Bustyraker
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I've been vodka dosing for about 2 weeks now and have been wondering why it is recommended to keep alk around 7dkh. I keep mine at 9.5
Why is it recommended to keep alk low when carbon dosing?
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redfishbluefish
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When running ultra low nutrient systems (carbon dosing of some type), people have reported what looks to be alk burn when running high alk. I've been running bio-pellets and target alk at 7 dKh and everything (cross my fingers) has been growing like crazy.
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Bustyraker
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So should I switch salt mix then? I use Red Sea coral pro and my alk is usually 10 dkh after a water change
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Bustyraker
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I use kalk with my ATO, calcium stays pretty stable at 450 and alk will drop to 8.5 or so after about a week if I don't dose ontop of the kalk or do a waterchange. I do a 12 gallon waterchange every week.
Damon
Well-Known Member
I use pro also and with my corals and dosing kalk on a stirrer along with 2 part adjustment, I try to keep it at 7.5 to 8. I run pellets also, and if it gets over 9.5, it does begin to cause problems with the system.
I preform a 5 gallon change a week.
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I preform a 5 gallon change a week.
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Bustyraker
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I guess what I'm not understanding is how do you keep alk around 7 if the salt mixes to 12? I rarely see my alk drop lower than 9.
Damon
Well-Known Member
It depends on the activity of your system. If your animals are consuming, and you have enough, just like calcium, it will and does go down. Then, you use the 2 part to attempt to keep it at the level you desire.
It's pretty normal actually as things (calcuim based) grow, they consume more, and you eventually have to adjust again to compensate.
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It's pretty normal actually as things (calcuim based) grow, they consume more, and you eventually have to adjust again to compensate.
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Bustyraker
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Gotcha, so would you recommend to stop running kalk or lessen the amount I mix and start using 2 part after I see the alk drop? I'm just trying to get the best growth possible. I see a lot of others growth progression pics and my SPS sometimes go months with very little to noticeable growth.
If your running that much SPS, and the tank is full of coralline, it will deplete really fast, I wouldn't worry about it being that high.
Now if on the other hand it doesn't come down to your liking, and if you are mixing your salt in another container first, you can dose Muriatic Acid to lower the Alk first. That is how I do it.
Damon
Well-Known Member
Well, honestly, it boils down to your growth. The growth will dictate what you do. If your pH isn't fluctuating and neither is your calcuim or alk, and this is only from water changes, then you don't really need it and "could" be doing more harm than good. But you need to watch your levels and their trends without the kalk.
But if my system was anything to teach me, it's that if it's not growing, and this depends on the animal and its growth rate, then it could be something else.
Light was my limiting factor and I didn't even know it until someone mentioned it to me. But it could be a few things.
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Bustyraker
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Alright I'll give that a shot for the next few weeks. I highly doubt that lighting is my issue, I have a rapid led fixture and I'm only running it about 60% and all of my SPS has better color and polyp extension than when I purchased them. I did have it at 80% but kept burning frags up.
If you don't like how high your Alk comes out, you can always use Instant Ocean, and dose whats needed from there.
Mike J.
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I would also use a salt with a lower level of alkalinity so you don't have big swings. Stability is the key. Alk below 7 becomes a problem, so I would give so leeway and shoot for 8.
Damon
Well-Known Member
Some your using pro, the other option which wouldn't be too extreme of a change as far as composition and elements (or lack thereof), is to use the regular Red Sea mixture. I know personally that it does come out to a little over neutral when the active growth isn't very high.
That's another option, but I would just eliminate the kalk for a few days to a week, testing your calcium, alk and magnesium every day, the same time and see if anything changes. I'm assuming you have a controller or some method of monitoring your pH constantly. But you'd want to take note of, and watch that also.
I'm not going to say it's lighting, but if they aren't growing vertically, are they at least encrusting?
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Bustyraker
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Some are encrusting some are growing vertically but it is very little growth. I've had a few frags since June and can barely tell there has been any growth. I have a purple monti cap that IMO should be a pretty fast grower and has only grown about 1/4 inch since June.
Damon
Well-Known Member
You know though, I have intense growth spurts with my slimer, stags surprisingly my Hawkins and Dragon and then they take a break. But then, there are some, like my milli that are just dragging like crazy.
I just recently because of this, began tailoring my purchases. I have purchased a bit more of the fast growing animals over some of the slower. I figure, that whole the slow growing stuff fills in, I can still enjoy the massive growth and instant gratification also.
I have a reverse superman monti piece that I love, but is also growing slow for me. But I am still trying to figure out a good spot for it. I have a clam on the sand that is doing great, so my light levels are high also. I wonder if sometimes too high. When I had my halides, the levels were for sure lower, but things grew faster. The color was also more 10k, compared to now, but I wonder that sometimes. .
But then, it depends on the species also my stags, digi, others mentioned above grow like crazy. But my caps, they sort of take their time. Whereas before it was just the opposite. It is an interesting thing to say the least. .
I have gotten off topic, lol!
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You keep alk lower because it is reported that sps corals in low nutrient systems demonstrate alk burn more easily, but the exact reason why is not known. I have seen this myself, if my alk gets above 9 my coral start burning.
BTW I use red sea coral pro and I keep my alk 7.8-8.1
BTW I use red sea coral pro and I keep my alk 7.8-8.1
