few nassarius snails, a safe conch, or a sifter goby (might not go well with your watchman) stars work great but eat everything in the sand bed. so i dont like em.

[Little Luey]

I use Proper PH to get 8.2, but the ph will actually change according to the time of day, lights on or off and I also seen ph go up during winter time if you have a heater on (this may not be the cause now but you get the point). Always check ph at the same time so it is constant. For the sand I could not tell you since I don't have any.

[Fly Guy]

The drop from day to day is normal and not out of whack......your range is a touch low.
How are you testing for PH??
Whats your alk and calcium readings and how do you test for those???

[dobbs]

Originally Posted by Fly Guy

The drop from day to day is normal and not out of whack......your range is a touch low.
How are you testing for PH??
Whats your alk and calcium readings and how do you test for those???

I use a pinpoint for PH
Sechum (sp?) for test kits

[ScruffyRubicon]

If it's cool enough outside, try opening a window. Works wonders for me.

[dobbs]

Originally Posted by leveldrummer

for sand stirring, try a few nassarius snails, a safe conch, or a sifter goby (might not go well with your watchman) stars work great but eat everything in the sand bed. so i dont like em.

I stoped at the best LFS in town, which is an hour drive each way, Ed at Ocean Devotion spent an hour with me on the 2 issues....

For the PH issue - he determined it was an alk problem. I will start dosing Seachem Reef builder to rais the alk. I'm already using Kalk in my top off water.

For the sand sifting issue - he didnt recommend the snails or the crabs - since I have sand bed (vs a CC bed). To keep the watchman company - I went with a pistol shrimp. To sift the bed - I went with a Diamindside Goby. We are hoping that the combo will deter the watchman from picking on the diamonside.

Dave

[skeety]

sounds like you got some good advice.

Definitely an Alk problem, IMO.

Setting up a Kalk drip should fix the problem.

and I'd also agree on the goby/pistol combo. But know they will stay pretty much in ONE area once they get settled!