Poll: Alkalinity - How Important is Monitoring?

[dbl]

As we have an active conversation regarding Alkalinity monitoring under way, I got to thinking I should probably have asked this question first.

Of all the “parameters” we monitor, test and check for in an effort to reach that ultimate goal of stability, in your opinion, where does alkalinity fall in order of importance? Is it before or after items such as salinity, pH, temperature, NO3, PO4, others?

The poll is looking for where you would rank Alkalinity specifically. Please feel free to share your full list in order of importance or even what you think is more important that Alkalinity below.

 

[Amoo]

I kind of have Alk in a tie with PO4 and NO3 for first and everything else WAAAY down below.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IMO, it depends on how you might allow the others to vary, and there's no simple way to say which is more important between, say, alkalinity and temperature.

Is a normal temp of 80 rising to 90 deg F "worse" than a normal alkalinity of 8 dKH rising to 9 dKH?

The simple fact is alkalinity is somewhat harder to control than temperature or salinity, so in that sense it is more important, even though if the others varies by just as much (percentage wise???) the results could be as bad or worse.

 

[DracoKat]

Right know, Alk is high on my list since it keeps dropping and I can't seem to control it. Everything else is on par and no complaints there. I just have to keep on top of the alk often

 

[Rikki Reef]

temp,salt,ph,dKH,Mag,Cal,PO4,NO3 = establish tank
temp,salt,PH, AmmoniaNH3/NH4,nitritesNO2,nitratesNO3,dKH,Cal,Mag =New Tank

P.S time of day Lights on or off (Factors)

 

[redfishbluefish]

This is difficult to answer....it's like asking you to put in order the importance of air, food and water. We can put them in order if we think of what is needed immediately, and what we could do without for a little time, but all are actually needed if we want to live. With this example, I put the above example in order of air, water and food, most to least, respectively. I took a similar approach to answering this question of importance of parameters. I left out temperature as well as timely water changes, and assumed an established tank with maybe some means of exporting N's and P's. That in mind, my order, from most to least, is Salinity, Alkalinity, Calcium and then Magnesium. N's and P's are taken care of with some means of exporting, so I'm not even testing unless I have a problem. I also think that too much is made of pH. Assuming no critical CO2 problem in your house, pH is taken care or by proper alk and calc numbers. I believe no need to monitor once you realize you don't have a CO2 problem. When my pH probe dies, it won't be replaced.

 

[Greybeard]

Temp, Salinity, pH... then Alk.

Happily, the first 3 are very easy to test for. A simple probe works just fine for two of them... and salinity doesn't drift much once you have a reliable ATO.

 

[drawman]

As far as having to bust out an actual test kit Alkalinity is number one. Temp and pH I don't have to lift a finger for and salinity I do weekly with water changes. As an acro grower alkalinity has the most impact.

 

[revhtree]

I am loving these polls and the effort you put in to them David @dbl! Thank you!

Oh and for me it is absolute ALK first!

 

[brandon429]

having to monitor alkalinity is volume related though that's not a chemistry or a common assessment. I monitor it zero, not ever. Nor does any pico reefer unless they're just curious about levels and consumption, we simply dont have to measure it or the other common ions due to large weekly water changes. that covers all variability of coral command within the picos, lightly or heartily stocked, which changes alk usage. That change is not significant provided the weekly schedule is kept, and even that might go out as far as two weeks we just use weekly because its a good safe habit zone. a small tank that can change most of its water weekly simply doesn't need to monitor, so I call it volume related.

 

[jgvergo]

I put salinity and temperature 1 and 2, Alk 3.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

having to monitor alkalinity is volume related though that's not a chemistry or a common assessment. I monitor it zero, not ever. Nor does any pico reefer unless they're just curious about levels and consumption, we simply dont have to measure it or the other common ions due to large weekly water changes. that covers all variability of coral command within the picos, lightly or heartily stocked, which changes alk usage. That change is not significant provided the weekly schedule is kept, and even that might go out as far as two weeks we just use weekly because its a good safe habit zone. a small tank that can change most of its water weekly simply doesn't need to monitor, so I call it volume related.

That must also be because you (and perhaps others) do not keep many SPS in a pico tank. Otherwise, it would suffer massive alkalinity swings if you only "supplemented" once a week.

 

[ChiCity]

Alk is always numero uno!

 

[zachxlutz]

Temp, ORP and pH are all tested by probes, so, no effort there. First one I test is Alkalinity, daily! I do test phosphate daily (sometimes first!), as well, due to an imbalanced nutrient system but this won't last forever.

 

[Shady]

I always check temp and salinity first because if these are out then the alk reading is likely to be out as well, Alk then comes next in my test regime

 

[brandon429]

Maritza vase reef.

this is why pico reefs are so fun, they are rule smashers. credit goes to MVR
https://www.facebook.com/reefhobbyistmag/posts/1485521228424947
see if their sps loading isn't twice the mass per gallon of any system in here~or at least equal too--top shelf stuff too. Sensitive ones

im envy there

that is simply a cross section of the same types of sps anyone will find on here, but in 1.5 gallons, and actively plating, in instant ocean, and zero dosing, going on 50 months.
I initially assumed at month 7 instant ocean wouldn't cut it mvr has it on file.

As months went by setting that growth above, I then quit my own two part dosing regimen in response, one more element of simplicity revealed.

Not sure how much farther past a week it could take once this dense, but nonetheless a fair reefing factoid ish to mention.

I truly think mass per unit of dilution above beats most tanks here... as a framing for the command on this little gallon.


the fancier tanks might be getting a bit better growth/commanding more I do see. neat balance to see on both sides though, the slow growing but still positive mass model can be done without any testing

Right now my own pico can be switched to any salt made, variations acknowledged, and simply continue on course.

The irony is that the smaller reefs/by volume were supposed to be harder/require even more detailing.

Plus one for no testing. my own half gallon setup for sure had sps, got a little tabular growth.

 

[drernesto]

Can one of the alkalinity monitors inventors reply? [emoji4]

It depends on your livestock. If you only have softies, alkalinity will be the last one. temp, salinity will be more important. If you have SPS and LPS all the parameters are equally important. A thriving tank needs stability of parameters and in range.

 

[Renelope]

temp,salt,ph,dKH,Mag,Cal,PO4,NO3 = establish tank
temp,salt,PH, AmmoniaNH3/NH4,nitritesNO2,nitratesNO3,dKH,Cal,Mag =New Tank

P.S time of day Lights on or off (Factors)

+1

 

[saltyhog]

Randy and Red Fish Blue Fish make some great points!

My initial thought was duh, Alkalinity. I still think it's #1 but only in the context of most often the problem and the most labile for most of us.

Salinity is important but how much dose that change in most of our tanks. I sometimes go many weeks...ok months without checking my salinity and it's always is the same.

Temp...this one can be a killer and in a hurry. With my controller it's constantly monitored....but.....what if you're not using a controller and depending on a digital thermometer. How sensitive is your hand in the water at telling you what the temp is? Controllers can fail!

Nitrate...doesn't seem to change very fast in my tank and my corals seem to tolerate a pretty wide range of nitrates. Algae issues are another issue.

Phosphate...also doesn't change fast for me and the tank will usually tell me when it's high or low.

 

[Playa-1]

Temp-Sg-Alk in that order for me. The Controller makes it a bit easier to monitor for Temp and Sg so I think people tend to take those for granted.