Alk Question

[apicturepaints]

Since starting 2-part dosing, my alkalinity has been a steady 10. My question is if this is too high for SPS? I have read that alk higher than 8 can bleach out or cause burnt tips. I am following the dosing recommendations for a low calcium system. Everything has looked great, but my sunset monti and rainbow monti have bleached out. The sunset monti had stned, which may have been from a temp. spike.


Any advice on alk would be appreciated! Also, any recommendations on how to gradually lower my alk to something around 9 would be great too!

 

[Scuba George]

Hope this help http://www.wamas.org/forums/topic/47733-ideal-alk-for-sps-coloration/


I need gills @_@

 

[ritter6788]

10 is fine for sps but you don't want to ramp it up quickly from a lesser number to 10. Any changes in alk, up or down, should be done slowly. I have had issues with lower nutrient systems and alk burn at lower levels. I think if you are running a lower nutrient system then your alk should be lower, like 7 or 8 dkh.

 

[caudill187]

I've had acros do great at higher a 10-11, and I used to think the higher the better, in terms of color. These days I keep my alk lower with as many frags as I buy or get in trades. This way if they come from a lower or higher alk system, I don't subject the frags to spikes. I haven't seen any negative change in my acros at alk 7-8 vs. 10-11.

 

[lakeviewink]

It depends on what your Ca level is. There are calculators on this and other forums to help you determine what is correct for your system. The burned tips are usually associated with vinegar/vodka dosing with higher KH values. I personally don't have any problems with mine being in the 8.5-9 range and I dose vinegar to help control nutrients. Like has been said already the Alk swings are what you want to avoid.

 

[Scuba George]

AGreed stability is what really matters


I need gills @_@

 

[saltwaternoob]

Higher than 7.5 is fine, the main thing is consistency. I have herd people keeping it as high as 14.

 

[apicturepaints]

The alkalinity has been a consistent 10 for 4 months now (I test twice a week). Stability has not been an issue. Just want to double-check that 10 is not too high as I typically shoot for 9-9.5, but as I said, I do not have a high load at the moment.

 

[Henry C]

The alkalinity has been a consistent 10 for 4 months now (I test twice a week). Stability has not been an issue. Just want to double-check that 10 is not too high as I typically shoot for 9-9.5, but as I said, I do not have a high load at the moment.

No it's not too high but as was already stated alkalinity and calcium need to balanced so that one doesn't throw the other off. That's where spikes happen...

 

[RogerWilco357]

my tank has been at 10.5dkh and just now dropped it to 9.5 and have seen alot more polyp extension with the lower dkh not sure if that s the reason but I will take it as so and leave my water below 10dkh for now also when your putting wild acro in your tank it should be lower closer to 7-8dkh as to not shock them by putting them in your new ulns system or 11dkh water that is where alot of the wild acro are lost imo..