My LFS recommends a dKH level of 7.0-7.8 and that’s what they run their display tanks on, which are gorgeous and full of LPS, SPS and fish. They’re a widely respected LFS in the U.K. and almost everything they tell me seems to align with what I find out through independent research.
However if you look at almost any parameter list for any fish or coral it says the recommended range for alkalinity is 8-12. As far as I can tell natural sea water seems to come in around 7.3-7.6 in most tests, and the Tropic Marin salt I use creates an alkalinity of 7-8 dKH.
My tanks seem fine at the 7.5-7.8 range I’m shooting for, but curious to understand the discrepancy in recommendations. Why is the average recommendation closer to 10?
However if you look at almost any parameter list for any fish or coral it says the recommended range for alkalinity is 8-12. As far as I can tell natural sea water seems to come in around 7.3-7.6 in most tests, and the Tropic Marin salt I use creates an alkalinity of 7-8 dKH.
My tanks seem fine at the 7.5-7.8 range I’m shooting for, but curious to understand the discrepancy in recommendations. Why is the average recommendation closer to 10?