Dosing Your Tank When Levels Are Low!

[cobs00]

I have a 65 G that has been running for about a year. Over the year I never checked the levels of my alkalinity. I finally bought a salifert test kit and got a reading of 5.8. With this result I bought a seachem reef builder to help raise the alk and also a calcium and magnesium supplement. Can I dose everyday to bring the levels up, or should I dose a lot slower?

 

[kneepuck]

I assume 5.8 is dKH? If so, it is low. I believe you should be between 7-9 dKH. What does the Reef Builder perscribe? What type of Calc. are you using? Mag?

 

[divecj5]

I agree with kneepuck. I use all of Seachems line of Reef Builder Advantage, Buffer, and Carbonate. Make sure that the reading of Alk is dKH and not meq/L. My seachem test measure meq/L and 5.8 is a little on the high side but could possibly come down a bit.

Adam

 

[cobs00]

It's 5.8 dkh. All the products are by seachem. So back 2 my question, can I dose every day until all levels are normal. THe bottles say to dose twice a week to maintain.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Yes, you can do that. Just take it a little at a time and watch your pH, Calcium, and Magnesium.

 

[kneepuck]

cobs00,

What are your calc & mag levels? Mag is easy to raise w/o creating too many problems (try 100-150 ml/day) but it sometimes takes a lot to reach desired levels (1300 ppm). Too much Calc addded at once will saturate and turn to "snow."