Alkalinity Fluctuation...

[DarthSimon]

Was curious what other members Alk fluctuations are that keep SPS.... Acros, Monti Ect.

I Dos 20ml of Calcium and Alk for a 24 hour period which breaks down to about .2ml of each every 15 minutes or so.

I also do 2 gallons (7000ml) a day water change with Red Sea Pro salt which is about 55ML per dos all day....

My alk ranges from 7.9 to 8.2 on a daily basis... Calcium just sits at 420.

Is this fluctuation to much for acros??? Lately I have experienced amazing growth on all my sps. Most all of my acros are encrusting not only up but out over rocks..... How can I dial in my dosing to have minimal fluctuation of Alk and not have it move? Is this possible or is a .2 to .3 swing ok for 24 hours???

Thanks in advance.
Steve

 

[BoomCorals]

My alk fluctuates as much as .5 dkh in a 24 hour period. Doesn’t hurt anything. And I have some very sensitive stuff. I don’t adjust my dosing to combat the drop at night.

 

[DarthSimon]

Do you use a calcium reactor?

 

[BoomCorals]

No

 

[jda]

Mine maybe rises or lowers .5 over a few months. While I do not think that a slight fluctuation hurts too much, if you keep it more stable, you can have the best growth and color, IME. I do use a CaRx - right now I am probably 7.3ish and as my corals grow, it will get down to 6.8ish and then I will dial it back up and then it slowly rises to about 7.4 again and then the tank catches up and then it goes back down. I have to do this every three months, or so.

Most of the best SPS tanks that I have seen use CaRx - there is some debate over whether it is the constant addition and non-fluctuating parameters -or- whether it is the other trace elements that being melted. IMO, it is probably both.

 

[DarthSimon]

Mine maybe rises or lowers .5 over a few months. While I do not think that a slight fluctuation hurts too much, if you keep it more stable, you can have the best growth and color, IME. I do use a CaRx - right now I am probably 7.3ish and as my corals grow, it will get down to 6.8ish and then I will dial it back up and then it slowly rises to about 7.4 again and then the tank catches up and then it goes back down. I have to do this every three months, or so.

Most of the best SPS tanks that I have seen use CaRx - there is some debate over whether it is the constant addition and non-fluctuating parameters -or- whether it is the other trace elements that being melted. IMO, it is probably both.

JDA,
What is your daily swing?

 

[jda]

Nothing.... or about .005-.01, or something. It takes a 2-3 months to drop or rise .5.

 

[DarthSimon]

I am considering a calcium reactor. That kind of stability really promotes colors and growth ha? My SPS are finally starting to show great coloration and growth after months and months...
So can you explain to me how it keeps it stable??? Someone told me that you need to get to the levels you want with dosing, then the CaRx keeps it stable??

 

[jda]

The CaRx continuously melts dead coral skeletons and constantly adds carbonate, calcium, magnesium, strontium, potassium and other elements into your tank (basically what the coral uptook to build the skeleton when it was alive). It is really hard to raise or lower levels with a CaRx very quickly and it more designed to maintain levels - this is good and be especially helpful if you are away for large periods of time where you can just make sure that you have fresh media and a full CO2 bottle.

Any tune to equilibrium today will be not enough tomorrow by some slight amount since the coral grew. Over a few months or a year, you have to raise the output of the reactor - you do this with any dosing system. This is a good thing since you have stuff that is growing.

Edit: IMO, the only downside to a CaRx is the initial cost. However, if you are patient, you can usually find a good system for pennies on the dollar when people leave/quit the hobby. They seem hard to learn, but they are not harder than figuring out mls of 2-part to use and getting a dosing pump programmed and stuff... each is just different from the other.

 

[DarthSimon]

The CaRx continuously melts dead coral skeletons and constantly adds carbonate, calcium, magnesium, strontium, potassium and other elements into your tank (basically what the coral uptook to build the skeleton when it was alive). It is really hard to raise or lower levels with a CaRx very quickly and it more designed to maintain levels - this is good and be especially helpful if you are away for large periods of time where you can just make sure that you have fresh media and a full CO2 bottle.

Any tune to equilibrium today will be not enough tomorrow by some slight amount since the coral grew. Over a few months or a year, you have to raise the output of the reactor - you do this with any dosing system. This is a good thing since you have stuff that is growing.

Edit: IMO, the only downside to a CaRx is the initial cost. However, if you are patient, you can usually find a good system for pennies on the dollar when people leave/quit the hobby. They seem hard to learn, but they are not harder than figuring out mls of 2-part to use and getting a dosing pump programmed and stuff... each is just different from the other.

Fantastic Info.... Thank you!!
I think the CaRx i something my system will grow into soon.... I really need to research the different brands and see what this entails....

 

[Daniel Waters]

My alk ranges from 7.9 to 8.2 on a daily basis... Calcium just sits at 420.

That seems unusual to me that your uptake would fluctuate that much within a day given how you are dosing and monitoring. I typically don't get swings that much unless it's over a 2 week period.

Is it possible you are testing your Alk multiple times a day and this is your daily swing you are noticing? If so, I'd recommend comparing values from the same time each day and see what your fluctuation is. This may give you a better idea of whether your dosing levels need to be adjusted or not.

Regardless, a 0.3 dkh swing should be fine, assuming your overall average dkh value is pretty consistent.

 

[jda]

My tank could drop 2-3 dKh a day if I did not supplement. Lots of acropora but mostly the clams and coralline really chew up a bunch. I melt 18-20 pounds of media every six months.

CaRx are all basically the same. Reverse flow and one with an ehiem pump (will not get damaged if run dry (full of CO2) are my only requirements. There are many, many that will work. I do not use a PH controller - it is not necessary and not having one teaches you to know how to tune the thing. I also do not use a second chamber since I never found it to make a bit of difference if the reactor was tuned correctly with no excess CO2 that escapes.

 

[Daniel Waters]

I melt 18-20 pounds of media every six months.

Wow!

 

[PatW]

I have read that you don’t want to have a swing of more than 1 DKH from dosing. I don’t know the time interval but it probably means instantaneous and implies one dose per 24 hour period. My hand dosing is at .5 DKH per day. I am thinking of using a dosing pump to even it out. I don’t want to go over a .5 swing. But so far, my acropora corals don’t seem to care.

 

[erky]

why not get a alk monitor?

few things going on in the pic attached, with water changes, reagent issues, and consumption!

 

[OnPointCorals]

I have a .3-.5 swing daily, but Alk tested at the same time each day reads a solid 8.3(8.4). So would that be considered an Alk swing?

For example: I test daily at 9pm and get the same reading 8.3(8.4). But if I test at 10am I might get a 7.9 Reading.

Are you guys calling this an Alk swing?

 

[Potatohead]

I have a .3-.5 swing daily, but Alk tested at the same time each day reads a solid 8.3(8.4). So would that be considered an Alk swing?

For example: I test daily at 9pm and get the same reading 8.3(8.4). But if I test at 10am I might get a 7.9 Reading.

Are you guys calling this an Alk swing?

no

 

[DarthSimon]

why not get a alk monitor?

few things going on in the pic attached, with water changes, reagent issues, and consumption!

Kh Guardian is landing today :)

 

[Jaysushi]

@DarthSimon Let me know how it is. I'm looking at picking up an alk monitoring device eventually.

 

[BoomCorals]

@DarthSimon Let me know how it is. I'm looking at picking up an alk monitoring device eventually.

Having used both KH Guardian and KH Director, I like GHL KH Director a lot better. Much more stable. KH Guardian has quirks and support can be trying. The KH Guardian facebook group is where you'll get the best support as the creators of the KHG itself are on there.