Just read Sk8r's and Randy's info... Is my alk where it should be?

[PirateLove]

Should I be shooting for 7dkh? Mine is 7.3. For some reason I thought people kept their tank at 9. So 7 is what I should be aiming for?

ThaannksRCmembers!

[josephxsxn]

For a while I shot for 10 based on Sanjay's comments in some youtube vids . Now I have headed back toward NSW levels and imho things look better even if they may grow a bit slower.

I think the trick is stability with alk and PH. If you can keep your alk consistent with a doser then I would think you can try alk numbers closer to nsw. My guess on why most people head higher is more resistant to PH flux.

[d2mini]

I keep mine around 8. Gives me wiggle room in either direction. And I seem to retain better color.

[homer1475]

I shoot for 8.5, it's what the chemical balance of NSW @ 420ppm Calcium would be.

[NS Mike D]

fwiw I'll throw this out for discussion

from threads, articles and red sea's coral programs closer, to 7 for ultra low nutrients and sps color, and 11-12 for higher nutrients and sps growth.


red sea lists NO3 at 0.25 for color and 1.5 -2 for growth, and PO4 0.02 (color) and 0.1 (growth).


as josepghxsxn said: stability. That's one one piece of advice you won't see debated.

[saf1]

Originally Posted by NS Mike D

stability.

Very true. Corals and fish are pretty adaptive creatures but stability in our systems should always be job one.

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by saf1

Very true. Corals and fish are pretty adaptive creatures but stability in our systems should always be job one.

So are they adaptive or do they need stability? lol

[d2mini]

Jason Fox talked about stability. I asked him what he meant by "stability". What was stable to him when talking specifically about Alk. He said as long as he is within one dkh, he's good. In other words, if he fluctuates between 8-9 dkh that's ok.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

As others have said, stability is more important than the absolute value.

I think the second half to that thought is just as important as the first. Maintaining the proper ratios to other major parameters is just as important as stability. If you're stable at a high alkalinity, you need to keep calcium slightly higher too, as well as the macronutrients (N and P). You can't do ultra low nutrient with high alkalinity, for example.

I like things a little higher than NSW, I find it's easier to maintain (you're not always chasing after ultra low nutrients) and there's more of a cushion. Plus, for me, this usually results in both the best growth and the best coloration.

Like with anything in reefkeeping, it's important to get lots of research into pros and cons, then make your own decision. There isn't always a single right answer for everybody and for every tank.

[saf1]

Originally Posted by ktownhero

So are they adaptive or do they need stability? lol

I see what you did there, and I. I was coming from a Mother Nature point of view. If you think about what transpires day to day, month to month, etc. There are storms, heavy rains, various currents, and many other things and they seem to adapt and/or recover. We tend to panic sometimes if our lights go out or something breaks. My point is, don't panic and replace with spare or order. Things will survive but they key is not to panic. Just like if you leave for vacation and say are maybe dosing or worried about food. Fish and the tank will be ok.

The stability part is more of a broader topic of not constantly fiddling with your tank. Think about LED's for a minute. Off the shelf products have a lot of control these days. You get them home, set them up, and fire them up. Default config or spectrum and intensity. Corals probably are like WTH over, and react. You react, change spectrum/color because you don't like it and corals again go WTH. Fiddle this, fiddle that, and that is my thought on stability.

Maybe I'm out in left field or worded it wrong but that is how I see it. Keep things stable as you can, don't panic, keep hands out, and in my case it seems I have a successful box of fish and coral.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I don't think "needs stability" and "adaptability" are exclusive. A coral can survive at vastly different alkalinity levels (adaptable), as long as the rate of change is very slow and the level is stable once at a given level versus seesawing all over the place every day (needs stability).

[Indiana Reefin]

I keep mine right around 8-8.6.
I agree with Dennis. Nice middle ground in case something happens

[Gtboosted89]

Originally Posted by der_wille_zur_macht

If you're stable at a high alkalinity, you need to keep calcium slightly higher too, as well as the macronutrients (N and P). You can't do ultra low nutrient with high alkalinity, for example.

What are the dangers of running slightly higher alk with low nutrients?

It's easy for me to keep my alk at 9.6 dkh but currently am not testing nitrates. I am planning to order a test kit and also some potassium nitrate to have on hand.

[RobZilla04]

Steadily 9.5dKH here. No adverse affects and great color and growth.

I'd be interested to know if there is any direct relationship between Alk and Nitrates. I don't believe I've ever heard of such.

[homer1475]

Originally Posted by RobZilla04

Steadily 9.5dKH here. No adverse affects and great color and growth.

I'd be interested to know if there is any direct relationship between Alk and Nitrates. I don't believe I've ever heard of such.

No direct correlation that I know of. I think what was meant is the correlation between high ALK and low nutrients(NO3, PO4).

[jda]

I keep mine around 8. There is no need to chase 7 unless you have a special need like limiting growth with a ULNS system (lower than NSW by using GFO, organic carbon, LC, or the like).

Corals will be more able to handle swings if things are more stable... so they are adaptive when started from a base of stability.. not so adaptable from a place of uncertianty. They are like any other creature - bird flu was no issue to MOST healthy humans with all of their needs met, but malnutrition, older/younger that were alive but not thriving had a lot of issues. Back in the day, IMO, swings were not as much of an issue because people did not try and do too much to jack with nutrients & parameters and they had better food and energy from better lighting. I use MH today and my alk swung a few years ago from 8.0 to 12.5 and calcium from 425 to 520 when a regulator knob was turned by one of my kid's friends and no harm was done at all even though I did precipitate a bit.

[RobZilla04]

Originally Posted by homer1475

No direct correlation that I know of. I think what was meant is the correlation between high ALK and low nutrients(NO3, PO4).

That makes more sense.

[jda]

Originally Posted by RobZilla04

Steadily 9.5dKH here. No adverse affects and great color and growth.

I'd be interested to know if there is any direct relationship between Alk and Nitrates. I don't believe I've ever heard of such.

Calcification is more rapid with very low phosphate and nitrate levels - there is some awesome stuff in, and linked with references, in Dr. Holmes-Farley's N and P articles. Just like coralline, which everybody knows stops thriving as nutrient levels climb, acros, LPS, etc. all suffer to different degrees. NSW parameters of N and P are OK with nearly any alk and calcium level, but this can change if the N and P are very, very low in the case of using GFO, Organic Carbon and LC and the skeletons will calcify faster than the tissue can obtain new resources (N and P) to grow in turn. In the case of ultra-low N and P, the lower alk acts as a limiter on calcification that that it does not outpace the tissue development.

I keep .005 to .01 P and .1 N and my alk can range anywhere that it wants if it is not too fast. I fear that if I cut these in half, that I would need the alk in the 6.X range or else I would burn the tips on my acros. This is why I do not ever advocate for ULNS (outside of a very few specific reasons) and just shoot for NSWish parameters on the low end.

[biecacka]

So I keep my n03 between 3-7 and p04 .08, would hose be considered big or low? My Alk usually stays around 8.6-9.3

Corey

[dangros]

Originally Posted by d2mini

Jason Fox talked about stability. I asked him what he meant by "stability". What was stable to him when talking specifically about Alk. He said as long as he is within one dkh, he's good. In other words, if he fluctuates between 8-9 dkh that's ok.

Over what period of time?