Dosing advice please

aqua_ash · 12/01/2012, 09:13 AM

I am starting to get a wide variety of corals in my aquarium so I figure it may be time to start dosing. I am recording my Mag, Alk and Calcium over the next week to see how much everything drops. What I am wondering is what is everyone's technique for dosing and what products you're using? I only have a 29g so I am not going the reactor route. Any opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks alot,
Ash

hillscp · 12/01/2012, 09:31 AM

The three main methods are calk, two part and calcium reactor. I use BRS two part for my 125 with two peristaltic pumps hooked to my controller. I run 8 doses per day of soda ash and calcium. I test weekly right before water change.

You might start with calk. The calcium/alkalinity requirements shouldn't be too great for that tank and if you use a fortified salt (like reef crystals) for water changes it should stay up.

sponger0 · 12/01/2012, 10:06 AM

The first step to dosing is water testing. If you dont test for it, dont dose.

aqua_ash · 12/01/2012, 10:12 AM

I will be testing. I have a API reef test kit and a red sea reef test kit. I will record what the tank does over the next week and figure out demands after that.

thegrun · 12/01/2012, 01:12 PM

If the demand is not too high, adding lime (kalk) to an ATO reservoir is often enough to keep up with a small tank's requirements. Once you adjust your alkalinity and calcium levels to the desired levels, topping off kalk will keep them at those levels unless you have a large amount of hard corals or clams.

12/01/2012, 09:13 AM	#1
aqua_ash Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 17	Dosing advice please I am starting to get a wide variety of corals in my aquarium so I figure it may be time to start dosing. I am recording my Mag, Alk and Calcium over the next week to see how much everything drops. What I am wondering is what is everyone's technique for dosing and what products you're using? I only have a 29g so I am not going the reactor route. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks alot, Ash

12/01/2012, 09:31 AM	#2
hillscp Soylent Green is People!! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chico, CA Posts: 759	The three main methods are calk, two part and calcium reactor. I use BRS two part for my 125 with two peristaltic pumps hooked to my controller. I run 8 doses per day of soda ash and calcium. I test weekly right before water change. You might start with calk. The calcium/alkalinity requirements shouldn't be too great for that tank and if you use a fortified salt (like reef crystals) for water changes it should stay up. __________________ 125 AGA, 240W DIY MultiChip LED's, Mated pair Clowns, Fox Face, Kole Tang, Purple Tang, 6 Line, CBB, Acanthophyllia, 7 RBTA's, T. Maxima, Orange Monti, Green Monti, seriatopora guttatus, fungia sp Current Tank Info: Salt water since 1995

12/01/2012, 10:06 AM	#3
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	The first step to dosing is water testing. If you dont test for it, dont dose.

12/01/2012, 10:12 AM	#4
aqua_ash Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 17	I will be testing. I have a API reef test kit and a red sea reef test kit. I will record what the tank does over the next week and figure out demands after that.

12/01/2012, 01:12 PM	#5
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	If the demand is not too high, adding lime (kalk) to an ATO reservoir is often enough to keep up with a small tank's requirements. Once you adjust your alkalinity and calcium levels to the desired levels, topping off kalk will keep them at those levels unless you have a large amount of hard corals or clams.