Is dosing necessary? Frustrated

[75mixedreef]

Another thing to add is that your dosing needs will grow with your corals and your (coral) stocking list. A couple small frags will not use up more than what you can replenish with water changes, but as those frags grow they will use more and more. Adding more frags will use up your Cal, Alk and Mag even faster until it gets to the point where water changes are just not enough. This is why testing is important. You especially want to stay on top of your Alk. That was the first thing I learned I needed to dose and that was just with one frogspawn coral and a couple mushrooms. Just keep an eye on your growth and if things seem to slow down, its time to start testing and probably dosing.

 

[Potatohead]

I have been under the impression that once you get to the desired water parameters (see Sk8r signature), you can add two tsp per gallon of kalk to your auto-top of container. Thing should stay pretty consistent as long as the mag stays where it is supposed to be.

Well, not really, that's only true if your tank is actually consuming the amount of cal/alk comparable to the amount kalk you are adding in.

 

[rjjr1963]

I'm having trouble with low alkalinity. I started dosing my ATO but it made quite a mess. I decided to buy a reactor that is fed by the ATO and have been very happy with that. Alkalinity is rising about 1dkl per day.

 

[reef thief]

"molecules"

 

[JeffyT]

Great analogies. Make sure you buy enough food for all your fish and don't feed your fish the same thing you feed your cats. I'm sure that's just the advice the OP was looking for.

can't tell if sarcasm or not.

but if you do need me to elaborate on what i meant for the OP.

the more coral you have, the more nutrients are being used up. so if hes trying to not dose and just do water changes, he might not be replacing enough nutrients for his tank

and as to what he needs to dose, depends on his live stock.

 

[canadianeh]

can't tell if sarcasm or not.

but if you do need me to elaborate on what i meant for the OP.

the more coral you have, the more nutrients are being used up. so if hes trying to not dose and just do water changes, he might not be replacing enough nutrients for his tank

and as to what he needs to dose, depends on his live stock.

Thank you sir. I guess since I just started in October and I only have 1 Xenia frag, 12 snails, and 2 clownfish right now, I think weekly 5 gallons WC on 40 gallons tank (minus 2 bags of sands and 30 lbs of rocks) using Fauna Marin salt should be good, correct? btw, I am planning to switch the salt to RSCP or AF Reef salt, or Aquavitor Salinity.

 

[JeffyT]

I have a 20g, i do 2.5g each week.

Im not familiar with salt mixes as my LFS gets its water from Catalina Islands. That's what they tell me, so i just use that. I didnt' find the need to get my own RODI so I don't mix my own salt water. I just buy the water, heat it up to 78 and waterchange.

 

[GimpyFin]

can't tell if sarcasm or not.

but if you do need me to elaborate on what i meant for the OP.

the more coral you have, the more nutrients are being used up. so if hes trying to not dose and just do water changes, he might not be replacing enough nutrients for his tank

and as to what he needs to dose, depends on his live stock.

It was sarcasm and I was just poking fun a little. I use analogies all the time for stuff, but IMO, those weren't very relevant/helpful, especially for someone new to all of this. Yes, the need/frequency for dosing and what to dose is dependent on what is in the tank and also requires a certain degree of testing to see things stay on the up and up. Did you happen to see some of the posts at the beginning of this thread like the one from mcgyvr?

 

[JeffyT]

I don't think my analogy for his tank isn't helpful. His original question in the title is asking if Dosing is Necessary? And I tried to explain a lack of imported nutrients through my analogy.

He might be new to dosing, but he isn't new to the hobby. So being informative about how to dose would end with him researching a different thread and asking how he should dose.

From what it seems like, he already understands that there is a possibility he needs to dose. He just wants to know if there was an alternative method. Hence his questions about the salt.

So I tried to use my analogy to explain to him that:

1. He might end up in a nutrient deficit leading to starved coral
2. Water changing might not be enough, he needs to feed the coral what they specifically need. Like his LPS and his SPS will have different needs.

But its okay. I will just stay away from the analogies so people don't get confused. But then again I guess if I will do that, I ask that you keep away from the sarcasm as it confused me as well.

 

[GimpyFin]

I don't think my analogy for his tank isn't helpful. His original question in the title is asking if Dosing is Necessary? And I tried to explain a lack of imported nutrients through my analogy.

He might be new to dosing, but he isn't new to the hobby. So being informative about how to dose would end with him researching a different thread and asking how he should dose.

From what it seems like, he already understands that there is a possibility he needs to dose. He just wants to know if there was an alternative method. Hence his questions about the salt.

So I tried to use my analogy to explain to him that:

1. He might end up in a nutrient deficit leading to starved coral
2. Water changing might not be enough, he needs to feed the coral what they specifically need. Like his LPS and his SPS will have different needs.

But its okay. I will just stay away from the analogies so people don't get confused. But then again I guess if I will do that, I ask that you keep away from the sarcasm as it confused me as well.

It's all good. :beer:

 

[GoVols]

(RSCP) has higher levels also the Fritz RPM has nice elevated #'s too.

If you have to dose Kalk is easy with a ATO unit. It's also great in helping keep PH up.

 

[canadianeh]

Is there negative side effect of overdosing 2 part dosing?

 

[sde1500]

Yea you're parameters get too high

 

[jayball]

Is dosing necessary? Frustrated

I have been under the impression that once you get to the desired water parameters (see Sk8r signature), you can add two tsp per gallon of kalk to your auto-top of container. Thing should stay pretty consistent as long as the mag stays where it is supposed to be.

Only if you have that level of consumption. Most new tanks do not have a hundred heads of euphillia like hers.

Personally I have a few Stoney coral and I run my ATO with about half saturation.

I have question for someone who uses Kalkwasser in their ATO.



Let's say if you have add 1 teaspoon of Kalk powder in a 2.5 gallons reservoir. Do you add more Kalkwasser powder each time you refill, OR do you just shake the reservoir jug only since there will be some kalkwasser powder left in the jug, OR do you completely rinse it out and add a new RODI water and add 1 teaspoon of Kalk powder?



Also, before did you test for Alk everyday for one week to see how much Alk your tank uses, and then use the Kalk powder? How do you know how much Kalk powder to use in ATO?

. You will want to clean it every once in a while.