What DKH level do you keep your SPS tanks at?

[Jay Fortay]

I have been having trouble getting my tanks Alk level to balance out since I started dosing 2 part. My doser has the ability to constantly dose in .25ml/hour increments. I can't put it on a timer. It seems to be balancing out at around 11dkh now. I think that this is a little on the high side. I am dosing 12ml/day of each part at this point. When I was dosing 6ml/day the dkh was falling. So I bumped it up to 12ml/day. It climbed steadily, about .4-.5ml/day until it hit 10.9. I have a thread in the chemistry forum going that is called"just started dosing 2-part again...is this normal" if you would like to see all of my test results thus far. Randy Holmes-Farley has been a great help to me in that thread as well as the member Bertoni.

Sorry for the long story, I was just wondering what level you guys keep all of your SPS tanks at? I know it is better to stay stable at any alk level, than to have it swing, but where do you keep yours?

[Fig]

I like to keep mine at 9

[JAustin]

8.5, try to keep it stable as i can with manual dosing. It will flux a little but it's always between 8-9. Great growth and great color. MG and CAL are NSW also.

[spleify]

I like to target 10

[Amphiprion]

I target between 9-10, preferably closer to 10 to hopefully enhance calcification.

[LifeAquatic]

dhk at 8.3-8.6 Cal @ 420-430

[Bullredchaser]

8dKH

[MATT CLOWNS]

What about 11 or 12 is that ok

[woofu]

9 dkh

[borcu]

8dkh

[Ricunger]

9.5 - 10

[x2uranium]

9.5 - 8.8 ish

[cbrguy]

~7.5

[sanababit]

~9-11 dkh

sana

[serpentman]

I like to be around 10. But usually struggle to get it that high during the winter. With the house closed up the ambient CO2 really makes it tough.

[beeker]

8-9 DKH And i am slightly carbon dosing was at 9-10 dkh before dosing

[fishview]

7.5DKH. Trying to slowly bring it up to 9 dkh with a calcium reactor.

[Dog boy Dave]

9 DKH + or - 1

[maharsreef]

6.5-7 cause thats what zeovit recommends.

[reefsic]

I'm on full-blown Zeovit and ULNS as well, and I like to keep mine Alkalinity at 8-10dKH

[LifeAquatic]

Seems like everyone runs a different DKH! There is no right answer? Dial in your DKH by hand first. If you can get it to dkh stable then have the doseing pump that exact amount. If its still out of whack calibrate your doser. The doser might be dosing to much. I dose a two part the old fashioned way.. with my bear hands ; ). Guess I was lucky cause it only took 4 days to dial in my system and make cal,alk, and mag stable. Testing a week later confrimed it. Alk, CAL, Mag holding right where I set them. I almost threw my old calcium reactor away, but decided to fill it with quick set and use it as a boat anchor.

[old salty]

Below 9; lets the pumps go longer between cleanings.

[elijaher]

I'm on full-blown Zeovit and ULNS as well, and I like to keep mine Alkalinity at 8-10dKHIs that pretty high on zeovit system?

[hypersonic85]

Hey Jay its your best costumer and this is my first post haha anyways i keep mine above 9dkh.

[Jay Fortay]

Oh well hello hypersonic =) Did anyone look at my thread in the chemistry forum?

[Jay Fortay]

Oh, I guess this would be helpful...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1767297

the level as of tonight's testing was between 10.9 and 11.1 via salifert. from what you all keep your tanks at this seems a little too high. What is dangerously high?

[Amphiprion]

I only had serious issues above 14 or so (faulty test kit), myself. Others may experience them sooner. I personally think your levels are fine, especially if you are not experiencing any issues, growth is acceptable, etc.

[elijaher]

Have tested your nitrate or phosphate yet?

[beeker]

alk above 13 dkh and you can start having issue's, i've run my alk all the way to 12-13 dkh without any problems i notice better growth and color with lower alk though, but i kept it high as insurance so that my tank would never get low on alk, now i'm lowering it to 7-8 dkh and don't notice any problems but i've lowered it slowly over the last 2-3 months

[reefsic]

Is that pretty high on zeovit system?

elijaher, you are correct. For Zeovit, 6.5-8dKH is suggested; I just tested my Alk params last night to be sure I wasn't overlooking this measurement and clocked in at 8.5-9dKH, so I'm a bit high.

Thanks for pointing that out!!!

[dan223]

I like to be around 10. But usually struggle to get it that high during the winter. With the house closed up the ambient CO2 really makes it tough.
Co2 does not change you KH, it only affects PH. Maybe you have some other issues going on?

[cato]

I run 7.5-8.5
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m53/chirocato/Aug%2009%20FTS/P8290916a.jpg

[joshrules123456]

animals will adapt (coral) to their environment, I prefer to keep my dkh at 9-10, in my system, it gives me the best results.

[nefron]

I run mine around 9.7-10.2, but I think that what ever you run it at keeping it stable is more important than the actual number...as long as it is in the proper range. I have great color and unbelievable growth so it must be working.

[dnov99]

Stable and at 9 or 10 seems best for me.

[boodlefish]

I have been having trouble getting my tanks Alk level to balance out since I started dosing 2 part. My doser has the ability to constantly dose in .25ml/hour increments. I can't put it on a timer. It seems to be balancing out at around 11dkh now. I think that this is a little on the high side. I am dosing 12ml/day of each part at this point. When I was dosing 6ml/day the dkh was falling. So I bumped it up to 12ml/day. It climbed steadily, about .4-.5ml/day until it hit 10.9. I have a thread in the chemistry forum going that is called"just started dosing 2-part again...is this normal" if you would like to see all of my test results thus far. Randy Holmes-Farley has been a great help to me in that thread as well as the member Bertoni.

Sorry for the long story, I was just wondering what level you guys keep all of your SPS tanks at? I know it is better to stay stable at any alk level, than to have it swing, but where do you keep yours?

is there a reason that it has to be 6 or 12ml/day, if 11dkh feels high why not try 9 or 10ml/day?

i aim for 9dkh with in 15 to 30 min of dosing (meaning i test after 15 to 30 min after my dosing pump has finished)

[Jay Fortay]

The reason for 6 or 12 per day is that the lowest increment that my doser doses is .25/ml, the catch is that it has to dose constantly as it does not have the ability to be run on a timer. so 6/ml a day is when I dose .25ml/hour*24hours=6ml/day. This would be much easier if I could increase the dose in small amounts as I am sure I will be met with another hurdle once the demand becomes greater =( It will be the same thing when I have to make a decision between 12ml/day and 18ml/day.

[naldopr]

8/9dkh

[Ralph ATL]

9/10

dosing vodka, but using Seachem Reef (so it's more like 7/8 due to Borate)

[dlmkmm]

I try to keep mine around 9 or 10, my PH is on low side. I remember reading if your PH is low it's best to keep alk on the higher side.

[shaggy14]

10.5-11.5 here
ph runs about 7.9-8.1

[motownmego]

keep mine at 9

[Thairun]

I try to keep mine around 9 or 10, my PH is on low side. I remember reading if your PH is low it's best to keep alk on the higher side.

+1.....
Mine 6 -7dkh
Ph 8.2 -8.4
Vodka dosing

[rkaires]

7.5

[Jay Fortay]

Mine has been holding steady at 10.6