What do you keep alkalinty at?

[SlvrZ]

7.8 carbon dosing

 

[GoPitt88]

Between 7.0 an 8.0. I'm just starting to dose, so still dialing in what I need to add.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Mine had been steady around 7.5 but the calcium was off the chart high. I allowed the calcium to drop and the alk started rising. Now calcium is around 450 and alkalinity is staying steady at around 8.5. Also coralline has started to explode in the tank, sump, frag tank etc. @Randy Holmes-Farley any thoughts on this?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Mine had been steady around 7.5 but the calcium was off the chart high. I allowed the calcium to drop and the alk started rising. Now calcium is around 450 and alkalinity is staying steady at around 8.5. Also coralline has started to explode in the tank, sump, frag tank etc. @Randy Holmes-Farley any thoughts on this?

Coralline, like hard corals, can take off for a lot of reasons, including raising alk and pH.

It might have been that, or perhaps something else changed (lowered phosphate or organics, higher magnesium, more appropriate light intensity, etc. )

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Coralline, like hard corals, can take off for a lot of reasons, including raising alk and pH.

It might have been that, or perhaps something else changed (lowered phosphate or organics, higher magnesium, more appropriate light intensity, etc. )

Actually I started a few weeks ago with a constant fan on my sump and it raised my PH dramatically from what I was seeing on a regular basis. I couldn't get above 7.6 and now it sits around 8.0.

 

[Centerline]

I'm a little surprised that people don't shoot for 9-10ish more often.

 

[maroun.c]

I'm a little surprised that people don't shoot for 9-10ish more often.

its because most are running ULNS. if tank is not ULNS and has strong lighting I believe a higher alk gives more growth its important for corals to have enough nutrients so skin can catchup and avoid burnt tips.

 

[InspectorGadget]

7.8 ULNS

 

[Brian W]

I try to keep mine at 8 since I will be doing the Triton Method soon.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

its because most are running ULNS. if tank is not ULNS and has strong lighting I believe a higher alk gives more growth its important for corals to have enough nutrients so skin can catchup and avoid burnt tips.

I actually think most people do not run ULNS, but some are afraid if their conditions accidentally drift that direction, they may have issues.

 

[Flippers4pups]

8-9 dkh here.

 

[Centerline]

its because most are running ULNS. if tank is not ULNS and has strong lighting I believe a higher alk gives more growth its important for corals to have enough nutrients so skin can catchup and avoid burnt tips.

Higher ALK + a stable PH in the 8.2+ range has certainly worked for me over the years (when I have been able to manage to keep my PH in that range!). I did however completely murder a tank when bio pellets first came out running my ALK at 12. At the time the unfortunate relationship between high ALK and low nutrients was not very well established so I of course blamed my new LEDs for the disaster. I can understand caution at 11-12 DKH but I was under the impression that 9-10 DKH was just fine. No?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I can understand caution at 11-12 DKH but I was under the impression that 9-10 DKH was just fine. No?

I recommend 7-11 dKH, so yes.

 

[Mindi]

Well I aim for 3.4 meq/l which by the German measure is about 9.5 (I think) and I only go higher than my NSW (2.7) to help keep my pH up in a house full of CO2. If it were not for that I would probably go for NSW levels.

 

[Havasuviking]

8.0 nitrates - 10 phos - .03

 

[Mark Brugh]

Red Sea salt. 9.6 Hanna

 

[Scott's reef]

My alkalinity stays at 13 and it drives me crazy. I've been running reef crystals for 4 months because of the added minerals and stuff but i ordered the new live aquaria salt they just came out with. Im hopping for better growth, the dkh on it is 9 and that makes me feel better.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

8.1 Measured by Hanna. I use Red Sea blue bucket and it mixes at 8.1, dialed in my dosing pump to hold it there so water changes are uneventful. When I had the black bucket water changes were stressful on all my corals. Alk in that bucket was up around 11.5-12.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

I agree with the pirate. It's the swings that give me grief.

 

[Newb73]

If it's less than 8 I turn the pump up a tiny amount.

If it's 8.25 to 8.75 I leave it at what ever it's at.

If it's above 8.75 I dial it down a tiny bit.

The trick seems to be making teeny tiny adjustments rather than constantly cranking it up and down.

I don't have "swings". I have "creep".

Been running more in the low 8s lately though. Definitely never go above 9.