Alkalinity...high or low recommended?

[Idoc]

I was reading someone's post highlighting some of the most successful tanks owned by many of the big coral companies. The parameters were all over the place in terms of calcium, magnesium, nitrates, and phosphates... kind of showing that stability was the key. But, 9 of the 10 tanks kept their alkalinity below 9 dKh with only one tank maintaining around 11dKh. So my question...why all the salts like Reef Crystals, etc... that push the higher alkalinity?

I currently use HW Marinemix with an alkalinity around 9... but was going to switch to IO which had a higher alkalinity. Now thinking I may have made a mistake in looking to make this switch.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Have you read this? :

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tank-parameters-of-some-masters.263/

For me, if the salt mix is a higher dkh, small water changes won't matter much. I personally run anywhere between 9-10 dkh, but also higher N03 and P04. There are limits though.

 

[lapin]

In my case I use the high alk salt (Red Sea Pro) to keep my alk around 8.5. Rather than trying to adjust my cal reactor or dose something I find this is easy. I change out 10% water per week.

 

[Idoc]

Have you read this? :

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/tank-parameters-of-some-masters.263/

For me, if the salt mix is a higher dkh, small water changes won't matter much. I personally run anywhere between 9-10 dkh, but also higher N03 and P04. There are limits though.

Yes, that's the article I was referring to in my original post. Their alkalinity seems to be around 8-9 mostly.

I've been reading a lot of older R2R posts and see many successful reefers using IO salt as a base and then dosing additionally, if required. It got me thinking...why use this crazy expensive salt (HW) when I will probably eventually require to dose as well anyhow (when my tank matures more when i add more and more corals)? So, i ordered some IO salt to give it a try and see if i notice any differences.

 

[Idoc]

In my case I use the high alk salt (Red Sea Pro) to keep my alk around 8.5. Rather than trying to adjust my cal reactor or dose something I find this is easy. I change out 10% water per week.

Well, it seems the best advice i have read about which salt to use is to pick the salt closest to the parameters you want to maintain. Sounds like that's exactly what you have done. I'm just starting to venture into corals in my DT, so I'm not really sure where that "sweet spot" for me is yet!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Well, it seems the best advice i have read about which salt to use is to pick the salt closest to the parameters you want to maintain. Sounds like that's exactly what you have done. I'm just starting to venture into corals in my DT, so I'm not really sure where that "sweet spot" for me is yet!

When a system becomes a more full of hard corals, regardless of salt mix, it will become needed to supplement alkalinity at some point.