Where should my paremeters be? Confused

[PirateLove]

Hi RC. I am trying to keep SPS. I have a few nice frags. I recently watched an episode of BRS tv and they said to keep alkalinity at 8.5 I think. Red Sea states 11. The sticky here also says 8. If I am trying to shoot for 8, why am I using Reef Crystals instead of regular Instant Ocean if Reef Crystals has an ALK of around 11?

Very confused and my corals are suffering. Can anyone help? Where do you keep you ALK and CALCIUM??

 

[BIGCYCS805]

I run a uln system which with elevated alk i see alot of recession and tips burning ive found my sweet spot is 7.5-8dkh alk and 440 cal colors lookin good and growth fine this way i also dose aminos . Everyones tank is different and corols respond differantly but i read on my red sea test kit their ranges and i think they say for frags 12.3 alk or something like that they make good products but no way would i raise my alk that high it would probly fry all my sticks

 

[PirateLove]

Thanks for the reply. Very good advice. My pieces were looking very good and I dosed BRS two part for ALK a bit too much and it looks burnt and very sad.

Confusing stuff this is and I am not a beginner. Just trying to figure out how to keep my levels constant.

 

[nemodan]

Thanks for the reply. Very good advice. My pieces were looking very good and I dosed BRS two part for ALK a bit too much and it looks burnt and very sad.

Confusing stuff this is and I am not a beginner. Just trying to figure out how to keep my levels constant.

Let's put it in this way :

If you achieve Phosp and Nitrates values of ~ 0.03-6 & 2-5 ppm respectively then target your Alk between 6.5 to 7.5 dkh

With low levels of Phosp and Nit you will have problems with alk values over 8.5 dkh .

Nothing is written in stone and every tank is a different world.

About your comment concerning Reef Crystal, every time I have measured it freshly prepared I got Alk values between 9-10 dkh, at 1026. I just do a 20% WC in a system with ~ 7 dkh and there is a slightly increase of 0.5 dkh, that is gone by the next day. So most of the time I do not worry about measuring Alk in the new salt water.

Best
Daniel

 

[Galaxyreef]

High nutrients can support high alk. Low nutrients lower alk

 

[moatdaddy]

Normally i dont start a new tank of with reef crystals, i just happened to have two boxes of it from a previous tank. When i tested alk it was at 10.5 for the first month, i had to buy new salt to get it down. My suggestion is to look at the TOTM parameters, you will see the majority of them run a 7-8.5 alk. Also they drip to keep it spot on in their desired range. Growing SPS is much different than Zoanthids.

Starting a tank with Instant Ocean, and then water changing with Reef Crystals makes more sense to me for someone with a low demand system.

While red sea may suggest a high ALK, i dont see many of the nice tanks here saying the same thing. Most tend to stick to NSW. I personally like to keep mine between 8 and 8.5.