Understanding Dosing and supplements

[907]

Hi,

New to the forum and reef keeping (so take it easy tough guy), Old salt water, fish only keeper. I am in the process of purchasing components for a new 425xl and am trying to make appropriate and informed decisions, not just purchase the current trend that is being pandered by the industry.

I am reading the articles from reefkeeping.com concerning dosing supplements and my understanding (and what makes the most sense) is to dose what is needed as it is depleted though the use of a reactor.

Three questions:

1) Is a reactor the current method of dosing or the use of dosing pumps? I am not sure how dosing is accomplished through a reactor, hence the confusion.

2) I see supplementing kits sold by Red Sea (not concerned about branding, just showing an example) that recommends daily dosing amounts as apposed to dosing when necessary. This doesn't appear to me to be the most appropriate method or am I missing something?

3) For those of you who have kept softies for sometime, do you find dosing a necessary part of you maintenance program?

Thanks!

[ReefsandGeeks]

Basically, dosing comes down to replacing major, minor, and trace elements, and can also include additives like nopox for carbon dosing to reduce nitrates and phosphates.

1) there are three main ways of dosing the major elements (Calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium). A calcium reactor, which uses CO2 to disolve crushed coral. 2-Part, which is liquid you dose daily for alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. And kalkwasser, which is limewater used as your top off water which doses alk, calcium and raises pH.

Which method you use will depend on your needs. Kalk is limited in how much you can dose based on your top off rate. I personally use 2-part and love it. Currently manually dosing, but looking into getting an automated doser.

Suppliment kits that recomend daily doses based off of tank size are a shot in the dark, and debatably avoided. A large amount of people, myself included, will not dose anything that cannot be measured with a test kit. Trace and some minor elements are on this list. Water changes, in general, will keep these in balance and maintain good water chemistry, with the exception of Ca, Alk, and Mag which are depleated too fast in an aquarium with stony corals.

When I used to keep softies only, I relied on water changes alone for maintaining water chemistry and had no problem with coral health performing 15% water changes every 2 weeks. I never had a tank full of softies, so there may be some beneficial supplements to use that I'm not familiar with.

I think in general, you don't need all of the equipment when starting out. I'd just sugest leaving room in your sump and your budget to add what equipment is required in the future on an as needed basis. No point in buying a large calcium reactor for a softy only tank. you'd never end up using it, for example.

BRS has a 52 weeks of reefing video series on youtube. Takes some time to get through all the videos, but very well worth the time.

[907]

Originally Posted by devastator007

Basically, dosing comes down to replacing major, minor, and trace elements, and can also include additives like nopox for carbon dosing to reduce nitrates and phosphates.

1) there are three main ways of dosing the major elements (Calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium). A calcium reactor, which uses CO2 to disolve crushed coral. 2-Part, which is liquid you dose daily for alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. And kalkwasser, which is limewater used as your top off water which doses alk, calcium and raises pH.

Which method you use will depend on your needs. Kalk is limited in how much you can dose based on your top off rate. I personally use 2-part and love it. Currently manually dosing, but looking into getting an automated doser.

Suppliment kits that recomend daily doses based off of tank size are a shot in the dark, and debatably avoided. A large amount of people, myself included, will not dose anything that cannot be measured with a test kit. Trace and some minor elements are on this list. Water changes, in general, will keep these in balance and maintain good water chemistry, with the exception of Ca, Alk, and Mag which are depleated too fast in an aquarium with stony corals.

When I used to keep softies only, I relied on water changes alone for maintaining water chemistry and had no problem with coral health performing 15% water changes every 2 weeks. I never had a tank full of softies, so there may be some beneficial supplements to use that I'm not familiar with.

I think in general, you don't need all of the equipment when starting out. I'd just sugest leaving room in your sump and your budget to add what equipment is required in the future on an as needed basis. No point in buying a large calcium reactor for a softy only tank. you'd never end up using it, for example.

BRS has a 52 weeks of reefing video series on youtube. Takes some time to get through all the videos, but very well worth the time.

Thank you much Devastator, I'll take a look at those videos too. To be honest I knew about them but avoided them as I figured they were just adverts to sell product under the guise of helpful info.

[ReefsandGeeks]

You're welcome. I think everyone in the hobby has bought equipment they didn't need and it ends up just sitting in the basement. Best to just buy things as you need them. If you are upgrading and know how your tank runs and know what equipment works for you you can anticipate fairly well what you'd need. Otherwise, just leave room for additional later and you can just buy what makes sense. No sense in throwing any more money at this hobby than needed.

Understandable to think they'd make the videos for the purpose of selling more products. They are really good at sticking to factual data and very informative without pushing products much. Of course they do mention many of the products they sell, but not in a pushy salesman way.

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by 907

Thank you much Devastator, I'll take a look at those videos too. To be honest I knew about them but avoided them as I figured they were just adverts to sell product under the guise of helpful info.

It is about selling product, but to do so buy bringing the customer good information about reef keeping. The information, from what I have seen, is very good.

Also, if not mentioned, only dose what your measure. If you can't measure it, do not dose it. Regular water changes will take care minor nutrients. All I dose is Alk, Calcium and magnesium, but with softies it may not even be necessary to dose those.

[themagicman]

Don't believe the hype? As long as your "routine" can keep certain parameters within limits it's all gravy. (for years on end) I think a "routine" is what might set us apart sometimes though... Same goal, but different "stuff" going on. GFCI?

[billdogg]

Originally Posted by devastator007

Basically, dosing comes down to replacing major, minor, and trace elements, and can also include additives like nopox for carbon dosing to reduce nitrates and phosphates.

1) there are three main ways of dosing the major elements (Calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium). A calcium reactor, which uses CO2 to disolve crushed coral. 2-Part, which is liquid you dose daily for alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. And kalkwasser, which is limewater used as your top off water which doses alk, calcium and raises pH.

Which method you use will depend on your needs. Kalk is limited in how much you can dose based on your top off rate. I personally use 2-part and love it. Currently manually dosing, but looking into getting an automated doser.

Suppliment kits that recomend daily doses based off of tank size are a shot in the dark, and debatably avoided. A large amount of people, myself included, will not dose anything that cannot be measured with a test kit. Trace and some minor elements are on this list. Water changes, in general, will keep these in balance and maintain good water chemistry, with the exception of Ca, Alk, and Mag which are depleated too fast in an aquarium with stony corals.

When I used to keep softies only, I relied on water changes alone for maintaining water chemistry and had no problem with coral health performing 15% water changes every 2 weeks. I never had a tank full of softies, so there may be some beneficial supplements to use that I'm not familiar with.

I think in general, you don't need all of the equipment when starting out. I'd just sugest leaving room in your sump and your budget to add what equipment is required in the future on an as needed basis. No point in buying a large calcium reactor for a softy only tank. you'd never end up using it, for example.

BRS has a 52 weeks of reefing video series on youtube. Takes some time to get through all the videos, but very well worth the time.

^^^This^^^

120DT/40sump, 60FT/100sump, so two sets of BRS 1.1ml/min dosing pumps (4 total) on digital lamp timers.

I use BRS 2-part for dosing my Alkalinity and Calcium. Magnesium gets used so slowly that water changes can pretty much keep up with it. I find that I need to add it maybe every 3-4 months.

With a new tank, I agree that you will have no need to dose anything. If you stay with soft corals you may never need to dose anything at all. Water changes should take care of it for you.

Make your sump as large as you have room for. You'll be glad you did.