4.4 DKH? No wonder

[JumboShrimp]

I got out my Hanna alkalinity checker for the first time to check my established (2 years) FOWLER, and it read 4.4 DKH. Is that possible? I then checked it in a small reef tank and got a reasonable 7.7 DKH. Is this why my FOWLER has no coralline algae. The fish all seem fine at 4.4, but I would like to raise it for coralline... suggestions/comments?

 

[tehmadreefer]

If it’s a fowlr, then alk doesn’t even matter.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Wondering what the ph is though

 

[robbyg]

If it’s a fowlr, then alk doesn’t even matter.

It will matter if a fish dies! The pH will plummet very fast If something is decaying in the water or you over feed and have an Alk level that low

 

[tehmadreefer]

It will matter if a fish dies! The pH will plummet very fast If something is decaying in the water or you over feed and have an Alk level that low

negative. Ph won’t plummet if one has proper water flow, some surface agitation, a skimmer and the splashing of the drain going into a sump/fuge.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Just tested the FOWLR PH... 7.4 on the API saltwater high range test kit... Calcium tests at 440.

I would like to seed coralline algae, but its the 4.4 DKH a deal-breaker?

 

[Fishko]

Ive always wondered what the dkh on a fowlr would be. Wanted to ask but i guess it would still be at acceptable levels since you would be doing a lot of wc.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

7.4 in Fowler I would think is ok, but it cannot hurt to buffer the alk Or up aeration Reason being is the alk is a measure of calcium carbonate and will help keep ph more stable. Again, not huge in fish only. But if it gets too low it can actually start to dissolve the calcium carbonate (I think it is).

You may just want to test for a few days/week. maybe it has always been that way. If everything has been working, why mess with it now?

 

[jda]

The reasons that most FOWLRs do not have coralline is that it is poisoned by higher levels of N and P. You are going to have to stay more near NSW type of levels to have coralline thrive. Most people blame light, but I grew coralline like crazy under a 48" T12 dual bulb shop light.

You can raise that dKh with some baking soda - there are a lot of calculators online that will tell you how much.

 

[robbyg]

negative. Ph won’t plummet if one has proper water flow, some surface agitation, a skimmer and the splashing of the drain going into a sump/fuge.

Your assuming he has good water flow and aeration. If that was the case the pH would be primarily driven by the Alkalinity. Given the new info that his pH is 7.4 it indicates that he has high levels of Co2 in his water. I would therefore assume that he does not have great flow or aeration and should raise his Alk as soon as possible as he is on the edge of the cliff right now.

 

[tjclapp]

I got out my Hanna alkalinity checker for the first time to check my established (2 years) FOWLER, and it read 4.4 DKH. Is that possible? I then checked it in a small reef tank and got a reasonable 7.7 DKH. Is this why my FOWLER has no coralline algae. The fish all seem fine at 4.4, but I would like to raise it for coralline... suggestions/comments?

Yes that would most definitely be why. I would assume that your ph is also low. You can dose something like eight.four along w fusion 2 to slowly raise your ph/ alk