Alkalinity and SPS

Reefermadness73 · Apr 7, 2015

I'm 98% SPS and run ULNS. Tested at 7.9 today

jabeuy · Apr 7, 2015

I run a mixed reef and am about to go on my 2nd month of dosing.

I keep alk at about 8.3 (drops around 0.3 dkh per day according to Salifert kit).

Prior to dosing, alk was at about 6 (API kit) and I didn't get any growth from my SPS. Now, my pocillopora and monticaps are taking off. About a month ago (1 month into dosing), i got a frag pack of encrusting montis. Half of them are doing well and growing, the other half have lost color and haven't shown growth. I had to trim off about 1/4 of a rainbow monti from that pack just today due to some tissue necrosis.

Maybe the newer additions just need time to settle?

balkin · Apr 9, 2015

Mixed Reef LPS and SPS and I am running my ALK at 10.5 with higher than normal Nitrates, less SPS color but killer growth. My plan is to slowly ramp down to 9.5 as my nitrates decrease...

numsie · Apr 9, 2015

Mixed reef 90g heavily stocked, using a doser for part A and part B, 60 ml each twice daily. I supplement maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of alk powder every other day. ALK usually 8.5 to 9. Looking into a Kalk reactor but not sure if I want to take the risk. All my coral look happy and growing.

Arron209 · Apr 9, 2015

I aim for 8.5 dKH and try to keep it as stable as possible. I think the only way to keep it stable is constant testing. I test almost everyday and make adjustments to my dosing pumps accordingly.

xtlosx · Apr 10, 2015

Running almost full SPS reef, Alk is 8.6, but looking to keep it at 9. It doesn't swing much as I dose hourly to keep it about perfect. With everything starting to take off in terms of growth recently I've found myself increasing it multiple times a week.

CoralFragZ · Apr 10, 2015

Battlecorals said:
Other than ro/di purity Alk is the only parameter i am extremely anal about . This is truly an area where stability goes a long way. any target from 7-10 is good as long as you nail it down. I often sound like broken record on the phone with people but the only way to really do this is to test daily. no matter how your supplying calc and alk, testing alk daily and tweaking accordingly is essential to long term success. at least with sps

My systems run the gamet from skimmerless and filthy to squeaky clean and i run about 8.5 on all four of them all tested daily without exception. its one of the easiest tests to do and in my opinion the most important. I could go on and on but ultimately once alk is locked in a lot of other things tend to fall in line.

This is great advice, Alk is one of those parameters that can swing fast. Just to give you an example - I run an 8 bulb t5 fixture on my 150G packed frag system. I turned off 4 of the 8 bulbs a little over a week ago and forgot to turn them back on. The alk went from a stable 8 to 10 because lack of grow from the lighting being off. The corals look great even with the spike but I like to target 8 dkh when the lights go off. I test every Wed and Sat after the halides go off.

fagundespavinp3 · Apr 10, 2015

Everyone is talking about "dosing" what do you dose (Brand or Chemical) im still new to this and my Coral Collection has grown as of lately Size and number. and ALK has came up in a few resent Topics I test with the Hanna Checker. I had a Alk drop 6.6 was told to bring it up slowly by "dosing" Baking Soda. is this right?? what would you do?

peacetypes6 · Apr 10, 2015

I have 98% sps and zoas. I run alk 8.4-8.7dkh CA btw 420-430ppm.

as said previously, consistency is more important than a "Preferred value"

I dose w b-ionic. Have used brs bulk (cheaper) but b-ionic is worth the convenience.

jackson6745 · Apr 10, 2015

9dkh. Color and growth is excellent. Not an ULN tank though. When I ran ULN, the corals did better around 7.5dkh-8dkh

TighTT · Apr 10, 2015

8.4 as of a few minutes ago....SPS tank with a handful of zoas. I try to target about 8.5 for alk but its proving to be difficult in this little tank (75 gallon frag tank). Once my main display is finished (275 gal) it should be easier to maintain.

mic209 · Apr 13, 2015

Battlecorals said:
Other than ro/di purity

Adam, what kind of RO/DI filters do you use?

Battlecorals · Apr 13, 2015

mic209 said:
Adam, what kind of RO/DI filters do you use?

I use matrix carbon blocks and spectrapure zeta, DI and membranes

hawkinsrgk · Apr 13, 2015

9.3 for me

glb · Apr 13, 2015

Trying to keep it at 10 because I need to dose kalk to keep ph up (excess co2). I I have a 12g nano with LPS now and plan to add soft corals too. Nitrates stay at 5ppm.