How much alk,cal and mag do you manually dose a day?

[spsfragger]

arent you supposed to use equal part Alk and Cal? why isnt everyone doing so?

Thank you

 

[MammothReefer]

I'm up to 60ml a day, and on the rise. A month or so ago I had things settled @ 36ml Not much difference in stocking either things just started growing.. I use Hanna checkers for alk/phosphate, and salifert for the rest.

I use dosers however. I've been manually dosing my adjustments to keep things from swinging to much while I'm adjusting my dosers to the change in demand Typically is about 15ml extra every couple days.

 

[lighthouze08]

arent you supposed to use equal part Alk and Cal? why isnt everyone doing so?

Thank you

yes you are, idk whey everyone isn't, alk and cal supposed to be consumed at almost the same rate

 

[cFloor]

I've got a new 150 gal. with about 20 sps frags. For now, using a doser, I'm doing 20 ml/day of B ionic to keep my alk at 8.5. and Cal at 440 I'll be switching to BRS 2 part when my demand starts going up due to the cost of B ionic

 

[lastduke]

Precipitating or perhaps you aren't using a reef salt with good levels from the start? Sounds like it's definitely not your livestock.

I am using Neomarine salt which has a good lvl on CA but low on ALK, i always pump alk up before WC. How should I setup the starting point correctly? I saw Randy recommends 0.5ml/gallon for mixed reef.

 

[MammothReefer]

yes you are, idk whey everyone isn't, alk and cal supposed to be consumed at almost the same rate

I've gone back and forth on this. I'm trying to keep it the same because that's how it should work in theory but I know I've seen otherwise in the past and i'm not sure why..now a days I don't really care what my calcium does as long as it's in an acceptable range. I adjust for alk and let everything else fall in line.

 

[RynosReef]

I've gone back and forth on this. I'm trying to keep it the same because that's how it should work in theory but I know I've seen otherwise in the past and i'm not sure why..now a days I don't really care what my calcium does as long as it's in an acceptable range. I adjust for alk and let everything else fall in line.

I'm with you. I focus more on alk than calcium. I keep mine between 425-450. But in a perfect world stability is best no matter what. Let your test kits be your guide... and you will be a real boy pinnochio... hehehe seriously though, it doesn't matter what the label on a bottle says. If you set a target value for the big three (alk, ca, and mag), keep them there no matter how much of whatever product you have to dose.

 

[sneaton]

im about to switch from seachem to bionic 2 part (original)....when i type in a 1 dkh increase for alk on the chemistry calculator its says ph will be a substantially higher....is there something i need to do speacial to dose this (im trying to go from 6.5 to 7.5 dkh) or is it ok to dose all at once....


thanks everyone

 

[bamf25]

I am dosing about 120 ml of alk and ca, my mg seems very stable for the most part with just water changes. I have about 120g total volume.

 

[ange062]

So I made the switch from Kent Tech products last week and found that the BRS 2-part kit is much less concentrated.

Went from 12mL Ca/Alk Kent Tech to 32mL of the BRS. Still working on levels, looks like this may need to be increased further.

Just FYI

 

[stevedola]

I would warn to use 1 test kit rather than to switch brands and dont let it run out without testing the new kit to the old kit. Ive noticed a big difference in test kit results from manufacturer to manufacturer and sometimes even within batches. Once you find that sweet spot where corals seem to grow and color then maintain the level on using the same kit...the worst thing you can do is run out of a kit and not know the value you were using and have the new kit telling you to do something you shouldnt (if you get what Im saying).

 

[chefzif]

I agree with a new kit you see weird readings I would d get a second kit and test. This happened to me with calcium saying my calcium was 500 and I checked with two other salifert test kits and my calcium was 450. This was with salifert test kits only. Chef!

 

[ange062]

I would warn to use 1 test kit rather than to switch brands and dont let it run out without testing the new kit to the old kit. Ive noticed a big difference in test kit results from manufacturer to manufacturer and sometimes even within batches. Once you find that sweet spot where corals seem to grow and color then maintain the level on using the same kit...the worst thing you can do is run out of a kit and not know the value you were using and have the new kit telling you to do something you shouldnt (if you get what Im saying).

I think you are talking to me? I didn't switch test kits, only the products that I am adding. BRS states different quantity of addition per gallon then the Kent Tech stuff does, the Kent is definitely more concentrated. But that's why I made the switch, you have to shake the Kent stuff before use because it's super-saturated and can't stay in suspension. The lower concentration BRS stuff is able to stay mixed after it's mixed initially, making it ideal for use with a dosing pump.

 

[barjam]

I agree. What amount ppl dose (including myself) doesn't really mean squat. A person who is trying to learn more about dosing for alk, ca and mag would first need to test his water with some good test kits, to see what his tank is using up on a day to day basis. Then get a product that can be used to maintain that... I posted what my tank uses up daily earlier as well, but I guess I could have said I dose eleventy billion ml of baby tears lol. :crazy1:

What can be useful is ml/gallon of a specific type (Randy's vs bionic etc) for different types of aquariums. If I see a fully loaded sps tank doing 1ml/g and I am pumping in 3ml/g and I only have frags perhaps I am doing something wrong.

 

[stevedola]

I wasnt talking to anyone inparticular, I was just trying to inform others of the potential problems when changing test kits or chasing numbers.

 

[project-roc]

To the original poster, how come you are wanting to switch from your ca reactor? I can't decide which direction I should go to maintain stability.