Best alkalinity number?

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

THank you for your input on this Randy! Do you think aiming for a steady 9 would be acceptable! My NO3 is usually between 25 and 25 ppm. and my PO4 is usually between .03, and currently (as of last night) .11 ppm.

I think a steady anything between 7 and 11 dKH is perfectly fine. You have plenty of nutrients.

 

[scotty333]

I’m raising from 8.15 to 9 , it’s taking a few weeks because I’m just adding 1ml of triton core7 daily so it’s like .05 a day
Will report back
Oh I did this because my nutrients are being balanced at 15 and .30 ( just tinkering phosphate but will be about .2-.3)

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I’m raising from 8.15 to 9 , it’s taking a few weeks because I’m just adding 1ml of triton core7 daily so it’s like .05 a day
Will report back
Oh I did this because my nutrients are being balanced at 15 and .30 ( just tinkering phosphate but will be about .2-.3)

Yes, I am definitely interested to know how it goes. That is what i am thinking is a good place is 9.

 

[exnisstech]

I feel like a moron because I don't know what my salt mixes to. I guess my water changes are small enough it doesn't matter. I thought maybe I should test it but then decided why bother since I've gone years without testing it. Yes I'm a simpleton Two tanks run high 7s- low 8s and my other high 8s. I dose AFR in the two and esv 2part in the other. Only one of the AFR tanks has a lot sps

 

[scotty333]

Yes, I am definitely interested to know how it goes. That is what i am thinking is a good place is 9.

I like it because I have a few days if the doser goes wonky so can go 3 up or down
Same with the nutrients at .2 phos it can go down 1.8 or up to whatever really but I don’t need to test as often with those numbers

 

[Danny McElroy]

Good evening everyone! So as a newbie to keeping coral, I have a question. I finally have stability I. My tank. All corals are good . While I know stability is key, and excepted range is 7 to 12, currently my tank stays at 8. So the question is what number, within the range seems to keep them the happiest? Should I strive for something a bit higher? Like 8.5 or 9? Thank you in advance for any and all input here.

I keep mine between 9-10 and the corals are fine, I have found pH to be far more important than alkalinity.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I keep mine between 9-10 and the corals are fine, I have found pH to be far more important than alkalinity.

Yeah, my PH stays pretty steady at 8.3. I guess the main reason behind my question is I am just wondering if a higher alkalinity (like 9 - 10) is a plus for faster coral growth. Plus I do like having so wiggle room on either side of the number.

 

[twentyleagues]

Yeah, my PH stays pretty steady at 8.3. I guess the main reason behind my question is I am just wondering if a higher alkalinity (like 9 - 10) is a plus for faster coral growth. Plus I do like having so wiggle room on either side of the number.

I think 9 is a good number but a 2dkh swing in either direction is still not a great thing if it happens quickly. If it happens over the course of a couple days its not that big of a deal unless again you reverse it too fast.

 

[scotty333]

I think 9 is a good number but a 2dkh swing in either direction is still not a great thing if it happens quickly. If it happens over the course of a couple days its not that big of a deal unless again you reverse it too fast.

I don’t see anyone discussing swings but more about the optimal kh , trying to figure out which is the best number
Most people know swings in any parameter are not good
It’s like rule 1.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I think 9 is a good number but a 2dkh swing in either direction is still not a great thing if it happens quickly. If it happens over the course of a couple days its not that big of a deal unless again you reverse it too fast.

Sounds perfect, thank you. I do plan to graduate it up to 9 from 8. I know slow is key.

 

[scotty333]

Sounds perfect, thank you. I do plan to graduate it up to 9 from 8. I know slow is key.

You using a doser?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I don’t see anyone discussing swings but more about the optimal kh , trying to figure out which is the best number
Most people know swings in any parameter are not good
It’s like rule 1.

Agreed, That is TwentyLeagues was just saying.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

You using a doser?

I am. I actually just started using a doser about 2 weeks ago. So I am trying to get everything dialed in where I want it. I now have a steady 8 on Alkalinity. My calcium, also on the doser is steady at about 383. So I need to graduate that up just a bit as well. First time using a doser, and so far, wow what a great difference it makes.

 

[scotty333]

I am. I actually just started using a doser about 2 weeks ago. So I am trying to get everything dialed in where I want it. I now have a steady 8 on Alkalinity. My calcium, also on the doser is steady at about 383. So I need to graduate that up just a bit as well. First time using a doser, and so far, wow what a great difference it makes.

I also use , can’t really keep sps any other way than a calcium reactor , I mean for me at least cos there’s like 30

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I also use , can’t really keep sps any other way than a calcium reactor , I mean for me at least cos there’s like 30

So far at least, my calcium on the doser seems to wkr. But I only have 1 SPS in the tank. I have quite a few LPS though.

 

[scotty333]

So far at least, my calcium on the doser seems to wkr. But I only have 1 SPS in the tank. I have quite a few LPS though.

Got 10 of those too

 

[FishTruck]

6.5 to 7 for me. Instant Ocean. I’ve tried higher… too much hassle to maintain 9 in my set up.

 

[PotatoPig]

I’ve been at 8.0 (salifert) for a while, tested weekly where I adjust manual dosing of Ca and Alk for the week ahead based on the last week use.

But now that my stony coral colonies are actually getting to sizes where they consume noticeable Calcium and Alk (well, approx 1.0 alk/week, nowhere near the demand some folks here have) I’m trying to pull it up to about 9.0.

I had a few surprise weeks lately testing down in the 7.5 range so I’m going for a target baseline with bit more of a buffer inside the recommended range.

 

[scotty333]

6.5 to 7 for me. Instant Ocean. I’ve tried higher… too much hassle to maintain 9 in my set up.

Hassle why? Cos the low kh salt? If and when I do a small wc I dose the nsw to the same kh

 

[scotty333]

I’ve been at 8.0 (salifert) for a while, tested weekly where I adjust manual dosing of Ca and Alk for the week ahead based on the last week use.

But now that my stony coral colonies are actually getting to sizes where they consume noticeable Calcium and Alk (well, approx 1.0 alk/week, nowhere near the demand some folks here have) I’m trying to pull it up to about 9.0.

I had a few surprise weeks lately testing down in the 7.5 range so I’m going for a target baseline with bit more of a buffer inside the recommended range.

1 a week? I’m at 1.8 per day presuming that’s dkh?