Is it ok to let alk drop for new SPS frags?

[The Last Strider]

Long story short I have several new SPS frags. My first in the tank. My DKH is 10.5, calc is 508, and mag is 1395. Nitrates are 16 and Phosphates are 0.12. I guess a lack of checking my numbers led to the spike in DKH. I usually keep it around 8 to match my salt. I run a calcium reactor because I watched too much BRS and became convinced I needed one way before I did. (No fault of theirs of course) I still don't need it, or the kalk stirrer, or 70% of the other crap I paid way too much for, but that's another story for a thread I'm still looking for. With regard to SPS all I hear is stability, stability, stability. So should I maintain the 10.5 or allow the alk to drop to 8 in the coming days? Also will this drop stress the frags? So far they are looking ok 3 days in. Thanks in advance

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

U can let the alk drop over time and then dial it in. What was the alk in their system before acquisition?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

The slower the fall, the better but I would not change your settings, to match the new frags. Match your salt as you have been..

 

[The Last Strider]

U can let the alk drop over time and then dial it in. What was the alk in their system before acquisition?

Not sure. Got them from Harry’s frags. Thanks for the input.

 

[The Last Strider]

The slower the fall, the better but I would not change your settings, to match the new frags. Match your salt as you have been..

It dropped by .2 in 24 hours is that slow enough?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

It dropped by .2 in 24 hours is that slow enough?

Yeah that's a plenty slow decline.

 

[bradreef]

Plenty of sps tanks run alk high 10+. You should have no issues with kh where it is at now. No need to wait until you get down to 8.



The cal is way more out of range and ide be more concerned buildup on equipment .

 

[The Last Strider]

Plenty of sps tanks run alk high 10+. You should have no issues with kh where it is at now. No need to wait until you get down to 8.



The cal is way more out of range and ide be more concerned buildup on equipment .

My heaters are very calcified. I’m thinking of taking the Calc reactor offline and only dosing alk until it comes down. Thanks

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Alk swings do not kill or stress sps.

 

[bradreef]

Check the pump impellers as well.

 

[JGK17]

In my experience you dont want your alk to swing more than 1dKh per day. My alk currently faluches 0.5dkh throughout the entire day. Also, the slower you bring down your alk the better. There is no such thing as going too slow when adjusting your parameters. I've had to learn this lesson more than once.

 

[The Last Strider]

Alk swings do not kill or stress sps.

Could you kindly explain your statement in light of the fact that many say the exact opposite?
Thanks

 

[Dburr1014]

I have reduced alk by 1 dkh per day with no I'll effects. I did it 2 days in a row, 12 to 10 in 2 days. I slowed it down to target 8.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Could you kindly explain your statement in light of the fact that many say the exact opposite?
Thanks

Those are not green slimers and torts btw. Those are all the highest end Tenuis and speciosa in the hobby.

 

[alecj]

Those are not green slimers and torts btw. Those are all the highest end Tenuis and speciosa in the hobby.

so what do you think the key is to healthy acros, all your stuff looks very healthy.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

so what do you think the key is to healthy acros, all your stuff looks very healthy.

A stable “system”. Don’t confuse that with stable parameters. Chasing some recommended formula with adding this or that destabilizes the system.

 

[srobertb]

Long story short I have several new SPS frags. My first in the tank. My DKH is 10.5, calc is 508, and mag is 1395. Nitrates are 16 and Phosphates are 0.12. I guess a lack of checking my numbers led to the spike in DKH. I usually keep it around 8 to match my salt. I run a calcium reactor because I watched too much BRS and became convinced I needed one way before I did. (No fault of theirs of course) I still don't need it, or the kalk stirrer, or 70% of the other crap I paid way too much for, but that's another story for a thread I'm still looking for. With regard to SPS all I hear is stability, stability, stability. So should I maintain the 10.5 or allow the alk to drop to 8 in the coming days? Also will this drop stress the frags? So far they are looking ok 3 days in. Thanks in advance

Oof. Of all the parameters in my tank that seem to directly affect my SPS’s, it’s Alk fluctuations. I run at 10.5 and find more then .75 for more than 8 hours causes problems.

My advice, and what I’ve lived by and had success these past few years: Find SPS frags that match your established tank, not the other way around. Lighting, levels, salinity, etc. It takes longer to find what you want but it makes life a lot easier if you don’t want to run a QT tank for coral.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Not sure. Got them from Harry’s frags. Thanks for the input.

Did u find out where he keeps his system alk wise. Don’t chase numbers but I try to keep them all stable to my system needs. My alk is like 8.5-8.0 but it can go down to 7.5 which it was today. I didn’t test yesterday or dose. Swings like that seem ok for me and what i keep.

 

[horseplay]

Lower alk is a lot easier on sps than higher. I run mine around 7.5. Whenever I acquire corals I ask their ALK and it always kind of match mine. Most shops run alk around 7.5. So I don't know, either the high alk people are hoarding their corals or their tank crashed.

 

[Dburr1014]

My alk is 8/8.5 mostly.
Ph is 7.8/8.0
When ever I try to get the ph up to low of 8's, my alk spikes to 10.0. So far it hasn't done any damage. Gotta learn to stop chasing that number.