Have You Checked Your Alkalinity Today?

ritter6788 · Sep 24, 2012

Just checked mine. 9.4 dkh with a Hanna. Nearly spot on with my new salt mix.

Pkunk35 · Sep 25, 2012

Awesome write up, Ritter, I check my alk everyday!

Currently running very stable at 8 but I'd like to get it stable at 9 dkh. Over how long of a period would one take to increase dkh by this amount and still be safe for all reef inhabitants?

Pkunk35 · Sep 25, 2012

ritter6788 said:
Just checked mine. 9.4 dkh with a Hanna. Nearly spot on with my new salt mix.

My salt mixes at a higher alk than my tank...do you think i should raise my alk over time to try and match my salt mix? I use Red Sea Pro and find it mixes a little high in Ca and Alk at 1.026 spg.

ritter6788 · Sep 25, 2012

I try to keep my tank's alk the same as the new salt mix.

ritter6788 · Nov 1, 2012

This can get out of hand quick if you have growing sps colonies and clams. Since getting rid of my blue clove polyp infestation my sps corals have taken off in
growth again. My alk dropped from a steady 9 to 6.5 in less than a week. I'm testing everyday right now until I can raise the alk and adjust my dosing pump.

Test and test often. Water changes can't keep up with a fast growing system.

xcorallusx · Nov 1, 2012

I think the only way you can get away with kalk on a fast growing sps tank is to use fans to help evaporate the water faster.

psofa · Dec 4, 2012

How do I lower alk? it is now 11. Cal 425 and Mag 1325.. I have stopped dosing alk for 2 month and it was at 14 then. Thanks for your advice.

ritter6788 · Dec 4, 2012

psofa said:
How do I lower alk? it is now 11. Cal 425 and Mag 1325.. I have stopped dosing alk for 2 month and it was at 14 then. Thanks for your advice.

What is the alk of your newly mixed saltwater? Some salt mixes have a high alk to begin with (Red Sea for example has an alk ~12 dkh). If the salt mix doesn't have a high alk then there is no way for it to increase unless you're adding something to increase it like baking soda or commercial pH buffers.

1fishmonger · Dec 4, 2012

psofa said:
How do I lower alk? it is now 11. Cal 425 and Mag 1325.. I have stopped dosing alk for 2 month and it was at 14 then. Thanks for your advice.

Sounds like you may need a new test kit - Which one are you currently using?

Pappy · Dec 4, 2012

Kalk is 9-10. Thanks for reminding me and great article!

gmoney243 · Dec 4, 2012

ritter6788 said:
What is the alk of your newly mixed saltwater? Some salt mixes have a high alk to begin with (Red Sea for example has an alk ~12 dkh). If the salt mix doesn't have a high alk then there is no way for it to increase unless you're adding something to increase it like baking soda or commercial pH buffers.

You should specify red sea coral pro. Regular red sea salt runs around 9dkh its what I use and love it. Nice write up btw. I think a lot people problems comes from unstable alk and once daily dosing of 2 part. Esp when bleaching sps and they can't figure out why.

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ritter6788 · Dec 6, 2012

gmoney243 said:
You should specify red sea coral pro. Regular red sea salt runs around 9dkh its what I use and love it. Nice write up btw. I think a lot people problems comes from unstable alk and once daily dosing of 2 part. Esp when bleaching sps and they can't figure out why.

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

Noted. Thank you. I haven't used either Red Sea salt but I knew one had a really high alk.

goody · Dec 8, 2012

So I recently switch from using NSW to mixing RSCP. As mentioned, this salt mix has a high alk level. If I want my DT to have an alk level of 9dkh, am I going to run into problems doing weekly water changes with this salt? I know I can switch to a salt that is closer to the desired alk level, but I have heard good things about RSCP.

Do I need to bring down the alk level before adding to tank? If so, how do I do this?

lakeviewink · Dec 8, 2012

Thanks for the write-up. The only three consistent tests I do are Alk, Mg, and PHOs

ritter6788 · Dec 8, 2012

goody said:
So I recently switch from using NSW to mixing RSCP. As mentioned, this salt mix has a high alk level. If I want my DT to have an alk level of 9dkh, am I going to run into problems doing weekly water changes with this salt? I know I can switch to a salt that is closer to the desired alk level, but I have heard good things about RSCP.

Do I need to bring down the alk level before adding to tank? If so, how do I do this?

If you want your DT to have an alk of 9 I would seek out a different salt. Your alk may not change much at first but after several water changes you could see an increase in alk depending on your stony coral load, size of tank and % of water change. If your corals aren't using much alk then you will definitely see an increased alkalinity with water changes using RSCP.

Really the only way to lower alkalinity is to let it fall on it's own or do water changes with a lower alkalinity salt.

goody · Dec 8, 2012

Thanks ritter. Tank is 150g and I do 20% WC. It is sps dominant, with over 90 frags and colonies. Since I just recently switched to RSCP, I will definitely test my alk a lot more frequently.

CraigG · Dec 8, 2012

Just out of curiosity I know this is kind of personal preference but what do you all believe to be the best value of Alk in DKH to run a sps tank at to obtain the best growth rates when using a calcium reactor? Also +1 on at least weekly testing and daily testing when dialing in.

ritter6788 · Jan 22, 2013

CraigG said:
Just out of curiosity I know this is kind of personal preference but what do you all believe to be the best value of Alk in DKH to run a sps tank at to obtain the best growth rates when using a calcium reactor? Also +1 on at least weekly testing and daily testing when dialing in.

I prefer sps tanks on the low side of alk, 7-9 dkh. Any higher in low nutrient systems and alk burn can occur in sps tanks.