Sps keepers question

zaireguy

zaireguy

New member
What salts are most of you using?I am running red sea pro and it keeps my alk at 12dkh.i want to try keeping sps I have one frag now as a test
Now most everyone is telling me to switch salts to lower and keep alk at a round 9 so I thought I would ask here in the sps forum what most of you keep your alk at and what salt you run my cal is a round 480 and my mag runs about 1380
Thanks
 
I use Reef Crystals. I've used IO in the past, but I've had great results over the years with both of these and have no need to switch.

The ALK is high in them, and the CA a touch low by comparison but my system uses ALK so fast it's not a problem. I dose a little CA and with a 10% water change it only bumps my AlK from like 7.0 to 7.2. With the CA reactor it drops back to 7.0 after a couple weeks. Not enough of a swing for me to be concerned.

Whiskey
 
ssjss gogeta said:
Man that's really interesting! And in the video everything look thriving


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A thriving reef does not just depend on a single parameter, such as alkalinity. In my opinion, you need to study a reef tank in its own entirety by taking a holistic approach by which I mean investigating its water temperature, water flow, light intensity and spectrum, nutrient input and output ratio and water parameters including trace elements.
 
DiscusHeckel said:
A thriving reef does not just depend on a single parameter, such as alkalinity. In my opinion, you need to study a reef tank in its own entirety by taking a holistic approach by which I mean investigating its water temperature, water flow, light intensity and spectrum, nutrient input and output ratio and water parameters including trace elements.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%

Reef Crystals
Alk ~7 dkh

https://youtu.be/EEOKyyg1MTA

Best
Daniel
 
I started using Coralife salt when I was in a pinch and that was all I could find. I tried switching back, but I find the coralline works best for me overall.
 
DiscusHeckel said:
A thriving reef does not just depend on a single parameter, such as alkalinity. In my opinion, you need to study a reef tank in its own entirety by taking a holistic approach by which I mean investigating its water temperature, water flow, light intensity and spectrum, nutrient input and output ratio and water parameters including trace elements.
Click to expand...



Curious question I'll try not to derail the thread too much. But where do you have your calcium and magnesium at with the lower alk?


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Low 7s, 440 and I never check mag. NSW is high 6 or low 7, IIRC.

I use IO for decades outside of a few side tries of different salts which I did not like as much.
 
jda said:
Low 7s, 440 and I never check mag. NSW is high 6 or low 7, IIRC.

I use IO for decades outside of a few side tries of different salts which I did not like as much.
Click to expand...



Yeah usually NSW is around 7, I guess it begs the question do we think we can improve upon natures best efforts?


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Always remember that alkalinity levels tending the same direction as nitrogen and phosphorous levels tend to lead to happier corals. You'll have comparable growth rates with higher nutrients and higher alkalinity as you will with lower nutrients and lower alkalinity. I am not a marine biologist and don't understand coral physiology on an collegiate or professional level, but I'm a fairly smart guy who has read and experienced enough to find this to be the case.

It is when you mis match them (low alkalinity with high nutrients = poor color and polyp extension, slow growth, or worse low nutrients high alkalinity = sps tip burn, brittle tissue, rapid tissue necrosis) when you run into problems

By increasing nutrients and alkalinity beyond natural seawater levels we aren't improving upon Mother Nature and evolution, simply taking advantage of the adaptable mechanisms corals have in place to thrive under a variety of conditions s


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DiscusHeckel said:
A thriving reef does not just depend on a single parameter, such as alkalinity. In my opinion, you need to study a reef tank in its own entirety by taking a holistic approach by which I mean investigating its water temperature, water flow, light intensity and spectrum, nutrient input and output ratio and water parameters including trace elements.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
I have used instant ocean, Red Sea blue bucket, h2ocean. All with good results.
I've had my alk between 6 and 7 for quite some time and wouldn't ever run it over 8. My target is 7. I have found in my system that over 8 gives me growth tip issues..
It isn't my salt that I rely on for alk (or ca, sr, k, mg) it is my ca reactor and kalk stirrer as well as testing and tweaking the levels to my satisfaction..
Once there are enough sps in your system, your water changes will not suffice for parameter maintenance..
 
I also agree that alk and calcium should match closely with N and P... there is too much evidence of this for me to ignore, including the ocean. I will also add in light levels in reverse application.
 
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