SPS tanks, what ALK level do you keep?

What is your ALK level

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jrpark22000

jrpark22000

Premium member
For the SPS tanks, what ALK level do you run and why? Have you tried different levels to get the best results?

I get to change on my ALK level and would like to know. A dosing pump timer change created a 1 week drift up from 7 to 8.5. The slower coral growth created a ALK/CA run away keeping pH stable but ALK at 8.5. Some SPS tips are burnt and I'm now free to change ALK levels. I'm looking from input from the SPS gurus here as to what and why you keep. Please don't be shy.
 
I keep mine close to NSW around 7-7.5 dKH. Reason is I run biopellets,with higher Alk I would get burnt tips on my SPS.
 
Lil BamBam said:
Something new I learned :D
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Yep. I don't know what a ULNS is as the definition varies greatly, that said some would consider my system ULNS. I don't carbon dose or use biopellets, but I run a very clean system and feed medium amounts. It's the first time I've went above 8dkh since I upgraded last year and it shows.
 
jrpark22000 said:
Yep. I don't know what a ULNS is as the definition varies greatly, that said some would consider my system ULNS. I don't carbon dose or use biopellets, but I run a very clean system and feed medium amounts. It's the first time I've went above 8dkh since I upgraded last year and it shows.
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Just see whats the sweet spot for your tank.... Only you knows your baby ;) It will show you...
 
I kid myself by thinking I have an ULNS so to avoid burnt tips I keep the Alk lower. I have never had an algae problem, so maybe I'm close to low nutrients. I try to keep my Alk at 8 max.
 
MMreef said:
I keep mine close to NSW around 7-7.5 dKH. Reason is I run biopellets,with higher Alk I would get burnt tips on my SPS.
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I have the same problem. I always know if my alk breaks 8 because a few of my acro's tips will start to burn. There are an abundance of threads asking this same question out on the interwebz and I've seen a lot of varying answers. However, 8 seems to be the most popular level, fwiw.
 
jrpark22000 said:
Yep. I don't know what a ULNS is as the definition varies greatly, that said some would consider my system ULNS. I don't carbon dose or use biopellets, but I run a very clean system and feed medium amounts. It's the first time I've went above 8dkh since I upgraded last year and it shows.
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I'm surprised your tips burned with the change you had. It's not ideal but I wouldn't think it so drastic over the course of a week to burn.
 
ghostman said:
I kid myself by thinking I have an ULNS so to avoid burnt tips I keep the Alk lower. I have never had an algae problem, so maybe I'm close to low nutrients. I try to keep my Alk at 8 max.
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Interesting bit of info...the alk burn you may get running pellets with alk over 8 is not a result of ulns. I run pellets and intentionally overfeed to keep my NO3's around 5ppm and I will still get burnt tips over 8. It is a mystery why pellets can cause burnt tips over 8. It doesn't have anything to do with low nutrients and to further complicate the mystery, not all pellet users will get burnt tips over 8 dkh.
 
Lil BamBam said:
Just see whats the sweet spot for your tank.... Only you knows your baby ;) It will show you...
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I'd prefer to not guess and check. I know what worked but it now is at 8-8.5 and I am curious to see if I should lets the coral recover here and maintain the higher level.


EricTheRed said:
However, 8 seems to be the most popular level, fwiw.
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I'd agree from my reading. Thanks for the replies.


EricTheRed said:
I'm surprised your tips burned with the change you had. It's not ideal but I wouldn't think it so drastic over the course of a week to burn.
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I was suprised myself, but it was the first time I've been this high. With no other changes, I don't know what else caused the reaction. It's been a total of 2.5 weeks at 8-8.5 as I've been slowly turning back the ALK and CA daily dosing trying to match the new tank needs. I have yet to find the new balance.
 
Thank you all for the replies. There are a couple very nice tanks represented so far. A few more nice tanks are still out there. Would you let us know why you keep the ALK level of your great tanks?:to_pick_ones_nose:
 
helitaiwan963 said:
what brand 2 part do you use? I think i need to start dosing. my coraline is declining off the glass
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Some use BRS as it's the cheapest when you have a large high demand sps tank. Many who have lower needs use b-ionic, as do I.

I wouldn't recommend dosing based on you coraline growth. Use test kits and dose to keep a stable parmaters.
 
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