ekean45
Aquarium Advice Activist
I've been trying to research Alkalinity and it looks like there are some pretty big differences of opinion.
In mid September, I began using the Red Sea line of products - Reef Foundation, Reef Energy, and Coral Colors. Corals have become much more vibrant except I had a Candy Cane die and a Duncan that is not doing too well. I had added them into the tank about a month after starting the Red Sea products.
Other corals like monti's, hammer, frog spawn, leather, stunner chalice, mushrooms, war coral, and zoa's are doing great.
Since I started using Red Sea, my tank metrics have stabilized with the exception of Alk - started at about 8 and is now down to about 6.
What is considered a good range for Alk in a reef tank? If 6 is too low, how can I raise Alk without causing the other metrics to go out of whack.
Here's the current set-up and metrics:
Any advice?
Could the downward trend have contributed to the Duncan/Candy Cane issues?
Thanks!
In mid September, I began using the Red Sea line of products - Reef Foundation, Reef Energy, and Coral Colors. Corals have become much more vibrant except I had a Candy Cane die and a Duncan that is not doing too well. I had added them into the tank about a month after starting the Red Sea products.
Other corals like monti's, hammer, frog spawn, leather, stunner chalice, mushrooms, war coral, and zoa's are doing great.
Since I started using Red Sea, my tank metrics have stabilized with the exception of Alk - started at about 8 and is now down to about 6.
What is considered a good range for Alk in a reef tank? If 6 is too low, how can I raise Alk without causing the other metrics to go out of whack.
Here's the current set-up and metrics:
- 65 gallon DT
- 10 gallon refugium
- Make my own RO/DI water
- 10% water changes weekly
- Lighting (I know not the greatest but it is what it is)
- Current Orbit Pro Marine (48")
- ATI T5 Blue Plus
- ATI T5 Purple Plus
- Dose 15ML AcroPower weekly
- I've been using a doser so additives are dosed daily. Only exception is the Red Sea Magnesium (Foundation C). For that, I am adding on a weekly basis.
- Salinity - 1.026
- Temp range - 79-82
- PH - 8.3
- Calcium - 450
- Magnesium - 1400
- Phosphate, Ammonia, Nitrite - 0
- Nitrate - 2
- Alkalinity is currently at 6 - Since I switched to Red Sea, I have been testing weekly so here is the downward progression. I had thought maybe the Alk test kit was bad (also Red Sea) so last week, I ordered a new one - also Red Sea.
- 9
- 9
- 9
- 10
- 8
- 8
- 8
- 8
- 7
- 7
- 7
- 8
- 7
- 8
- 6
Could the downward trend have contributed to the Duncan/Candy Cane issues?
Thanks!