Macro Algae pH Question

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I understand the effect macro algae has on the water column's pH.

Is it possible to run Sump (with cheato), ATS and Refuge, on totally different lighting cycles through a 24 hour period, to maximise the pH effect of the macro algae, or must there be non-photosynthetic period for the entire system including DT ?

If I am able to overlap all four systems, I should never have a drop in pH due to increased CO² levels ??
 
I understand the effect macro algae has on the water column's pH.

Is it possible to run Sump (with cheato), ATS and Refuge, on totally different lighting cycles through a 24 hour period, to maximise the pH effect of the macro algae, or must there be non-photosynthetic period for the entire system including DT ?

If I am able to overlap all four systems, I should never have a drop in pH due to increased CO² levels ??

No. Yes.
 
Unless I am misunderstanding something, I disagree . That is why many of us have a reverse daylight peroid for the sump, to somewhat counteract the downward pH swing at night by the display tank.

You're just complicating it with more cycles.
 
I'm not mad about reverse cycles if the tank is properly maintained. A dip in p.H of about 0.2 is not to bad which is what I experience at night. A well circulated tank by powerheads wont store CO2 and a deep tank should be extremely well circulated as they can hold CO2 more than shallow tanks. A chemically balanced tank wont hold too much CO2. Our corals do need CO2 for respiration so we shouldn't strive to eliminate as much as possible. Respiration does slow down at night but still carries on.

The bio calcium I use adds CO2 to my system as it fizzes when it comes in contact with water and my swings are minimal
 
tagging along here
 
Unless I am misunderstanding something, I disagree . That is why many of us have a reverse daylight peroid for the sump, to somewhat counteract the downward pH swing at night by the display tank.

You're just complicating it with more cycles.

So should I run all systems, lights at the same time ?

I was thinking something like this:

DT: 12h00 - 22h00
Sump: 16h00 - 10h00
ATS: 10h00 - 06h00
Refuge: 15h00 - 23h00
 
I'm not mad about reverse cycles if the tank is properly maintained. A dip in p.H of about 0.2 is not to bad which is what I experience at night. A well circulated tank by powerheads wont store CO2 and a deep tank should be extremely well circulated as they can hold CO2 more than shallow tanks. A chemically balanced tank wont hold too much CO2. Our corals do need CO2 for respiration so we shouldn't strive to eliminate as much as possible. Respiration does slow down at night but still carries on.

The bio calcium I use adds CO2 to my system as it fizzes when it comes in contact with water and my swings are minimal

Tony, I agree that a 0.2 swing in pH is not a problem.

But what you say about corals needing CO2 for respiration is wrong. Respiration is when corals, plants, mammals and, I think most creatures use oxygen to make energy from a food source such as sugars. CO2 is a waste product of this process.:)

When the lights are on, Photosynthetic creatures such as plants and Zooxanthelae in corals use CO2 and light to produce food (sugars) for themselves. Oxygen is a by-product of this. (Which is lucky for the rest of us O2 requiring creatures):p. At this point they still respire but produce more O2 than they need.

Thus our Co2 levels drop during lighting hours.
 
So should I run all systems, lights at the same time ?

I was thinking something like this:

DT: 12h00 - 22h00
Sump: 16h00 - 10h00
ATS: 10h00 - 06h00
Refuge: 15h00 - 23h00

If you are running large numbers of photosyntetic things at the same time I would split them up, or you run the risk of too large swings. While, as Tony says it may never be a problem, especially with very good circulation, and if your tanks proportions are not bad, the swings might get a bit big.

I would put ATS and refuge with Chaeto on a reverse to the DT.:)
 
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