There is no optimal alk level for all reefs and all aquarists. There are valid reasons to maintian any alk from 7 to 11 dKH, IMO. Higher alk (say, 9-11 dKH) promotes faster coral growth, especially SPS. If growth is the main goal, higher alk is desirable. But if nutrients are not high enough to support the higher growth, high alk can risk burnt ...
If you used zero alk seawater, that 2% changed daily would drop alk by 0.2 dKH. But zero alk is tricky and I suggest you’d want to change more.
An overdose of the organic alk additives (e.g., AFR) can drop O2 and will boost alk over the next day or so. If it happens, maximize aeration. Figure 7. Baking soda is a mainstay of DIY two part systems. It starts as sodium bicarbonate, which can be used directly, or baked in a home oven to product sodium carbonate, which gives a higher pH boost.
So I am trying out all for reef in my 20g tank and I just did my first round tonight. My alk tested at 6.2 and I tested it 30 mins later and it only tested 6.4 on my hannah checker. I added 4ml to my 20g tank for an increase of .2 alk. Is that correct? Should I add more now? Did I test too...
What’s up guys I’ve been running my tank for about 4 months now and I recently started dosing the recommended ml per 26g recipe provided of all for reef. Everything is doing fine but I got a water test today and my alk is high. All for reef recommends monitoring your alk and if it drops to add...