What dKH level and Nutrients keep your SPS thriving! Poll

[X-37B]

I target 7-7.5.
No3<3
Po4<.1

 

[jda]

7.0ish dkh and at least 1-3 ppb of po4, but not much higher.

I agree and disagree with the opinons that you can have a wide range of parameters and be successful. If people were all to keep the exact same things, they would probably agree that the parameter range was more narrow. I have acropora that stop growing at .10 po4 and will stn at .20 whereas they are many, many that would not care at all for levels a few times higher than this (think Ross tank). They are different. It amazes me a bit that so many miss these distinctions when is is so apparent in other parts of life... different gas octanes for normal vs performance vehicles, different golf clubs for different handicaps, different clothes for different activities, but people just lump SPS and even coral together in one bucket most of the time.

I am an any-coral, any-time, any-where guy and I have to keep my parameters more near to natural seawater to do this. My inverts love it too - all of the mini worms, starfish and everything else in my tank start go go downhill especially if nitrate raise too much. Everybody that I know that does this has to keep a tighter range near NSW. They feed a ton too, and export a ton.

I guess this is a long winded way of saying that none of this is easy and to lump into one set of parameters or buckets and the details matter way too much.

 

[Arego]

Anything between 8.5 and 9.5. I don't know for others but a 1dkh swing, up or down, over the course of a week doesn't impact anything for me if it happens gradually enough I guess.

Therefore I shoot for 9, but I also don't lose any sleep if it's higher or lower as I'll hold it there and adjust my ATO water to increase or decrease it.

Nitrates are 12.9 last I consulted my Hannah, typically within 8.5-20 which over the years is definitely my goldilocks zone.

 

[am3gross]

I have also experimented running my tank at lower ALK levels, like 7 and below. While everything was happy at ALK in the low 6's, growth was very very slow. bumping the ALK up to 8+ definitely speeds up growth.

Is this what everyone else experience's also? And if so, does the slower growth yield a healthier coral?

 

[Dburr1014]

Is this what everyone else experience's also? And if so, does the slower growth yield a healthier coral?

That's pretty much what happens at lower alk, slower growth.
No, it's not healthier or unhealthier. It's just under those conditions it's growing slower. It's the nutrients that play a big role on your alkalinity. If you have low nutrients you're better off keeping the alkalinity lower.

 

[X-37B]

Is this what everyone else experience's also? And if so, does the slower growth yield a healthier coral?

Growth in my systems when running 7dkh is excellent.
I have tried higher to 9 but saw no advantage.
If my alk dips to 6.5 its still no issue.

Average ocean alk is 6.5dkh.

I do run lower nutrients but practice heavy in/out and I do not feed my corals.
Po4<.1
No3<3

This has worked well in all my systems over the years.

Current favorite system is my 20g nano cube at the moment.
All frags are from my other systems.
4 months old with great color, growth, and encrusting.
Alk 7
Ca 440
Mag 1350

 

[Potatohead]

I shoot for 6.8, 5 - 8 and .08 - .1

 

[jda]

I have never seen any physiological advantage to better calcification when alk goes above 7.0. Lower nitrate and phosphate levels have been proven time and again to have better calcification rates, both in algae and corals.

IMO, NSW type of levels on nearly everything leads to the best growth and usually color... some like richer colors that higher no3 and po4 can get in some corals.

As for health, corals with more energy usually are healthier - since we are in the SPS forum, the light is about all that for-sure gives them energy, so better spectrum and intensity.

 

[carbasaurus]

DKH 9-10
Nitrates 0-0.23 mg/l
Phosphate 0.25 mg/l
(Phosphates not intentionally high and working on reducing them) nitrates seemed to have the biggest negative impact as I needed no-pox to bring down and once I did the corals started looking great)

 

[JMetaxas]

My target Alk is 8.0, Nitrate 10ppm and Phosphate ,05-.10ppm

I do an ICP test once every 3-4 months just to be sure nothing else is out of whack.

 

[GarrettT]

I only have two vendors that I buy from and try to match their parameters (mainly just Alk). Helps for a smoother transition and less chance of introducing pest. Works well for me.

Alk -7.8
Po4 - .03-.06ppm
No3 - 2.5-5ppm

 

[GuppyHJD]

ALK - 9.7 (usually 9.6), adjusting doser to bump
NO3 - currently 19.3, goal 15
PO4 - currently .02, goal .05
Dealing with a little algae after being out of town for a few weeks

 

[JayinToronto]

dKh maintained at 9.4 by apex and Neptune automatic dosing (daily fluctuation from 9.2 - 9.6)
Much higher nutrients then everyone else here Nitate approx 50. Phosphate .5. Everything is thriving.

 

[rsumner]

IMO: keep it above 7, but keep it consistent. Stop chasing a number and certainly stop screwing with it.

 

[StewL6]

I answered 8.00 to 8.5 but I really like 8.3 to 9.0 area I seem to spend a lot of time around 8.6 to 8.7. Dose AFR and I make up 2 liter batches do have to make little adjustments between batches but I usually take about three days to match pervious batch then I just leave alone. The 2 liter batch is divided by three tanks two nanos and a 110. The 110 is just now getting getting SPS frags all taken from my 22 nano. So looking forward to seeing the AFR demand increasing on the 110. I test at least 3 times a week (Hanna) more if making adjustments. All dosing pumps are X1.

 

[chimbo84]

I target the following:
Alk - 9.0dKh
Ca - 420
NO3 - 1-3ppm
PO4 - 0.03-0.05

Generally, my Ca and Alk are rock steady and don’t deviate much thanks to the Trident/DOS combo and BRS two-part. My phosphates behave generally and only get outside of my nominal range when I’m feeding a little too heavy.
I struggle to keep my nitrates detectable with the high range Hannah checker. This is the only parameter that I would actively change except everything seems happy so for now, I am doing nothing about it.

As for results, my corals are growing quickly, colored up, and I have no nuisance algae. I really am happy with how my tank is turning out right now.

 

[Noldi76]

KH: 10
Nitrate: 5ppm
Phosphate: 0.08

I used to run my tank at 8.5 Alk, 20 Nitrate and 0.2 Phosphate. It did fine. I started dosing NoPox to control my nutrients and brought up alk to 10 and have noticed faster growth on all corals.

 

[shakacuz]

8-8.5dkh, 10ppm no3, and .05-.10ppm po4 for me. this is where i get decent coloration and PE from corals. haven't tried to go higher..

 

[DJ Lone1]

Alk 8.5. No3 po4 just tested 16.9 -.08

How do you keep alkalinity there? Mine is always high.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

How do you keep alkalinity there? Mine is always high.

I test everyday and calculated my daily consumption. I use the reef calculator to set my target.