What is the best level for dkh?

[Mattl22]

Just wondering what u guys keep ur dkh at ? Mine was at 11 at one time and corals seemed pissed I was trying to maintain a high ph to get rid of dinos it was a waste of time and I lost 3 sps frags!
Just got it back down to 8 and corals starting to look much better
Pleas share ur exp with trying to keep dkh stable with cal reactor and dosing kalk

 

[Pallobi]

ime, sps do not like high dkh... if your running a low nutrient system, which is what an sps tank is understood to be, i find that maintaining your dkh at the level of 8, like you mentioned, is absolutely best... even 7 is fine ime and imo... GL

 

[Pallobi]

btw, i do not use a calcium reactor and refuse to do so... nor do i dose kalk... i know this doesnt address your exact request for info as i dose BRS 2 part only, and will do so forever if i can help it, but maybe the dkh level part of my post will help a bit

 

[jerl77]

i like 8

 

[Ben251]

IMO it doesnt matter as long as its stable but within ranges of 8-12 at highest should be ok...

 

[henrystyle]

8 dkh

 

[Mattl22]

btw, i do not use a calcium reactor and refuse to do so... nor do i dose kalk... i know this doesnt address your exact request for info as i dose BRS 2 part only, and will do so forever if i can help it, but maybe the dkh level part of my post will help a bit

Have u ever tried a cal reactor ?
I used and liked 2 part but found it very expensive and my cal and alk needs r not that high yet


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[Pallobi]

Have u ever tried a cal reactor ?
I used and liked 2 part but found it very expensive and my cal and alk needs r not that high yet


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

i havent yet no... though many of my reefer buddies do... i go on the idea that simpler is better... a reactor has to be constantly dialed in and adjusted, especially when growing a sps stocked system, and has many things that need to be plugged in... imo, the more goin on, the more that can go wrong... i dont mind the cost of 2 part at all, as BRS two part is very affordable and even more so easy to use and monitor... i also dont mind the manual application as i dont use dosers either and most likely never will either... its jus what i feel safest with and prefer to use... i know reactors are very effective as well and i have done a ton of research on all methods, i jus choose to do it the way i do... its what i am comfortable with is all... i dont mean to try to turn anyone off from a reactor as they can work great as well... but they require more work... please dont take that as i am a lazy reefer, cuz that i am definately not...

 

[Pallobi]

IMO it doesnt matter as long as its stable but within ranges of 8-12 at highest should be ok...

agreed 100%... its more about stability than anything... imo, alk is the most important parameter to keep steady and constantly monitored in a reef tank... even small swings can affect livestock... especially sps

 

[NYreefNoob]

i keep mine at 9 and have for years, i also use a BM triple doser though

 

[prattreef]

7-9 range for me.

 

[MIKE NY]

8-10...here

 

[AlohaTropics]

6.5 - 7.5 works for me! Not a fan of Ca Reactors because of the constant level adjustments and the lower pH. Kalk is great, but not when running ULNS. Kalk can bond phosphates to rocks and substrate which can in turn leach back into the system. I enjoy 2 part on a BM doser like Rick. Matt, send me a PM. There are cost efficient ways of dosing 2 part without going broke.

 

[batt600]

6.5 to 8.0 is were you want to be for best growth anything higher is no good

 

[NYreefNoob]

my sps cant tell higher then 8 is no good, ive never had mine under 9 and my stuff grows at a fast clip, plus there is more too it then just alk, having the proper balance of calcium and mag play as much a part

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

 

[Mattl22]

Will low mag significantly slow sps growth My mag is a little low and I don't usually dose for it just finally getting hang of keeping cal alk temp and salinity stable
I will check it tomorrow I have Kent liquid mag I can dose if I have too do corals dislike to much of a swing in mag also

 

[Pallobi]

ime, you dont wana swing your mag more than 50 ppm at any one time... but im sure this isnt an exact thing... it goes back to stable water parameters... how much are you willing to change it at once knowing how sensitive they can be? like anything else, a slower change is better than a fast one... jmo