Alkalinity is 5,0 DKH, but corals & other parameters are good?

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

i have tested with red sea alkalinity tester, which Said about 6,7. I Also tested with my Hanna matine master multiparameter photometer, which said the DKH was 5,0.

My torches look very happy.

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

the pH has dropped from 8,1 to 7,9

Icryhard · Jul 19, 2023

I would bring it back up gradually (max 1 dkh a day) to at least 7.
5 is definitely a nogo and the corals will definitely start showing signs of distress over time, the longer you keep it that way. Between 7 - 12 dkh is what you should aim for.

twentyleagues · Jul 19, 2023

Do you dose anything? How big is the tank? How often do you test? What corals do you have? Is this a big drop from your normal tests?

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

twentyleagues said:
Do you dose anything? How big is the tank? How often do you test? What corals do you have? Is this a big drop from your normal tests?

I dont dose anything, i test every 3 weeks. My tank is a red sea 350, so about 90 gallons.

I have 2 torches, 1 hammer, 1 lobophyllia, 1 Hairy green mushroom, 1 Duncan, 1 half dead montipora (it was dead but seems to be Alive now). 2 acans and zoas

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

twentyleagues said:
Do you dose anything? How big is the tank? How often do you test? What corals do you have? Is this a big drop from your normal tests?

6 months ago i had 12.5 DKH, but switched to Blue bucket from the purple red sea bucket. It has dropped ever since, and the corals seems to like the lower calcium, alkalinity & magnesium

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

Icryhard said:
I would bring it back up gradually (max 1 dkh a day) to at least 7.
5 is definitely a nogo and the corals will definitely start showing signs of distress over time, the longer you keep it that way. Between 7 - 12 dkh is what you should aim for.

I just dosed 20 grams of alkalinity, which should raise my dkh by 2~, so it is on 7

twentyleagues · Jul 19, 2023

I am not sure what the difference is in the red sea products. A large alk swing either way isn't good. I'd test more often especially alk and calc, weekly at the least. The corals you have won't consume tons of alk or calc like sps do but they use it and it needs to be monitored closer. Do you have a lot of coraline growth? How often do you change water? What's the lvls of a fresh batch of saltwater?

Dburr1014 · Jul 19, 2023

TbSaysNo said:
I just dosed 20 grams of alkalinity, which should raise my dkh by 2~, so it is on 7

Hope it turns out fine.
Normally, coral get sad when the dkh moves more than 1 in 24 hours. That's a big jump in one day....

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

twentyleagues said:
I am not sure what the difference is in the red sea products. A large alk swing either way isn't good. I'd test more often especially alk and calc, weekly at the least. The corals you have won't consume tons of alk or calc like sps do but they use it and it needs to be monitored closer. Do you have a lot of coraline growth? How often do you change water? What's the lvls of a fresh batch of saltwater?

So my PH was super low (like 7.6) 2 months ago, due to excess CO2 levels in the waters. I connected a hose to the skimmer, which takes fresh Air from the outside. That helped tremendously and made my ph go up to 8.1.

After I did that, coralline went crazy and has now completely filled my left and right side of the glass.

I change water every 4weeks, although I would prefer to do it more often.

A fresh batch has these levels:

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

I also am getting these corals delivered on friday, hope it won’t be an issue?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 19, 2023

TbSaysNo said:
i have tested with red sea alkalinity tester, which Said about 6,7. I Also tested with my Hanna matine master multiparameter photometer, which said the DKH was 5,0.

My torches look very happy.

The alkalinity in 35 ppt seawater is only about 6.5 dKH, matching your red sea test, and in many places, the salinity is a bit below 35 ppt, so it's not surprising that corals can be fine in the 6-7 dKH range. .

twentyleagues · Jul 19, 2023

I'd test more often and get on a dosing regimen or better waterchange schedule. With acro you dont want these fluctuations. Years ago I kept mostly lps and a biweekly water change was good enough to keep nutrients under control and parameters right. I added an sps dominated tank off the same sump and the water change schedule was good enough for the first month or so then I started to see growth on all the sps that didnt work anymore. I had to figure out dosing which had me testing daily for a bit to figure out usage and how to use the items for proper dosing.

TbSaysNo · Jul 19, 2023

i just tested again today, and after the alk dosing it has jumped from:

DKH: 5 -> 6.9
PH: 7.9 -> 8.1

Corals dont look unhappy. I have not really had Any grow on my fleshy lps corals for the longest time, only torches, hammers and zoas has wanted to grown. I Will make a schedule to change 10%+- every 2nd week and get a dosing schedule set, so parameters stay intact.

TbSaysNo · Jul 26, 2023

twentyleagues said:
I'd test more often and get on a dosing regimen or better waterchange schedule. With acro you dont want these fluctuations. Years ago I kept mostly lps and a biweekly water change was good enough to keep nutrients under control and parameters right. I added an sps dominated tank off the same sump and the water change schedule was good enough for the first month or so then I started to see growth on all the sps that didnt work anymore. I had to figure out dosing which had me testing daily for a bit to figure out usage and how to use the items for proper dosing.

Did a new set of test today

pH -> 8

Alkalinity -> 6 dkh

How has it changed so much ?

twentyleagues · Jul 26, 2023

TbSaysNo said:
Did a new set of test today

pH -> 8

Alkalinity -> 6 dkh

How has it changed so much ?

What salt are you using? and what are the parameters of a fresh batch of mixed salt water?

edit I missed the post about the red sea salt. What is your sg? are you mixing to 35 or 36 or.....? (1.024, 1.026,....)
And test new water dont rely on what the bucket says.