How much swing is allowed

[toothybugs]

I couldn't find a good answer using Search so I'm asking.

I am curious as to the group opinions of how much fluctuation is tolerable in the chem numbers. Of course "rock solid" is the goal but there has to be some tolerance, if only on a weekly or monthly basis as opposed to daily (which would be pretty rapid change). My alkalinity reading is right around 8.1-8.2 these days and I want to bump it up a little.

So being new to SPS and being new to testing my alk daily these days with everything else tested on the weekend, how much swing do you feel is allowed, and over what time frame?

 

[JB NY]

.20 try to keep any swings within that margin and you should be good. Personally I would not bump the alk, I and many others with sps keep it in the 7s. Mine is 7.3

 

[toothybugs]

Thanks for the intel on the 7s. That ^^ is about as perfect an answer as I had hoped for.

 

[deeznutz1]

Agreed, if you can keep it stable where you are, just keep on trucking!

I've had the most success with alk in the 7's for what it's worth.

 

[alten78]

I typically keep mine in the in the low to mid 8's but after just winning some Reef Foundation at a local swap, I was checking out their site and was surprised that Red Sea suggests SPS, frags/clams accelerated growth (which is where I am after starting over a few years ago) at 12.6. 8.2 for mature, which again, is where I am except for the mature part of it. 12.6 seemed a little high to me but it certainly got me thinking....

 

[rovster]

I would have said 0.5 dkh. Mine actually swings a little in a 24hr period as it seems alk consumption is higher during the lighting period. I dose equal amounts every hour via apex so it's not that lol.

 

[JB NY]

Daily swing is whatever it is going to be if you are dosing or using a ca reactor, you can't really help that too much. Read sea is probably not keeping acros, no one keeps it that high anymore.

 

[nemodan]

My Acros and others SPS haven been doing great with ~6.5 dkh. I measure more than twice per week and always around the same time in the evening, and is alway that. When I see it goes to 6.3 dkh I bump 1 ml the doser. Lately, Every week I have been adding 1 ml more to the dose to keep the ~6.5 dkh.

SPS doing great !!!

 

[rlpardue]

Acceptable alk swing ranges are pretty tough to nail down. I once tried to research the same question, to no avail.

More recently, I had an accidental (but gradual) alk spike to 15. Tank made it back down to 9 again eventually with no losses. Here is the thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2516684