Question for the pros

loganlemaster · 02/21/2018, 09:00 PM

Those of you running low nutrient systems where do you keep your alk level? I currently have 0-5 nitrates and undetectable po4. I am currently trying to maintain 8dkh, I am dosing esv b-ionic. Things are looking great in the tank. I use red sea coral pro salt and am doing a weekly water change the red sea salt mixes at a higher dkh than I am shooting for so to compensate I stop dosing the day before and after my water change. I guess my question is should i target a higher dkh closer to what the salt mixes to?

DesertReefT4r · 02/21/2018, 09:53 PM

Most shoot for 7-8 on ulns. Any higher your sps can get burnt tips. I would suggest getting po4 up to .03. Most salt mixes all have higher alk. A non reef salt will have lower alk. So you could try blue bucket Red Sea salt, IO or Tropic Marin.
I in no way claim to be a pro.

loganlemaster · 02/21/2018, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesertReefT4r

Most shoot for 7-8 on ulns. Any higher your sps can get burnt tips. I would suggest getting po4 up to .03. Most salt mixes all have higher alk. A non reef salt will have lower alk. So you could try blue bucket Red Sea salt, IO or Tropic Marin.
I in no way claim to be a pro.

Thank you!

RobZilla04 · 02/22/2018, 08:25 AM

Also interested on this topic. Lately my nutrients have gotten way low (Po4 < .05 & No3 < 5ppm). Nitrates were near 0 before I began dosing Reef Energy A/B. Got them up to 5ppm roughly at this point.

Alk is mid 8's, Cal 400-420, & Mag a tad high at around 1400.

I appear to be seeing SPS tissue loss especially around the tips. I'm confused because it is not starting at the base. Not sure if it's STN or RTN. All SPS (even new frags) show signs of growth for a few weeks, then halt with color loss along with tissue loss. Looks almost like mucus hanging off all the branches.

Everything else in the tank appears well.

Thoughts?

jda · 02/22/2018, 05:23 PM

I do not consider that ULNS... just LNS. 7-8 is probably fine. If you really want to do ULNS, then I would be 6.7 to 7.0 pretty steady.

You can lower alk in salt mix by using Muratic Acid. It is safe and easy, but handle it carefully. The mix in the container will need a day of mixing or aeration to get the PH back up. Gallons * dKh drop * .123 is the number of mls of Muratic Acid to use. DO not add any muratic acid to the tank.

I put a 50G bag of IO in a 44G brute with 2 TBSP of dowflake. Mix. Heat. 20mls of Muratic Acid. Mix for another day or two. Nearly perfect acropora water for me.

rovster · 02/23/2018, 07:32 AM

I would say 6.5-7.5 for ULNS and keep it stable like mentioned. The number doesn't matter as much as the stability of it.

02/21/2018, 09:53 PM	#2
DesertReefT4r Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Mesa Az Posts: 771	Most shoot for 7-8 on ulns. Any higher your sps can get burnt tips. I would suggest getting po4 up to .03. Most salt mixes all have higher alk. A non reef salt will have lower alk. So you could try blue bucket Red Sea salt, IO or Tropic Marin. I in no way claim to be a pro. __________________ Tank history 29g tropical ,55g cichlid tank, 20H softy reef, 29g mixed reef, 20H brackish goby & puffer tank, 55g mixed reef, 6g Nanocube softy lps reef, 40B sps reef, 75g sps reef, 75g sps reef in bu Current Tank Info: 75g sps reef build in the works.

02/22/2018, 08:25 AM	#4
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Also interested on this topic. Lately my nutrients have gotten way low (Po4 < .05 & No3 < 5ppm). Nitrates were near 0 before I began dosing Reef Energy A/B. Got them up to 5ppm roughly at this point. Alk is mid 8's, Cal 400-420, & Mag a tad high at around 1400. I appear to be seeing SPS tissue loss especially around the tips. I'm confused because it is not starting at the base. Not sure if it's STN or RTN. All SPS (even new frags) show signs of growth for a few weeks, then halt with color loss along with tissue loss. Looks almost like mucus hanging off all the branches. Everything else in the tank appears well. Thoughts? __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

02/23/2018, 07:32 AM	#6
rovster Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Miramar, FL Posts: 7,518	I would say 6.5-7.5 for ULNS and keep it stable like mentioned. The number doesn't matter as much as the stability of it. __________________ "Cause you don't need to be a scientist to see, what we can accomplish with good chemistry..." -Sophia the First Current Tank Info: Tank killed by Hurricane Irma...once dust settles restart to come...

02/22/2018, 05:23 PM	#5
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	I do not consider that ULNS... just LNS. 7-8 is probably fine. If you really want to do ULNS, then I would be 6.7 to 7.0 pretty steady. You can lower alk in salt mix by using Muratic Acid. It is safe and easy, but handle it carefully. The mix in the container will need a day of mixing or aeration to get the PH back up. Gallons * dKh drop * .123 is the number of mls of Muratic Acid to use. DO not add any muratic acid to the tank. I put a 50G bag of IO in a 44G brute with 2 TBSP of dowflake. Mix. Heat. 20mls of Muratic Acid. Mix for another day or two. Nearly perfect acropora water for me.