What do you run your ALK at?

[PharmrJohn]

When I'm up and running I'll be at 11 plus or minus.

 

[Fish Styx]

11ish

 

[ncjeepguy75]

10.0 +/- 0.2, testing and dosing with AFR and baking soda nightly. Surprised to see I'm an outlier. Maybe I should try toning it down...:rolleyes:

Mine has recently jumped up to 10.7..usually land around 9.5…

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

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

It's an observation some have made, but there's no accompanying rationale that I have seen, and it may often not be true.

The high alk/low nutrient causing burnt tips is also an observation, but one accompanied with a reasonable explanation, though there's no proof that is the actual explanation.

 

[X-37B]

7-8. 7.5 is my target.

 

[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.

I've had explosive zoa growth when I lowered down my pH from 11-12 down to 8.5 to 9.2, pH also now adjusted up with Kalk being my source at 7.9 to 8.3. I think the light is fine since they dont need high light, but you should look at other things like food, flow and pH.

 

[bubbgee]

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.

Yeah, I was thinking about that. But I dont want my pH to be so low. I am able to get the growth I was looking for with my pH around 8.1 to 8.2. I can always shoot for growth first then slow growth and focus on coloration when I run my Alk down to 7.5 to 8.

 

[VintageReefer]

 

[VintageReefer]

I totally posted those pics in the wrong thread lol

Wow. Whoops.

 

[RichReef]

My tank wants to be 9.5 plus/minus a few points.

That's with 1400 mag and 500 cal.

It just wants to be there. I was keeping it at 7.5 with the same parameters but when I raise it things improved. Granted the PH went up also. It runs about 8.5.

 

[bubbgee]

I totally posted those pics in the wrong thread lol

Wow. Whoops.

We dont mind...

 

[VintageReefer]

We dont mind...

I’ll get back on track.

I keep my reef around 8.4 dkh