alkalinity help

[Cassklar]

I have mixed reef tank with sps I can't keep my alk up its at 7.5 with hanna checker checked twice 2 days ago it was 7.2 all my corals are growing great I use a top off with kalk in it at 2 teaspoons per gallon I added over the last 2 days 55 ml of esv b ionic 2 part alk and it only went up .3 I know my corals have to be using a lot of alk az well as the coraline algae does anybody have a recommendation on how to keep it up I would like it around 9 dkh if possible
Thanks in advance

 

[Downbeach]

What is the net volume of your system?

 

[Cassklar]

I have a 72 gallon bowfront with twenty gallon sump after rock displacement I have between 55 and 60 gallons of total water

 

[Downbeach]

An acceptable range for alk is between 7 - 11dKH, so although you are at the lower end it's still an acceptable level. I think a better way to increase it would be to mix 1 1/4 cup of baking soda into 1 gal. of RO/DI water(this will take some time). If you use the BRS calculator and use the 60 gal. as your volume, add your current dKH of 7.5, and your desired dKH of 9, and select "sodium bicarbonate alkalinity solution", it will indicate you need to add 4 oz. of the solution.

 

[always reefin]

Why do you want to raise if your corals are doing good? What corals do you have? SPS like lower alk

 

[Cassklar]

I am getting more into sps didn't know they lower alk

 

[always reefin]

Sps 7.5-8 in my opinion

 

[sleeri]

Any other opinions on SPS & alk? I've heard the same thing recently... SPS prefer 7.5-8. I had always been told 9-11 in the past, so not sure what to think.

 

[bct15]

Any other opinions on SPS & alk? I've heard the same thing recently... SPS prefer 7.5-8. I had always been told 9-11 in the past, so not sure what to think.

I believe sps frags 9-11, sps colonies 7.5-9. Not exactly sure, if your coral are growing you should just stay where you are. If you are consuming a lot you may want to consider dosing 2 part, you may also want to check your calcium.

 

[ritter6788]

Sps like lower nutrient water. Higher nutrient systems can have a higher alk but low nutrient systems need an alk closer to NSW 7-8. Alk burn can occur in low nutrient systems as low as 9 or so.


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[Davinci]

I still believe sps do better at higher alk. I am for 11 but its mostly around 10.