Question for nano SPS keepers.

[Darth Wader]

So, I've always have trouble with keeping SPS over the years. My current tank seems to be running really smoothly and all my current corals are doing well and now I want to start keeping SPS.
My question is how are you fellow nano reefers going about maintaining your Cal/Alk/Mag levels. I know allow about 2 part, WC, and Kalk but I'm wondering what most of you do on your nano tanks.
Please let me know what method you use and how you go about adding it (slowly dosing, dumping right in... Etc). All methods used will be helpful.
Thanks,
Darth

 

[rehype]

I currently only dose Reef code B for Alkalinity from Brightwell Aquatics.Im using a drews doser(controlled by my apex) to dose around 11ml daily.My system doesnt consume enough calcium between water changes to require dosing.

 

[rwb500]

i think 2 part is absolutely the best way for a nano tank. kalk is just a hassle to mix and store properly, and dosing it with the ATO might lead to swings in a nano. but many people do use it with success. obviously calcium reactors are not a good idea for a nano. WC? if water changes are good enough for you then no need to bother with 2 part, but if you are changing water more than what is usually recommended just to keep up ca/alk, you should use something else to supplement.

2 part is the best because you can dose extremely accurately and extremely slowly, spread throughout the day. you need a dual channel peristaltic pump of course, or two single channel pumps. but once you've made that investment, all you need to do is find the right dosage and then keep refilling your 2 part. easy as pie.

 

[Darth Wader]

I've been doing water changes and using a BRS dosing pump for my ATO. I just ordered the 2part from BRS. I was thinking about adding another dosing pump then adding my alk and calc into my ATO's and dosing them separately. Is it bad to add Alk and calc at the same time? I've heard about it precipitating something out... Should I dose cal in the day and Alk at night?
Also in the meantime before I add another dosing pump is it bad to add the 2 part directly to the tank in one slow pour? I was thinking slowly dripping Alk in my ATO and just pour the cal right in until I can afford another doser. Views on that?

 

[Darth Wader]

Rehype, your surface area is the same as mine, if you dose 11ml a day for Alk what do you use for ATO, or do u dose that in you ATO? Also how much evaporation do you have a day? I'm surprised how much I lose for such a small tank. Must be our 24x24" dimensions.

 

[JDK]

I manually dose ALK at night. Pour into the powerhead flow. I need to add about 1.1 DKH per night. Calcium drops about 10 ppm a day and dose that less. Just ordered BRS alk/cal solutions and will begin using that this week. Have been using baking soda mixed with rodi for alk and weekly water changes for calc (Kent reef salt is 500+ calcium)

 

[dixiedog]

I'm using Drew's dosers on a Reefkeeper lite. I dose Alk at night and Ca by day, and both are spread out over several doses. Slow and steady always wins the race.

Currently, my 29g is consuming about 30ml per day of each, and the amount is increasing fast.

 

[Darth Wader]

Looks like 2 part is probably the best way to go.
I'll start by dosing Alk through the night with my dosing pump and the cal during the day and buy my other dosing pump right away.

 

[ange062]

2-part + Mg is the easiest solution for nano's since it allows precise control and adjustment not possible with other methods of dosing. I find that the small water volume leads to Ca/Alk not depleting at equivalent rates as they typically do in a larger tank, so Ca and Alk dosing require individual tweaking to keep levels correct.

I use a Bubble Magus 3-way doser and BRS supplements. The setup works great and allows me to basically not mess with or worry about the tank for days at a time. I test levels once a week and make small adjustments as needed.

 

[spicytuna]

You should be dosing your 2 part as frequently as possible, not just in the evening. I dose 24ml a day (12ml alk/ 12ml cal), so it breaks up to 1ml an hour alternating between cal and alk, that way I am constantly meeting the demand of my tank, and 1ml is hardly enough to throw any type of spike. I also go through about a gallon of fully saturated kalk a day.

What baffles me is people use expensive dosing pumps to dose kalk. I just use a plain on maxi jet 400 and it runs off an ato switch. My total water volume is maybe 40 gallons at the most and if anything I have issues keeping my ph up.

 

[Darth Wader]

Thanks spicytuna, maybe I will try and dose all day not just at night, and like you said a small amount won't really make a spike in any levels. I really need to get a larger ATO container so that I have enough water that last for a week, its hard here in new york cuz one of my biggest issues is space.

 

[Jasontkd]

I had an SPS dominant 40 breeder for a long time, and everything was pretty hard to keep perfect until I finally broke down and put a way oversized skimmer, and I bought a Nano Calcium reactor. Once those two things were rockin, my tank blew up and everything seemed pretty easy.