Carbon Dosing and Proper Alkalinity

[Quietman]

I was shopping for corals online and ran across this statement when looking at chalice corals and the requirements for care:

"alkalinity (8-9.5 dkh - run it 7-8 if you are carbon dosing"

I've been searching on the basis for maintaining lower alkalinity when carbon dosing but really haven't found anything other than some alkalinity impacts when starting carbon dosing.

Since I carbon dose and currently maintain my Alk at 8.5 was wondering if there was a consensus for this statement in the hobby and if I need to consider making a change to my tanks alkalinity level.

If there's an article discussing this (and there always seems to be one I haven't found yet ) please share the link.

 

[Salacious Crumb]

I am guessing that it is because people who run uln (ultra low nutrient) tanks tend to run lower (closer to ocean levels) alk and ca.
They are probably assuming people carbon dosing are running uln style is my guess

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s not carbon dosing that matters, it’s if you use any methods that cause very low or undetectable nutrients that you should use lower alk if you have SPS (to avoid burnt tips).

carbon dosing is one way of attaining low nutrients, but not the only one and they do not necessarily get low by carbon dosing (mine did not).

 

[Quietman]

Ok...so it's just poorly worded (or perhaps too briefly worded). Carbon dosing doesnt require lower Alk by itself, but ULN does to prevent SPS issues.

So I don't run ULN.. My nitrate runs 5-7 ppm and phosphate .05 ppm and as long as they stay detectable, maintaining a middle of the road Alk level should be fine and dandy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok...so it's just poorly worded (or perhaps too briefly worded). Carbon dosing doesnt require lower Alk by itself, but ULN does to prevent SPS issues.

So I don't run ULN.. My nitrate runs 5-7 ppm and phosphate .05 ppm and as long as they stay detectable, maintaining a middle of the road Alk level should be fine and dandy.

the author may believe it, but folks sometimes generalize without understanding the rationale.

at your nutrient levels, 8.5 dKH is fine.

 

[Quietman]

the author may believe it, but folks sometimes generalize without understanding the rationale.

mat your nutrient levels, 8.5 dKH is fine.

Thanks much!

 

[LARedstickreefer]

Any harm to having low alkalinity and high nutrients? Or is it just the other way round ?

 

[lapin]

Softies love high nutrients and really dont care much about alk levels.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any harm to having low alkalinity and high nutrients? Or is it just the other way round ?

just the other way, except possibly browner corals from higher zooxanthellae at higher nutrients.