Let's talk about Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium in an SPS Tank
- Thread starter JB NY
- Start date
Scorpius
Stick Head
Better. When I first had my tank setup 500 Calcium was not uncommon. I like to keep my magnesium around 1400.
Here's a nifty chart for Ca/Alk ratio so you have an idea of how in balance things are.
DKH Ca
4.50 393
4.75 395
5.00 397
5.25 398
5.50 400
5.75 402
6.00 404
6.25 405
6.50 407
6.75 409
7.00 411
7.25 413
7.50 414
8.00 418
8.25 420
8.50 422
8.75 423
9.00 425
9.25 427
9.50 429
9.75 431
10.00 432
10.20 434
10.50 436
10.75 438
11.00 439
Alkalinity: 10
Calcium: 500
Magnesium: 1500
Dana Riddle had a interesting talk at MACNA last year on high alkalinity levels and increased photosynthesis in corals. He has a lot of good research on corals growth and coloration.
Good water chemistry, lighting, and flow can make for some great looking corals!
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
Calcium: 500
Magnesium: 1500
Dana Riddle had a interesting talk at MACNA last year on high alkalinity levels and increased photosynthesis in corals. He has a lot of good research on corals growth and coloration.
Good water chemistry, lighting, and flow can make for some great looking corals!
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
JB NY
Active member
Dana uses pocillopora a lot in his studies. Those things grow like weeds in the worst of circumstances so I am not surprised that they might do good with high alk. I've never found low or high alk to have much impact on growth. Better to keep ca around 450 and Mg 1350-1450.
Consistency I believe is the key when your parameters is within a reasonable range. Alk, Ca, Mg.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
five.five-six
Well-known member
Arggg, I need to read this entire thread again!
10Seconds
New member
My Alk has been 12 or higher for the last 6 months. Hasnt had any noticiable benefit so I am going to drop it back down. Have tried as high as 14.
On the other hand, it didnt cause any trouble except on one SPS that i bought from the LFS which they kept at 7.5 Alk and it went through a rough adjustment. Its doing fine now too.
Im going to let it gradually fall back to 9 over the next couple months.
On the other hand, it didnt cause any trouble except on one SPS that i bought from the LFS which they kept at 7.5 Alk and it went through a rough adjustment. Its doing fine now too.
Im going to let it gradually fall back to 9 over the next couple months.
five.five-six
Well-known member
I test weekly
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Maybe the automated systems can have a "scrubber aware" option, which allows for more alk when a scrubber is growing. Yes another switch.
five.five-six
Well-known member
I forgot if this calculator is in this thread, it’s older than this thread and handy as heck!
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html
Reef Bass
colors and textures
For me, both high (>10) and low alk (<7) can be problematic. Low alk especially.
I also have noticed times when it seemed dosing "balanced" amounts of alk and ca wasn't yielding reasonable numbers. I used to have this 24" back to front of tank Idaho Grape Monti cap. that was a ginormous calcium sponge.
And adjusting dosing to accommodate ever changing populations and growth of stony corals can provide additional challenge.
I also have noticed times when it seemed dosing "balanced" amounts of alk and ca wasn't yielding reasonable numbers. I used to have this 24" back to front of tank Idaho Grape Monti cap. that was a ginormous calcium sponge.
And adjusting dosing to accommodate ever changing populations and growth of stony corals can provide additional challenge.
