What is your Alk?

[kirkwood]

I was reading this info from Seachem
http://www.seachem.com/Library/Articles/The_Contrarian_Reef.pdf">http://www.seachem.com/Library/Articles/The_Contrarian_Reef.pdf</a>
and was a bit surprised that they recommended keeping a reef alkalinity at 5 meq/L. I have been told to keep my KH at 7-10 (2.5-3.6 meq/L)... I even just recently switched my salt to Seachem's Salinity and that is their top salt and still only offers a KH of 8.5 (3 meq/L).

I understand the concept of keeping your alk as high as possible to maintain a proportionate calcium and magensium balance while at the same time being able to buffer against acids in the system to ward off PH swings... I'm just trying to make sense of variance in accepted practices.

Thoughts? What alk works best for you?
I'm currently running 8.5 KH in a 55 gallon with 0.5kh/day depletion
Calcium is 450
Mag is 1300 (would prefer it at 1350 or higher)

 

[Jaycen B.]

3.2142857 meq/L

 

[ralph atl]

I shoot for 8.5 to 9.0KH

3.00 to 3.20 meg/L

 

[cr500_af]

I shoot for that too, but I usually have around 2.5 meq/l.

 

[umbrellacorp]

am i the only one that tests alk in ppm? kit says 180-300ppm is good. Mine stays around 200.

 

[kirkwood]

Looks like that 8.5KH tends to be the most popular level. My tank seems to be very happy with it, although I do have to dose buffer daily to maintain it. I have been using Seachem's Aquavitro line and dosing "Eight.Four" to maintain my alk, however at the rate I'm going through it, I can see it's just too costly. I'm going to make the switch to Seachem's Reef Buffer or their Reef Builder.

Just wondering what others dose for their buffer? It says Reef Buffer also raises your PH, while Reef Builder does not. Reef Builder also contains calcium, magnesium, and strontium to compensate for the inevitable loss which occurs when raising alkalinity. It also contains sufficient magnesium to restore magnesium routinely depleted.

The buffer I currently dose increases PH, and my PH is stable at 8.3 so I'm not sure I want to risk switching to Reef Builder (eventhough it sounds like the clear choice) and risk my PH dropping.

 

[umbrellacorp]

Kirkwood;739039 wrote: Looks like that 8.5KH tends to be the most popular level. My tank seems to be very happy with it, although I do have to dose buffer daily to maintain it. I have been using Seachem's Aquavitro line and dosing "Eight.Four" to maintain my alk, however at the rate I'm going through it, I can see it's just too costly. I'm going to make the switch to Seachem's Reef Buffer or their Reef Builder.

Just wondering what others dose for their buffer? It says Reef Buffer also raises your PH, while Reef Builder does not. Reef Builder also contains calcium, magnesium, and strontium to compensate for the inevitable loss which occurs when raising alkalinity. It also contains sufficient magnesium to restore magnesium routinely depleted.

The buffer I currently dose increases PH, and my PH is stable at 8.3 so I'm not sure I want to risk switching to Reef Builder (eventhough it sounds like the clear choice) and risk my PH dropping.

You too? I have to dose every 2-3 days to stay in range. Glad im not the only one.


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[kirkwood]

UmbrellaCorp;739078 wrote: You too? I have to dose every 2-3 days to stay in range. Glad im not the only one.


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Best thing I ever did was get a pen and paper and brand new elos test kits for alk, calcium, and mag and every day for 2 weeks do tests and keep records. I was able to finally figure out my depletion ratios and now I know i need 0.5kH everday to maintain my alk. I don't like adding every couple days because then my dips would be too stressful for SPS. Now I want a dosing pump to that I can slowly dose over the course of the day to avoid any dips..

 

[silver surfer]

The best purchase I made was a dosing pump

 

[kirkwood]

Silver Surfer;739187 wrote: The best purchase I made was a dosing pump

what did you go with? I was looking at the BulkReefSupply which is a single doser (but w/o a timer), and also this one which is a triple and includes timer.
http://www.aquastyleonline.com/products/Kamoer-Aquarium-Dosing-Pump-System.html">http://www.aquastyleonline.com/products/Kamoer-Aquarium-Dosing-Pump-System.html</a>

The way BRS explains it, it seems like their doser is the highest quality pump and no backflow.

 

[liverock27]

I test my Alk weekly with a Hanna Checker and it stays between 8.5 and 8.56 dosing BRS 2 Part. I will check when I get back in town on how much I dose per day, but I want to say my dosing pumps run for about 15mins per day for Alk on a 90g tank.

Kirkwood;739202 wrote: what did you go with? I was looking at the BulkReefSupply which is a single doser (but w/o a timer), and also this one which is a triple and includes timer.
http://www.aquastyleonline.com/products/Kamoer-Aquarium-Dosing-Pump-System.html">http://www.aquastyleonline.com/products/Kamoer-Aquarium-Dosing-Pump-System.html</a>

The way BRS explains it, it seems like their doser is the highest quality pump and no backflow.[/QUOTE]

I am using 3 BRS 1.1ml per minute dosers for 2 part and Mg and I really like them.

 

[kirkwood]

LiveRock27;739220 wrote:


I am using 3 BRS 1.1ml per minute dosers for 2 part and Mg and I really like them.

So you use some basic timers from HD or Lowes? What brand 2-part do you use? I'm thinking of switching to Seachem Reef Builder for alk and Advantage for calcium, from "Eight.Four" and "Calcification" on their aquavitro line..

 

[liverock27]

Kirkwood;739223 wrote: So you use some basic timers from HD or Lowes? What brand 2-part do you use? I'm thinking of switching to Seachem Reef Builder for alk and Advantage for calcium, from "Eight.Four" and "Calcification" on their aquavitro line..

I have them plugged into my Reef Keeper, but before I had the RK I was using outdoor timers from HD. The blackones with the cover.

I use BRS's 2 Part.

 

[jbdreefs]

Okay, so most everything I read says to keep alkalinity between 8 and 12 kH. For some reason that sounds like a big window. What are the pros and cons of maintaining Alkalinity towards 8 and/or 12. Currently, mine is on the higher side.

 

[dakota9]

Jenn wrote that my ALK was 4.5 on my tank's last check-up.... Looking above, seems like I need help

 

[kirkwood]

JBDreefs;739264 wrote: Okay, so most everything I read says to keep alkalinity between 8 and 12 kH. For some reason that sounds like a big window. What are the pros and cons of maintaining Alkalinity towards 8 and/or 12. Currently, mine is on the higher side.

well NSW would be at 8.5 kh, however at the higher end like 12kh you're system will be able to buffer more acids in the before your ph begins to drop. As of right now I'm staying at that 8.5 level because everything looks very happy and my salt mix (Salinity) mixes at 8.5 kh at 1.025.. If I had a higher KH in my system and did a water change, then i'd just be lowering my kh level... Like others have said, keep it dialed in with minor fluctuations for best results... And keep that balance between calcium and magnesium..

 

[dme330i]

7.5 dkh for me. Trying to keep it close to NSW (7 dkh) and also avoid excess calcium carbonate buildup in pumps, etc.