ALK + Test Kit ? For Carbon Dosing SPS dominant tanks.

[MammothReefer]

--the background info--
I'm stuck in a bit of a delma here, for the first time since setting up my tank i'm am loosing 2 "large" pieces. Both i've had for several months, and I can't figure out why. they are both very slowly STN'n. One I can get the frags to survive. The other the frags go up in smoke. I'm starting to feel it's an alk issues. However a few months back I took my pellets offline. I'm currently toying with the idea of putting them back online as I've found myself needing to increase my feeding for non-related issues* (*all stn issues started prior to nutrient increase in the tank). So with that long winded intro. I typically and have been testing with Elos ALK (after mishaps with salifert years ago) I've been shooting for 8-8.5 on an elos kit. However I ended up with a salifert kit this past week and I am now reading 10.5 on a slifert to a 9 on a my elos (yes higher then normal). Before I switch my pellets back on I want to reduce my alk.. So with that said my Question is for you carbon dosers out there (with sps tanks which are way more finky then none). Yes I know elos run low, and salifert run high but now with some issues I can't quite wrap my finger around I don't know whom I want to trust for this very sensitive parameter.

If I drop my elos to a 7.5 in theory that's a salifert 9. One is low (but acceptable) and the other is a bit high for carbon dosing.

---end background info---


With all that said. I know there are all sorts of what is your alk threads, but I want to hear specifically from carbon dosers. With the following info.

What DKH is your ALK & What test kits are you using to get said DKH?

Thanks

 

[urbaneks]

With all that said. I know there are all sorts of what is your alk threads, but I want to hear specifically from carbon dosers. With the following info.

What DKH is your ALK & What test kits are you using to get said DKH?

Thanks

I'm new to carbon dosing, as a matter of fact have not started yet. My tank is currently cycling, once completed I will start my dosing regiment. With that said, I've done a ton of reading and everything that I've read points to a DKH between 7 and 8. Here is a quote that I pulled from this thread.

Some users of organic carbon dosing have reported the tissue loss at the ends of their SPS. These "burnt tips" have recovered once the user reduced the alkalinity levels within their tank to alkalinity levels closer to natural seawater (7-8 dKH), pictured below. Unfortunately, the root cause for this is not known.​

For what it's worth, I've always used Salifert kits for my nano and have been happy with them.

 

[MammothReefer]

Ya hmm the issue is which kit are you going for 7-8. If I ran 7 on my salifert that would be 5.5 on my elos. That is super low.

 

[urbaneks]

I've subscribed to this thread as I want to learn along with you.

Here is one idea that may help you baseline the kits, test some freshly made salt water and compare it to the manufacture's specs and see which one is closer to the specs.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I believe he's looking for experienced others that have been successful with maintaining SPS in a carbon dosed tank. More specifically what they keep their alk at and what test kit they use to verify the alk.

 

[Apisto]

I've subscribed to this thread as I want to learn along with you.

Here is one idea that may help you baseline the kits, test some freshly made salt water and compare it to the manufacture's specs and see which one is closer to the specs.

The unfortunate reality is that even levels of Alk (amoung others) vary in many salt mixes.

I have been carbon dosing for a little over a year and, so far, have positive results. I keep my tank at very close to 7 via an Elos kit, but I have tried several and have been irritated enough by the reading variability(especially Salifert) that I am looking into a Hannah Alk checker. I would still use an Elos test though as a calibration/verification safegaurd.

 

[joker295]

im doing wm biopellets and keeping my alk at 8.0 on salifert test kit and havent had any issue with my sps .. i had stn kick in bc of my salinty but after bring it back up everything went back to normal..

 

[evoi19]

I'm somewhat a newb, but I do run BP's and have slowly dropped my alk between 7.84 - 7.94. I use a hanna alk checker.

I just tested my alk with the hanna and it was at 7.89. I also have a salifert test kit and just now and it read at 8.3. Not sure if that's any help, but thought i'd just add that to the thread.

 

[Chyendra]

I've been vodka dosing on my 40g for about 5 months now. I started keeping my ALK around 8, but about a month or two ago I bump it up to 10 and my corals have had much better growth. No tip burning or STN probs at all. I use the new salifert test for Alk.

I have seen areas of tissue loss when i was running my alk at 8 and then forgot to dose one day, and my alk dropped substantially.
When I lost SPS to STN in my last tank, the only think I can equate it to was a recent fraging of a toadstool leather which was near by the SPS.

 

[Bello]

Zeovit -> ELOS-> 6.5dkh to 7.0dkh. No real issues.

 

[aquaph8]

Vodka/Vinegar- Salifert- no higher than 8dkh. no issues thus far. I agree with you though and im thinking about the Hanna alk checker instead of a new test kit.

 

[fcmatt]

get a hanna checker for alk and throw the others away in my opinion.
if you want to double check the hanna get a lamotte alk test kit.

i run between 6.8 - 8.2. i add TM bioactif salt with the majority being reef crystals.