Does anyone actually keep corals without dosing?

[RcToners]

205 gal with a vairiety of corals, carpet nem, bubble tip nems. I dont dose at all. I get my water off shore at the reef but everything seems to be growing well and doing good.

 

[Jstdv8]

You need very strong light even MH, for most sps, and you need very clear water so the light doesn't scatter on particulate matter. Also zoas 'spit' chemical into the water to clear away neighbors and this can cause the sps to fail. And zoas generally want much lower light. They are not a combination that will easily succeed. Try, instead, some lps, which will appreciate 'rich' water: they feed on particulates much more than sps do---and run carbon constantly to try to sop up what the zoas are giving off. I'd recommend bubble (low light stony) or candy cane or branching hammer as two lps that fend for themselves fairly well.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but if the calcium, mag and alk are all staying within range with the corals he currently has by just doing water changes to replenish isn't that enough without dosing?
If the calcium numbers start dropping ehile doing regular water changes then its time to dose right?

 

[Jstdv8]

oops coppied sk8tr's wrong post meant to copy number 13

 

[kimack@tampabay]

I have a 14g nano and just do water changes with no dosing and all my corals look great and are growing.

 

[jefathome]

. And zoas generally want much lower light. They are not a combination that will easily succeed. .

I respectfully disagree. I've been able to keep almost ALL zoa's right under a 400w Mh. the only down-side was that some of the Purple Death zoa's started to brown up a bit.

 

[Hocky]

I have a mixed reef and do not dose anything. However, if I get lazy with water changes, calcium crashes fast so I will run kalk once in a while. IO reef crystal salt.

 

[Jstdv8]

I have a mixed reef and do not dose anything. However, if I get lazy with water changes, calcium crashes fast so I will run kalk once in a while. IO reef crystal salt.

This is exactly what i was getting at and what I was figuring would happen.
Of course regular IO is probably more popular due to the price and availability than reef crystals, so it might take less time with a lesser salt.

 

[Meggie2409]

I keep my 55 gal mixed reef with out dosing... I do weekly 10% water changed with ro/di water.... I have a red sea prizm skimmer... All my coral have grown at least 4x the size i got them... I have 2 150w MH and 2 super actinic vhos on my tank. So I wld say yes its possible

 

[jwoyshnar]

This is exactly what i was getting at and what I was figuring would happen.
Of course regular IO is probably more popular due to the price and availability than reef crystals, so it might take less time with a lesser salt.

IO works for alot of people and for countless years. I have been experimenting with different salts recently and nothing so far has compared to IO which is the reason why im going back once my current supply dwindles.

 

[Jstdv8]

so you don't like the RC's?
i was considering switching to that my next batch, i current;y use the regular IO

 

[tqpolo]

The simple answer would be if you only want to keep the corals alive then you don't have to dose. If you want the corals to thrive and become vibrant then dose to keep your parameter stable. This is along with nutrient export as well.

 

[Saltmaniac]

I maintain a 120mixed reef, heavy on LPS and SPS corals. I dose nothing. I change 25 gallons every other Sunday like clock work. Just fragged 2) Millis, 3) green slimer 4) baby fungia's and 2) nice frogspawn frags. I've been at it for 9 years.
-Salty

 

[TDesaulniers]

The simple answer would be if you only want to keep the corals alive then you don't have to dose. If you want the corals to thrive and become vibrant then dose to keep your parameter stable. This is along with nutrient export as well.

I have to respectfully disagree. I've seen many successful tanks that doesn't dose who still have healthy proliferating corals. Obviously there is a plethora of factors that take place such as quantity of corals, frequency of water changes, types of corals kept etc. Just read the post above me.

Cheers

 

[Saltmaniac]

I have to respectfully disagree. I've seen many successful tanks that doesn't dose who still have healthy proliferating corals. Obviously there is a plethora of factors that take place such as quantity of corals, frequency of water changes, types of corals kept etc. Just read the post above me.

Cheers

Agreed...my tank was just named tank of the month with the Louisville Marine Aquarium Society. Beautiful mixed reef, heavy SPS/LPS and I dose nothing. 25gal water changes every other Sunday.
-Salty

 

[Palting]

Agreed...my tank was just named tank of the month with the Louisville Marine Aquarium Society. Beautiful mixed reef, heavy SPS/LPS and I dose nothing. 25gal water changes every other Sunday.
-Salty

Congrats!!

Just curious, Salty. What is 25 gal to your system? 10%? 20%? What salt? I am currently ambivalent about dosing, as my parameters (Calcium/alk) seem to be stable with 10% weekly WC with ReefCrystals despite obvious coral growth. Thanks!

 

[Saltmaniac]

Congrats!!

Just curious, Salty. What is 25 gal to your system? 10%? 20%? What salt? I am currently ambivalent about dosing, as my parameters (Calcium/alk) seem to be stable with 10% weekly WC with ReefCrystals despite obvious coral growth. Thanks!

I have a 120 gal w/ a 40 gal sump...it's 15-20% of my water volume every other Sunday.

 

[Sk8r]

I consider kalk dosing. It certainly replaces dosing.
OTOH, I'd consider testing the water balance to see where you actually are re alk, cal, mg, just as a point of curiosity. Corals can grow like mad in a 'new' tank until they deplete what they can get at...then fall off and go to sleep...until you establish kalk. My experience, at least.

 

[Saltmaniac]

I tested for nothing but SG...ever...crazy huh!!

 

[reefgeezer]

I tested for nothing but SG...ever...crazy huh!!

Need Pictures!

 

[Aquarist007]

Since every tank is different and thus the need for keeping the levels up of calcium alk and magnesium.
The key thing here is to measure the three regularily and discover for yourself the need to dose
another point to be made is to keep your parameters in acceptable ranges rather then a specific number for each.
calcium 390 to 420 ppm
alk 8 to 11 dkh
magnesium 1300 to 1400 ppm