What do you run your ALK at?

[bubbgee]

is there a rationale with better sps colors with lower alk range below 8.0? If I do run it below 8.0, it also needs to have lower nutrients right?

 

[IceNein]

My Alk was 7.2 last week. I have a nano tank, and I added a hammer, a monti digitata, a duncan recently. I also have a favia that is growing pretty fast. I've been ramping up dosing AFR and they keep sucking it up, and my alk isn't increasing.

Ideally I think I am shooting for 8.5, but I am more than happy to allow that to rise slowly from where I'm at until I can find a good equilibrium with dosing.

I figure if everything seems happy right now, don't push it too fast.

 

[Tonycass12]

is there a rationale with better sps colors with lower alk range below 8.0? If I do run it below 8.0, it also needs to have lower nutrients right?

I gog lots of color improvements after dropping from 8.5-9 down to 7.5-8. Also switched from high to low nutrient about the same time.

 

[BZOFIQ]

7.5 to 8

 

[chickendirt]

Reading this thread is interesting. Ive been running around 12 mainly following the Coral Pro parameters. I dose to boost to around 12.5 knowing its going to fall. I mainly stick to LPS.

Seems like 9 is more ideal?

 

[bubbgee]

Reading this thread is interesting. Ive been running around 12 mainly following the Coral Pro parameters. I dose to boost to around 12.5 knowing its going to fall. I mainly stick to LPS.

Seems like 9 is more ideal?

The alk range is between 7.5 to 12. Are you seeing large flesh bands for your LPS/Euphilla at 12.5? That's the improvement I got running from 11/12 dkh to 9.

 

[TheCoralCurator]

8.5 dkh

 

[Amstar]

9-9.5 for me - with higher nutrients --

 

[Ryan - Serious Reefs]

9dkh . 2 away from trouble in either direction :)

 

[Peter Houde]

Could someone please explain how dKH is related to nutrient load operationally?

 

[Red_Beard]

In a nut shell, that logic would play out along these lines: high alk can spur skeletal growth. If there are not enough 'nutrients' available the coral tissue growth doesn't keep up and you end up with burnt tips. And the opposite is likewise a generality. Low alk, it cant grow as fast so low nutrients are not as big an issue.

 

[Garf]

Could someone please explain how dKH is related to nutrient load operationally?

No, makes no sense to me.

 

[chickendirt]

The alk range is between 7.5 to 12. Are you seeing large flesh bands for your LPS/Euphilla at 12.5? That's the improvement I got running from 11/12 dkh to 9.

I have two duncan frags, galaxia, GSPs and two Zoa frags added in today. I think I've measured it once above 13 in the two years I've had the tank. Thus far the only issue I've had is with slow zoa growth. I think that may be more a result of having prime HD 16s than anything else.

 

[Gribbles]

Could someone please explain how dKH is related to nutrient load operationally?

Not entirely sure what you mean by the question, but this thread is quite interesting

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/keeping-alk-high-benefits.286495/

 

[t5Nitro]

6.5-7.5 when I check. Dominant sps system.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

I aim for 8.5-9.5 dKH!

 

[Peter Houde]

In a nut shell, that logic would play out along these lines: high alk can spur skeletal growth. If there are not enough 'nutrients' available the coral tissue growth doesn't keep up and you end up with burnt tips. And the opposite is likewise a generality. Low alk, it cant grow as fast so low nutrients are not as big an issue.

That was much simpler than this old biology professor expected. I'll press my luck... Why should lower alk enhance colors?

 

[Miami Reef]

3.57 meq/L

 

[bubbgee]

I have two duncan frags, galaxia, GSPs and two Zoa frags added in today. I think I've measured it once above 13 in the two years I've had the tank. Thus far the only issue I've had is with slow zoa growth. I think that may be more a result of having prime HD 16s than anything else.

My insane zoa growth came when I added T5s to my tank as supplement. GMKs are growing one or two polyps a week.

 

[Red_Beard]

That was much simpler than this old biology professor expected. I'll press my luck... Why should lower alk enhance colors?

Pure supposition on my part, but I would postulate that the answer to this question parallels the answer to your first question. High alk causing accelerated skeletal growth would also necessitate higher tissue growth to keep up, and the new tissue is never as vibrant as old growth. With lower alk, the stalks are not increasing in diameter forcing the tissue to keep up or thin out.