Where Do You Keep Your Alk?

[jackson6745]

10 years ago most SPS keepers kept their Alk between 10-12DKH sometimes even higher. Since carbon dosing became popular most guys seemed to have lowered their alk to the 7-8DKH range. Even many guys not carbon dosing seem to be following the lower alk trend? I have always ran my alk between 10-11dkh and the only carbon dosing that I have done was adding vinegar in may kalk years ago (if that can be considered carbon dosing). I never had a problems that I was able to pinpoint on ALK.

Give a quick vote on the poll and any added input is appreciated. :usa1:

 

[Jaftica]

I keep it at 9.5 with a calcium reactor, all the corals seem to have done well at that alk

 

[mbg75]

8-9dkh here.

 

[jerl77]

7.5-8.5

 

[TheHun]

7.5 - 8

 

[Frank@Wall]

9.5-10

 

[Zuska]

9.5 in sps tank and 8 in lps tank

 

[arnaldolex]

10-11 mostly softys lots of polyps and a few sps

 

[fjpod]

Do you mean where I try to get it to be, or where it just goes to no matter what I do?

 

[Mattl22]

Oh boy alk is my nemisis I do carbon dose so I shoot for 8 I really want 8 not above not below with my recent 40 breeder I'm having a lot trouble keeping alk stable IMO hardest thing to do in reefing

 

[ducati335i]

I was at 11 lowered to 9.5 over a week.. What's the difference of when you carbon dose? Must you keep it lower? I just started carbon dosing with vinegar

 

[SethKim]

dKH 8, Ca2+ 480, pH 8.26~8.32 @78F.
Whats funny is that my tank is FOWLR! LOL!~

I had problem with high dKH and low Ca2+...up until recent, where I added some changes and the results are phenomenon.

1. Added outdoor air (1/2"ID tubing) to my skimmer (Pros: inc O2 level, Cons: 1800w heater runs 24/7)
2. redox level set @220. If below, my controller turns on a fan on top of my sump. This really helps with gas exchange, esp. with getting rid of CO2.
3. evaporated water is topped off with kalk water. (vinegar water from RO vat is pumped into the kalk doser)
4. pH is set to 8.3 +/- 0.05. controller doses with pure kalk water (chalky water) to maintain pH.
5. Fresh made salt water is constantly dripped in to compensate the water loss from wet skimming. (~6L/day)
6. efflux from calcium reactor (which runs @ pH 6.8 and high CO2) is fed into my refugium with Macro first.
7. I also dose BRS Ca2+& Mg2+, 500mL and 360mL respectively.

 

[fishman1069]

dKH 8, Ca2+ 480, pH 8.26~8.32 @78F.
Whats funny is that my tank is FOWLR! LOL!~

I had problem with high dKH and low Ca2+...up until recent, where I added some changes and the results are phenomenon.

1. Added outdoor air (1/2"ID tubing) to my skimmer (Pros: inc O2 level, Cons: 1800w heater runs 24/7)
2. redox level set @220. If below, my controller turns on a fan on top of my sump. This really helps with gas exchange, esp. with getting rid of CO2.
3. evaporated water is topped off with kalk water. (vinegar water from RO vat is pumped into the kalk doser)
4. pH is set to 8.3 +/- 0.05. controller doses with pure kalk water (chalky water) to maintain pH.
5. Fresh made salt water is constantly dripped in to compensate the water loss from wet skimming. (~6L/day)
6. efflux from calcium reactor (which runs @ pH 6.8 and high CO2) is fed into my refugium with Macro first.
7. I also dose BRS Ca2+& Mg2+, 500mL and 360mL respectively.

Man, all that for a FOWLR! Why not go reef?

 

[SethKim]

Man, all that for a FOWLR! Why not go reef?

Actually it is reef tank! I just dont have corals...lol

 

[ducati335i]

Lmao !!!!!! O man!

 

[smoq]

I keep mine at 7-8dKh. I never tried to raise it higher and from what I've read throughout the years, most beautiful European and US display tanks are run at 7-8

 

[MIKE NY]

it fluctuates between 8-10 trying to keep it closer to 8 because I add vinagar in my ATO with kalk

 

[FMF0331]

7.7

 

[Pseudo]

Stable at 9..

Ducati, at alk over 8-9 dkh when carbon doesing you have the chance of alk burns on the tips of your sps.

 

[FaviaFreak]

7.5-8.5 Dkh

I've found with higher Dkh that too many issues with stn can occur from dosing carbon sources