Friends Alkalinty is around 12 - is that bad & how to fix?

[agoutihead]

I checked my friends alkalinity using my salifert kit and it came out around 12.

Is this too high?

It said on the instructions that 8 was the norm.

What can he do to adjust this?

 

[matthewscars]

its on the higher end of good.

Just dont dose for a few days and it will come down

 

[agoutihead]

So its ok if its on the higher end?

He uses Red Sea Reef salt mix & also does dose with b-ionic every day I think.

So if I remember correctly, if his alkalinity is high, then his calcium should be way high too right?

That isnt nessecarly a bad thing though is it?

He should just have a lot of coral growth with his MH right?

 

[jbird69]

Actually if the dkh is high, the calcium typically gets pushed down. With that said, my tank is always very high in both. Theres an exception to every rule.

 

[Playa-1]

Check out this article on balancing Alk and Calcium.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

 

[matthewscars]

its fine. nothing will be harmed.

I normally skip a day of dosing after a water change. just have him cut down the dosing a 1/2 cap full or whatever.

Check cal, but only thing you can do is just stop dosing for 2 days. and reduce dosing amount

 

[xenon]

12dkh is what you will get with a freshly mixed batch of ReefCrystals.

Some say you get faster growth with higher dkh.

 

[crvz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14244975#post14244975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agoutihead
So its ok if its on the higher end?

He uses Red Sea Reef salt mix & also does dose with b-ionic every day I think.

So if I remember correctly, if his alkalinity is high, then his calcium should be way high too right?

That isnt nessecarly a bad thing though is it?

He should just have a lot of coral growth with his MH right?

If he's not testing his alkalinity with regularity, he shouldnt be dosing anything. I'd make that clear to him, as continuing to do so can cause some major issues down the road. As pointed out, the calcium is more likely depleted, but there are a lot of variables to be considered. There's no real reason to think you'll have any better growth with elevated calc/alk levels.

 

[agoutihead]

If he is dosing with B-ionic to keep cal levels up, on top of using good salt, how would it be depleted?

Why couldnt it be thought that heavy light + extra/higher than normal calcium wouldnt bring higher yields in the quicker growth of coral?