should i be dosing for fowlr tank?

LennyD4 · 09/30/2011, 09:26 AM

I have a fowlr tank. Should I be dosing my top off water with anything or should I edosing my water when I do waterchanges? I only plan to keep shrimp and hermits/snails outside of the fish.

SneakyPete · 09/30/2011, 09:28 AM

I think the general rule of thumb is don't dose anything you don't test for. Having to high of levels of elements can be worse than too low sometimes. As for FOWLR, i don't think they are as touchy for levels of elements. Water changes are probably enough. Iodine maybe depending on the number of crustaceans you are going to keep (helps with molting).

Chris27 · 09/30/2011, 09:46 AM

The livestock will fair better if you maintain the elements like you would in a typical reef ecosystem. While their is no stony coral to strip the elements out, snail shells and corainline algae will be all the better if you maintain the big three.

bamf25 · 09/30/2011, 10:12 AM

I found in my tank before I started adding corals that the Mg and Calcium had dropped a surprising amount. When I started dosing the coralline algae did much better and purpled up alot. But I did start testing first for MG, Alk, and Calcium.

LennyD4 · 09/30/2011, 10:15 AM

Yea I bought alk calc and mag tests yesterday and everything seems ok. But im doing a wc and want to know if I should dose it

blt · 09/30/2011, 10:30 AM

If your levels are okay, don't dose.

If you're concerned about the water change throwing things off, test again a day after the change.

mfinn · 09/30/2011, 11:35 AM

just do regular water changes

Sk8r · 09/30/2011, 12:14 PM

Maintain the params in my sig line and your fish will be happy. It's the reef parameters, but the fish don't mind it at all; and in a fish-only with water changes you really don't have to dose much to hold it there.

09/30/2011, 09:26 AM	#1
LennyD4 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 633	should i be dosing for fowlr tank? I have a fowlr tank. Should I be dosing my top off water with anything or should I edosing my water when I do waterchanges? I only plan to keep shrimp and hermits/snails outside of the fish.

09/30/2011, 09:28 AM	#2
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	I think the general rule of thumb is don't dose anything you don't test for. Having to high of levels of elements can be worse than too low sometimes. As for FOWLR, i don't think they are as touchy for levels of elements. Water changes are probably enough. Iodine maybe depending on the number of crustaceans you are going to keep (helps with molting). __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock

09/30/2011, 09:46 AM	#3
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	The livestock will fair better if you maintain the elements like you would in a typical reef ecosystem. While their is no stony coral to strip the elements out, snail shells and corainline algae will be all the better if you maintain the big three. __________________ Fill your tank with $5 bills, add gasoline and light it on fire.....only then will you know the real cost of reefing. Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

09/30/2011, 11:35 AM	#7
mfinn Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Olympia. WA. Posts: 8,648	just do regular water changes __________________ 240 gallon soft coral tank 50 gallon lps tank

09/30/2011, 12:14 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Maintain the params in my sig line and your fish will be happy. It's the reef parameters, but the fish don't mind it at all; and in a fish-only with water changes you really don't have to dose much to hold it there. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/30/2011, 10:12 AM	#4
bamf25 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central NJ Posts: 1,419	I found in my tank before I started adding corals that the Mg and Calcium had dropped a surprising amount. When I started dosing the coralline algae did much better and purpled up alot. But I did start testing first for MG, Alk, and Calcium.

09/30/2011, 10:15 AM	#5
LennyD4 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 633	Yea I bought alk calc and mag tests yesterday and everything seems ok. But im doing a wc and want to know if I should dose it

09/30/2011, 10:30 AM	#6
blt Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 205	If your levels are okay, don't dose. If you're concerned about the water change throwing things off, test again a day after the change.

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