Alk at 7.7?

[nzkiwi80]

So just done a test on my Alk. Don't do this one often, I used a Salifert test kit, pretty clear point when it changed color. Results 7.7

Should be closer to 8.5. I've got a Red Sea Reefer 350.

Should I try increase my Alk? if so how?

All other tests, Mg, Ca, Ph, Po, Nh3, No2, No3 all within normal range and salinity 1.025

 

[20gallonreefer000]

So just done a test on my Alk. Don't do this one often, I used a Salifert test kit, pretty clear point when it changed color. Results 7.7

Should be closer to 8.5. I've got a Red Sea Reefer 350.

Should I try increase my Alk? if so how?

All other tests, Mg, Ca, Ph, Po, Nh3, No2, No3 all within normal range and salinity 1.025

If you want your alk at 8.5, increase it. You can use a website like this to calculate the dosage --> https://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

 

[bradreef]

7.7 is perfect.

 

[dwest]

7.7 is fine too

 

[FrugalReeferJon]

Where are your nitrates and phosphates at?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Don't fix what's not broken.
Test weekly to determine any trends up or down, otherwise, leave things alone.

 

[Red_Beard]

If your ALK is trending down, there are a number of ways to stabilize it.
* waterchanges: more work and less effective with higher alk demand, but also helps other elements and trace.
* 2 (or 3) part: there are a ton of variations coming from different companies or diy methods. It works great and is relatively cheap, but you do need to either use th balling method or keep up with water changes as it will end up with an ion imbalance over time if not.
* All for reef: costs a little more but is super easy and also supplements trace elements. Does not cause ion imbalance. Downside is that it is all in one solution so you cant tweak individual levels with it.
*kalkwasser dosing: works awesome and also gives a nice ph bump, adds both alk and cal. Most people either drip it or add it to their topoff water. Does not add trace.
* calcium reactor: expensive and complecated, but also adds trace. Best for high consumption tanks and experienced reefers.

Those are a few different options, i would recommend starting with a quality 2 part, and later going to AFR(all for reef) then you still have what you need should you need to tweak any one major element as well as having a general idea of what your tank is doing.

Either way you go, the first thing you need to do is figure out your alk consumption rate. Best way to do this, is to get a base measurement, pick a day and time, measure it. Wait 1 week, dont do waterchanges or dose anything during that time, measure again 1 week later at the same time of day. Subtract your second measurement from the first and divide by 7. Example, baseline you measure 7.7, the next one, a week later is 7.0. You subtract 7.0 from 7.7 and get .7, divide it by 7 and get .1. Your tank in that case would use .1dKh per day, and that is where you would start when dosing.

 

[Miami Reef]

7.7 dKH is a fine target. However, you can aim for 8.5 dKH. There’s nothing wrong with doing so.

I highly recommend dosing All For Reef. It’s a single-solution system that also maintains calcium, magnesium, and trace elements, in addition to alkalinity.

Do you keep corals?

 

[56longroof]

7.7 seems low to me. I keep mine at 9.5 LOL. Joking aside if you want to keep it at 8.5 kalk is probably the best bet.

 

[Science/G]

Since my lighting upgrade and some chunky Acropora additions, I am having a hard time keeping up with alkalinity consumption. I've been pretty stable between 7.4 -7.6. All for Reef is maxed out. My calcium is 450 and 1500 magnesium, so I am upping my dose of Balling B every few days. I am going to let it settle here. LPS are happy, SPS are colored up and growing before my eyes. If the reef want to be just higher than natural seawater so be it.

 

[zheka757]

i keep mine between 7.5-8.0 recently it took a dip to 6 and recovered few days later after I made some adjustment to my dosing. no loses to my heavy sps system,

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Since my lighting upgrade and some chunky Acropora additions, I am having a hard time keeping up with alkalinity consumption. I've been pretty stable between 7.4 -7.6. All for Reef is maxed out. My calcium is 450 and 1500 magnesium, so I am upping my dose of Balling B every few days. I am going to let it settle here. LPS are happy, SPS are colored up and growing before my eyes. If the reef want to be just higher than natural seawater so be it.

Maxed out AFR does not make sense to me. Add more until alk stabilizes where you want it. Just be sure to add it in the am so O2 consumption is not a concern.

 

[Science/G]

@Randy Holmes-Farley I seem to have an imbalance of alkalinity consumption vs calcium and magnesium. Before I increased my Balling B dose, my alkalinity was 6.6, and my calcium was 480 and magnesium 1550. I am afraid my calcium and magnesium will go too high if I increase the AFR to achieve my desired alkalinity. I use Hanna checkers. I am following the Tropic Marin recommendations. It is a strange thing. My reef is 30 gallons packed with SPS and LPS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you use AFR to increase alk from 6.6 dKH to 9.4 dKH, calcium will only rise 480 to 500 ppm, and magnesium will rise less than 1 ppm.

I suspect the magnesium is not accurate, unless you have added a lot.