anyone else run their dKH above 12?

cbusreefer · 09/05/2008, 07:51 AM

I've been trying to lower my alk a little, but I think my CA reactor is a little oversized for the time being. At any rate, my dKH has been steady at 13.5 and my CA at 440. Everything seems to be doing fine, I'm just wondering how many other run a high rate as well?

xtm · 09/05/2008, 07:58 AM

Mine is always at least 12.5dKH. My Ca is 450ppm Mg 1400. I only have SPS and they are growing like weed.

cbusreefer · 09/05/2008, 08:13 AM

Ya, my corals are also mainly SPS, but I do have a hammer and frogspawn too. They all seem to be growing extremly well and from what I can see, there are really no ill effects so far. I was just curious to see if anyone else had similiar results...

guppychao · 09/05/2008, 08:33 AM

are there any drawbacks for keeping a high DKH and calcium?

cbusreefer · 09/05/2008, 08:47 AM

I don't know specifically, but i've heard some think STN can be a result. I don't know if it's just a coincidence or what, but it seems that when my tank is holding steady at a high dKH, nuicence algae is slim to none.

Maybe someone else can better answer this though?

LOTUS50GOD · 09/05/2008, 09:05 AM

I run mine at 15... My tank is a SPS tank.. I see growth like never before once I raised my alk.

crvz · 09/05/2008, 09:48 AM

elevated levels of calc/alk can lead to accelerated abiotic calcification on hardware, particularly those that create heat (pumps, heaters, etc.). So more frequent maintenance may be warranted to keep things in good shape. I have a stony dominated tank and keep my alk/calc at 7dkh/375ppm, and I have what I consider to be average to better than average growth.

downhillbiker · 09/05/2008, 10:46 AM

i have been told several times, as long as you aren't precipitating ca, then a high dKH is fine. i keep mine between 12 and 15. how bad is it to fluctuate a little?

DetectiveTofu · 09/05/2008, 11:29 AM

14

cbusreefer · 09/05/2008, 12:14 PM

i heard stablility is the most important. With that being said, I'm sure a little swing isn't too bad. At the same time though, i'm not really sure what too big a swing is? If i had to guess, i'd say you're ok in the if you're only moving 3 or less.

Peter Eichler · 09/05/2008, 12:29 PM

Running 12+ at one time was very common for reef aquarists and 18 dKH was suggested by certain "experts" of the time. Other than spending obscene amounts of money on buffers it was pretty harmless. Just keep an eye out of precipitation and maintain your pumps a little more regularly and you should be fine.

09/05/2008, 07:51 AM	#1
cbusreefer Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dublin, OH Posts: 497	anyone else run their dKH above 12? I've been trying to lower my alk a little, but I think my CA reactor is a little oversized for the time being. At any rate, my dKH has been steady at 13.5 and my CA at 440. Everything seems to be doing fine, I'm just wondering how many other run a high rate as well?

09/05/2008, 07:58 AM	#2
xtm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Panorama City, CA Posts: 4,703	Mine is always at least 12.5dKH. My Ca is 450ppm Mg 1400. I only have SPS and they are growing like weed. __________________ Function before fashion Current Tank Info: 120g SPS Tank (48x24x24)

09/05/2008, 08:33 AM	#4
guppychao Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: MD Posts: 130	are there any drawbacks for keeping a high DKH and calcium? __________________ were just 2 lost souls swimming in a fish bowl

09/05/2008, 09:05 AM	#6
LOTUS50GOD Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3,210	I run mine at 15... My tank is a SPS tank.. I see growth like never before once I raised my alk. __________________ Vertex Alpha 300 Skimmer, AI SOL Blue, Neptune Apex Controlled 360 gallon Reef Current Tank Info: born 6/26/2008- 340 reef + 100 fuge, 300lbs of figi LR

09/05/2008, 09:48 AM	#7
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	elevated levels of calc/alk can lead to accelerated abiotic calcification on hardware, particularly those that create heat (pumps, heaters, etc.). So more frequent maintenance may be warranted to keep things in good shape. I have a stony dominated tank and keep my alk/calc at 7dkh/375ppm, and I have what I consider to be average to better than average growth. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

09/05/2008, 08:13 AM	#3
cbusreefer Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dublin, OH Posts: 497	Ya, my corals are also mainly SPS, but I do have a hammer and frogspawn too. They all seem to be growing extremly well and from what I can see, there are really no ill effects so far. I was just curious to see if anyone else had similiar results...

09/05/2008, 08:47 AM	#5
cbusreefer Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dublin, OH Posts: 497	I don't know specifically, but i've heard some think STN can be a result. I don't know if it's just a coincidence or what, but it seems that when my tank is holding steady at a high dKH, nuicence algae is slim to none. Maybe someone else can better answer this though?

09/05/2008, 10:46 AM	#8
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	i have been told several times, as long as you aren't precipitating ca, then a high dKH is fine. i keep mine between 12 and 15. how bad is it to fluctuate a little? __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

09/05/2008, 11:29 AM	#9
DetectiveTofu Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,150	14

09/05/2008, 12:14 PM	#10
cbusreefer Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dublin, OH Posts: 497	i heard stablility is the most important. With that being said, I'm sure a little swing isn't too bad. At the same time though, i'm not really sure what too big a swing is? If i had to guess, i'd say you're ok in the if you're only moving 3 or less.

09/05/2008, 12:29 PM	#11
Peter Eichler Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 6,081	Running 12+ at one time was very common for reef aquarists and 18 dKH was suggested by certain "experts" of the time. Other than spending obscene amounts of money on buffers it was pretty harmless. Just keep an eye out of precipitation and maintain your pumps a little more regularly and you should be fine. __________________ April 2015 TOTM