Dosing over the whole 24h?

[ojonas81]

Right now I am dialing in my dosing using my Apex and BRS dosers (1.1mL). current programming spreads out the dosing for both Alk. and Ca over three doses each starting at midnight. (Manually dosing Mg at the moment).

Would there be any big disadvantages to instead of doing just 3 doses per day spread them out as 8 doses over 24h with 3h apart? I am thinking that would keep the Alk. and Ca levels more constant over the whole day. Are there any drawbacks with this?

Here is my new proposed code for 8 doses per day 3 hours apart dosing for 2 minutes each time per doser pump.

[Calcium]
Fallback OFF
OSC 00:00/2:00/178:00 Then ON

[Alk]
Fallback OFF
OSC 60:00/2:00/118:00 Then ON
If pH > 8.3 Then OFF

Ca would dose at these times:
00:00 -> 00:02
03:00 -> 03:02
06:00 -> 06:02
09:00 -> 09:02
12:00 -> 12:02
15:00 -> 15:02
18:00 -> 18:02
21:00 -> 21:02

Alk. would dose at these times:
01:00 -> 01:02
04:00 -> 04:02
07:00 -> 07:02
10:00 -> 10:02
13:00 -> 13:02
16:00 -> 16:02
19:00 -> 19:02
22:00 -> 22:02

Does this look correct?

 

[RussM]

Your proposed code is perfect, and I agree with your logic of doing smaller doses more frequently.

 

[swearint]

Based on your code, I assume you are dosing a supplement that increases the pH. In that case, I recommend dosing during the night since pH naturally drops. Look at your pH graph over a couple days and select times that will even out the extremes. For instance, you would not dose immediately after lights out since the pH will still be elevated. Likewise, you would wait the the very lowest point either.


Todd

 

[ojonas81]

That is correct. I use BRS Recipe 1 which also raises PH.

I have read arguments for both sides when it comes when to dose Alk. Ca seem to be no issues when you dose it as far as I have been able to find. One argument for only dosing during night time is to compensate for the big drop in PH from lights out to lights on.

The argument for the other side, for dosing evenly over 24h, is that it is far more important for SPS to have constant Alk. and Ca levels than to keep the PH steady. The PH is fluctuating in the oceans naturally as it is today over the course of 24h and nobody is adding buffer supplements to the oceans.

I think both arguments are very valid. I am going to try the second one, dosing over 24h, and closely watch how my SPS reacts. Just need to dial in how much to dose now.

 

[swearint]

The argument for the other side, for dosing evenly over 24h, is that it is far more important for SPS to have constant Alk. and Ca levels than to keep the PH steady. The PH is fluctuating in the oceans naturally as it is today over the course of 24h and nobody is adding buffer supplements to the oceans.
.

You may need to switch to an Alk supplement that does not strongly affect pH. I think that you will find that the pH will increase too much during the day.

Todd

 

[ojonas81]

I will keep a close eye on it. Been running this way for two days now and have not seen PH rise over 8.30 on any given time. How high are we talking about when the PH can become a problem, 8.50 or more?

 

[ojonas81]

So have been running this kind of dosing for a few more days now and so far the PH have never been over 8.3 on any given time. Think I will keep dosing like this for awhile and monitor but so far so good.