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how is everybody?i was just wondering if slightly high alkalinity in my 55 gal will have adverse affect's.i had cyano break out when alk was low.now it is clarring.do you think that alk level had to do with it?and will it come back if i keep alk slightly high?thank you.

 

It is better to have a higher than normal reading with regards to alkalinity in an aquarium especially with a higher than normal bioload. Alkalinity has an effect on calcium and other elements, thus it is crucial to check other key elements when playing around with alkalinity. PH, strontium, and magnesium are some of these. Natural seawater has an alkalinity of 2.5meg/L, but it has been studied that a reading around 3.2-4.5meg/L can be beneficial. 7-12dKH is also a good level.
For the most part alkalinity in a marine aquarium is due to bicarbonate. In coral tissue, carbon dioxide is changed into carbonic acid then converted to bicarbonate and carbonate ions. A higher alkalinity instills that your water will better able resist changes in pH which ultimately causes stability, which is a key towards the success of corals.

Coral growth is also connected to alkalinity. A process caused alkalinity depletion is a way of measuring calcification rates brought on by variances in alkalinity. A higher alkalinity raises the pH inside corals tissue, thus increasing the precipitation of calcium carbonate(coral skeleton), by the coral is a means of lowering the pH inside itself!!!!
So alkalinity at a higher level is essential and ideal for coral health, growth an photosynthesis!
My guess is that lighting changes, or phosphates and nitrates are the culprit of your algae and cyano problem. Phosphates react negatively to alkalinity in regards to coral growth. Phosphates act like coffee and will stunt the growth of humans and corals as well in a nut shell.

 

Cyano break out is caused by lack of water flow in certain areas in the tank.

 

+ 2 on what Otty says, also replace your bulbs if their old, i didnt swap my PC's out and i had cyano up the arse

 

I use Outlook everyday so I just set a reminder every year for the MH's and every 6 months for the actinics since I burn them 16 hr a day.

 

Aquaboy is that were the name comes from;D

 

wow, mine only go for nine hours, but 10 watts per gallon of MH lighting on a 55gal is more than enough, LOL. i dont have enough room for actinics, or so i believe. I may try to put 4 or so short (less that 12 inches long) compact flourecents in, and probably run them on a workhorse ballast. but for now, my 14000k bulbs work great and show some nice flourescing on my corals.

 

At this moment i will not confirm nor deny the presence of undesirable algaes in my buttocks.
my mom usually calls me the ungrateful bas****. LOL

Aquaboy came from my neighbor, who gets envious of my vacations to the carribean.