Advanced Aquarist Nutrient Article - Alkalinity at 12-15?

filbie70 · Dec 9, 2016

This is an outstanding article. I read in most publications targeting Alkalinity of 8-10. This article suggests higher levels unless I'm reading it wrong. Anyone seeing better growth at 12-15? If so, how high are you maintaining Ca and Mg?

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/10/aafeature

Diesel · Dec 9, 2016

It all depends on the corals you keep and the nutrients level you run on your tank.
I haven't seen many tanks that run higher than 12 on the ALK.
At my systems the ALK won't be more than 8.5 and if the nutrient control kicks in I'm targeting to 8 or below.
The lower nutrients the lower you run your ALK, CAL (420/400) and MAG (1350/1300) will stay the same.
Common rule that corals turn green is mainly lights, to low of a par os ppl mix in too much of a green LED.
Nutrients will only fade the color or bleach the coral when that is low or undectectable.
Of course there are exceptions in this hobby as I had one telling me that his Nutrients are always 0.0 and color was great.
On that I wish that I could be in front of the tank for a few days to test out the whole system in why that was possible but as so many things in this hobby sometimes you have to believe the hobbyist for what it is worth.
So let the discussion begin

Great Thread btw

reeefer · Dec 9, 2016

I kept my alk at 12, cal 500, mg 1500 and saw amazing growth, I got tired of chasing high numbers tho and just decided to maintain my salt mix levels of 10, 450, 1350. Just makes it easier

dragon99 · Dec 9, 2016

That also play into this article
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2016/9/aafeature

Most advice I've received is on the safe side, keeping NO3/PO4/ALK on the low side (NSW ish). But it definitely appears that you can "rev the engine" a little and push growth faster with higher nurtient levels and higher alkalinity.

filbie70 · Dec 9, 2016

I just tested and mine is at 450/7.8/1350, Ca/Alk/Mg. I added 25ml of Reef Fusion2. I'll check again tomorrow on the Alk.

filbie70 · Dec 10, 2016

I'm moving up to 10dKH over the next two week and may target 12 eventually

bif24701 · Dec 10, 2016

I have problems with precipitation at level about 10 dKH. Then it becomes very difficult to go higher.

mcarroll · Dec 10, 2016

If you aren't carbon dosing your tank and you make additions of alkalinity slowly, you shouldn't have any troubles keeping 4meq/L (11dKH) and even higher.

Whether you'd see more growth is questionable as growth is not just down to alkalinity levels.

And whether seeing more growth is beneficial is another question altogether:
Fast Growth May Impair Regeneration Capacity in the Branching Coral Acropora muricata
Is the coral-algae symbiosis really ‘mutually beneficial’ for the partners?

If you're farming them...probably worth it/beneficial. If you're not, you're probably better off with moderate or even low growth.

mcarroll · Dec 10, 2016

I maintained 420ppm calcium, 4.0 meq/L alkalinity and 1350 ppm magnesium by hand for years and grew a tank filled to the brim with stony corals. Mostly that was with weekly water changes using Reef Crystals and two-part.