Salt v target alkalinity

[ReefRookie22]

Salt v target alkalinity.
I appreciate not chasing numbers but what is everyone's target alkalinity? I only ask as I was recently advised to aim for 8 but am aware that most salts have an alkalinity much higher than this.
I only have about 20 small coral frags so my consumption is low which means that my alk is always up around 9-9.5.
Is it better to get a lower KH salt and buffer with AFR if it gets low? Do people with high consumption have the opposite problem? High KH salt which gets depleted by corals and needs buffering to increase KH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I recommend 7-11 dKH. Even outside that range can be ok. 9-9.5 dKH is perfectly fine.

 

[ReefWithMe]

I keep mine at 9.3 because my salt alk/dkh mixes at 9 so what’s .3..I dose the rest of the way

But the general rule for most reefers is keep your alk at whatever your salt mixes at so your not using a lot of alk/dhk solution if you want it higher I would get a salt that’s mixes close to the level you want it at
I use Fritz

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, my chosen salt mix (normal IO) mixes much higher in alk than my tank (currently around 8 dKH). That's no concern to me since my water changes are very small and frequent, but even if I did 10% changes, that would boost alk by only about 0.3 dKH, which is fine.

 

[JonasRoman]

Salt v target alkalinity.
I appreciate not chasing numbers but what is everyone's target alkalinity? I only ask as I was recently advised to aim for 8 but am aware that most salts have an alkalinity much higher than this.
I only have about 20 small coral frags so my consumption is low which means that my alk is always up around 9-9.5.
Is it better to get a lower KH salt and buffer with AFR if it gets low? Do people with high consumption have the opposite problem? High KH salt which gets depleted by corals and needs buffering to increase KH.

My own experience is that a tank benefits KH more close to natural sea water, and stable. So I nowadays have my ref intervals between 7.5-8 dKH.

I cant say exactly why higher dKH is not good, this is just my own feelings, experience and observations. Maybe the coral is growing too fast, and also maybe intracellular pH is affected with too high dKH? In human medicine the alkalinity is extremely sensitive parameter that must not be either too high or too low, so its not strange if its same for sensitive marine cells. The water surrounding the coral can mimic the blood, a carrier of nutrients and waste.

 

[exnisstech]

Similar to Randy I use regular IO. My target is 8.5 +- a few points. I rarely test my fresh mix but when i have it was a bit over 9. My WCs are small enough that its isn't a concern. I wouldn't want the hassle of having to change the alk in my fresh mix.

 

[KStatefan]

I target 8.5 - 9 dkh and do hourly auto water changes so dkh of new salt water does not mater to me.

 

[X-37B]

I target 7-7.5 dkh

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I use sodium bisulfate to lower the alkalinity of my newly mixed salt water before using it for a water change. Randy has a thread on it.