Dosing on an LPS/softie tank

[dwolson2]

Are there any of you out there that have only LPS/softie tanks? No sps. And if so is there anyone out there that doesn't do water changes but maybe 4 times a year, or maybe less.

If you fit that category, what and how much do you dose?
I may possibly be able to automate the water change process, since I have already had it done before, but I may try to only supplement the used elements(alk/Cal) and do water changes quarterly.

I am going to be gone for longer periods of time, on a schedule I can't always predict(military), so I would like to keep the tank as easy as possible(for my wife)

I have a 150 with a 30 gal sump. Vortechs, Apex, and a schuran skimmer. Building the tank as we speak(just tore down my 75) and laying out the area by the sump. Trying to decide if I should be making containers for alk/cal or use the extra space for an ato, and run lines to the garage and do an auto water change(which may or may not be feasible)

Any insight would be great!

 

[chrisfont23]

I have a 90g LPS and softie tank. I dose C balance supplement By Two Little Fishies. I love it. I do 30 pct monthly water changes though, mainly for nutrient export (lower nitrates). An LPS and softie tanks ca survive with a little nitrate. Don't go crazy with the fish and you might be able to get by ... Every tank is different so it's tough to predict.

 

[MBIETZ]

I for sure dont fit the bill on water changes but i only dose 3 things b-ionic for alk and calcium but a good one to dose on an LPS tank is magnesium i just use the kent magnesium. Just figure out a dosing schedule so you know the amount that needs to be added every week month or what ever but it is easy and will keep everything happy also once you figure out the dosing schedule it will be cake for the wife you can write down the amount to add of course it will change with growing corals and new additions but you will be able to work with it when you can and make proper adjustments.

 

[MBIETZ]

Oh i forgot to say like previously stated with that size tank if you have minimal fish then you wont have to worry about as many water changes.

 

[dwolson2]

Thanks guys!
Mbietz, How much cal/alk are you dosing on your set up, and what size tank do you have?

Chrisfont23, 30% water changes will replenish a lot of lost alk/cal depending on what salt mix you use.

I'm not too worried about nitrates, I run a very large skimmer and will have a refugium.
I guess I am more worried about cal/alk usage. I have read that you don't need to dose at all, but have also read that you do need to dose, but very little.

 

[TealCobra]

Your LPS will still require balanced Ca, Alk, and Mg to grow. The usage will vary. I would suggest test kits to see where you are at. A pair of dosing pumps would be ideal IMO.

 

[kurt_n]

I don't have personal experience with the exact conditions you're talking about, but if you're only planning on one water change every 3 months and you have a fair amount of LPS, you'll need to dose - maybe not in the beginning, but eventually.

I'd block out the room for the containers now, even if you don't start out with them.

[Edit: Just as a data point, as everyone's tanks are different, my 46g predominantly LPS tank gets 40 ml per day of both A and B of c-balance.]

 

[dwolson2]

Your LPS will still require balanced Ca, Alk, and Mg to grow. The usage will vary. I would suggest test kits to see where you are at. A pair of dosing pumps would be ideal IMO.

I understand that they will take balanced CA/ALK/MG to grow. I was more worried about consumption. I had test kits, but they expired and since this tank isn't going up for another 8 months, I won't buy them will I set it up. I have had a mixed reef before, but, I didn't know how much of that was SPS and how much was LPS/softie consumption.

I don't have personal experience with the exact conditions you're talking about, but if you're only planning on one water change every 3 months and you have a fair amount of LPS, you'll need to dose - maybe not in the beginning, but eventually.

I'd block out the room for the containers now, even if you don't start out with them.

[Edit: Just as a data point, as everyone's tanks are different, my 46g predominantly LPS tank gets 40 ml per day of both A and B of c-balance.]

Thats a good amount of Ca/Alk. I understand everyones' usage different, but I need a gauge to reference to.

 

[klwheat]

Honestly, I'm pretty lazy about water changes....every month or so here. I also like simplicity. I dose kalk +2 (adds mag and strontium in the mix) in my ATO at 1tbps/gal and that's it. I add reef fuel and some pods sometimes, and grow macroalgae in my fuge to keep nitrates/phos down. no issues with it. Have a fair number of lps, no sps, just added some shrooms.

 

[MBIETZ]

I cant give you an estimate on how much you will need to dose since my tank is much smaller than yours but it depends on how heavily stocked your tank is with corals. Softies wont require much but LPS will need a some what stable dosing regiment a dosing pump would make it easy but it is another thing that will have to be messed with some times and for someone who dosent know much about it, it could cause unneeded problems. Once you figure out how much you need to add then it is as simple as pouring and measuring. The way to figure out a dosing schedule is test to see where your tank levels are lets just say your calcium is 430 Alk is 10 and mag is 1300 then in a week or month test again to see how much they have dropped then add what is needed to restore it back to its normal levels. Here is a great site to help figure out how much you will need to add given you are going to use one of the products listed. http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

 

[dwolson2]

Honestly, I'm pretty lazy about water changes....every month or so here. I also like simplicity. I dose kalk +2 (adds mag and strontium in the mix) in my ATO at 1tbps/gal and that's it. I add reef fuel and some pods sometimes, and grow macroalgae in my fuge to keep nitrates/phos down. no issues with it. Have a fair number of lps, no sps, just added some shrooms.

Thats what I am looking at, akthough I don't think I will use kalk again.

I cant give you an estimate on how much you will need to dose since my tank is much smaller than yours but it depends on how heavily stocked your tank is with corals. Softies wont require much but LPS will need a some what stable dosing regiment a dosing pump would make it easy but it is another thing that will have to be messed with some times and for someone who dosent know much about it, it could cause unneeded problems. Once you figure out how much you need to add then it is as simple as pouring and measuring. The way to figure out a dosing schedule is test to see where your tank levels are lets just say your calcium is 430 Alk is 10 and mag is 1300 then in a week or month test again to see how much they have dropped then add what is needed to restore it back to its normal levels. Here is a great site to help figure out how much you will need to add given you are going to use one of the products listed. http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

Yea like I said before, I know each tank is different, but I still need a starting point. I get the whole dosing thing, I had just read that lps don't use up much ca/alk. I wasn't sure if I could get by without dosing for a few months, or if I would need to supplement.

Thanks for the link though, it should come in hand when I start dialing it in.

 

[MBIETZ]

Ya as long as your tank is not packed with LPS you will be fine for quite awhile i am not promising anything but my parents have an LPS/softie tank and they have never dosed at all they do water changes every couple of weeks im sure the tank is all messed up chemistry wise but it is working great the tank is several years old packed with coral (almost no rock can be seen) they dont have a sump or skimmer with 6 good size fish and 1 12"+ eel in a 55g they feed quite abit to. They do 7g water changes just so you know. Our tank can handle more than we give them credit for.

 

[dwolson2]

Wow! Thats crazy!

 

[chrisfont23]

Chrisfont23, 30% water changes will replenish a lot of lost alk/cal depending on what salt mix you use.

Yeah. See I don't mind a little nitrate in my tank either. So monthly works out for me. 30 ml on my 90g daily of both alk and calcium is my daily dose. I also supplement something called Kent Coral Vite weekly.

 

[chrisfont23]

Ya as long as your tank is not packed with LPS you will be fine for quite awhile i am not promising anything but my parents have an LPS/softie tank and they have never dosed at all they do water changes every couple of weeks im sure the tank is all messed up chemistry wise but it is working great the tank is several years old packed with coral (almost no rock can be seen) they dont have a sump or skimmer with 6 good size fish and 1 12"+ eel in a 55g they feed quite abit to. They do 7g water changes just so you know. Our tank can handle more than we give them credit for.

Yep. That's bc their tank is stable. People expect miracles in a month. Or in months. A good tank, like your parents, takes time to stabilize.

 

[dwolson2]

Yeah. See I don't mind a little nitrate in my tank either. So monthly works out for me. 30 ml on my 90g daily of both alk and calcium is my daily dose. I also supplement something called Kent Coral Vite weekly.

I didn't realize you dosed daily. I think I am def going to make containers for 2 part.

Yep. That's bc their tank is stable. People expect miracles in a month. Or in months. A good tank, like your parents, takes time to stabilize.

Its funny how old tanks grow like weeds, and take very little upkeep compared to a new tank.

 

[kurt_n]

...I had just read that lps don't use up much ca/alk....

Early on in my tank's life, when it just had one LPS in it, I couldn't figure out why all my coralline algae was turning white. I'd never tested for calcium. When I did, I found it to be down around 320 even though I'd been doing weekly 10% water changes with 380ppm calcium saltwater. Once I got the calcium back up to where it should be, and started daily ca/alk dosing, the coralline algae came back to life. (Unlike some people, I like really purple rocks!)

Point is, even with very few corals, if you have a high coralline algae load, calcium will get sucked out faster than you realize.

 

[dwolson2]

Yea, I guess I am going to have to just dose. at least all I need is the containers and a pair of BRS dosers.