20 replies to this topic

[Roc]

So I thought it would be nice to see what ppl dose, in terms of amount of each of the big 3 and what their tank stays out. One of the big reasons for this is ppl seem to have a fictional idea that there is 1 sweet spot, and quite frankly coral are living animals and can adapt to quite a few changes (more on this lately)


I'll go 1st.

I dose 2 part from either AC or BRS (same basic stuff), 120 gallon Display, 55 gallon sump

Alk - 180 ml per day
Cal - 180 ml per day
Mg - never dose

Readings on tank

Alk - 9.6 DKH
Cal - 450ppm
Mg - 1400ppm

[Smiley]

I dose BRS 2-part... 55g DT with 40g sump

Alk - 160ml a day
Calc - 160 ml a day
MG - 60 ml a day


readings on tank

Alk - 9.2 dkh
Calc - 420
MG - 1380


25% wc once every 10 days

[calabdiver]

I used to dose 2 part Bionic but now I dont dose anything. I haven't dosed in almost 8 mo. now.

[BigMac]

I just restarted dosing.

I dose 20ml or alk and Cal from BRS.

my levels are not yet confirmed for this week.

Doing a WC and testing later today,, water just finished mixing.

[humuhumupukapuka]

Ca 500
Alk 9.8
Mag 1500+ (~1600)

ESV Bi-ionic
Ca 12ml
Alk 12ml
Mg 0ml

Edited by humuhumupukapuka, 03 January 2011 - 10:31 AM.

[BigMac]

mag 1350
alk 9.6
cal 460

i am going to bump that mg a little.

[Smiley]

corals started to look stressed out so i did some testing. my dkh was at 7.7 so i dosed 100ml. that evening my dkh was 7.9 and i dosed another 100ml. the next morning i tested and was at 7.7 again. i dosed another 100ml. that night i tested and dosed another 100ml. I looked at BRS calculator and it suggested i dose 100ml to get my dkh from 7.8 up to 9.2. if i want to maintain my dkh of 9.2, i have to dose 200ml a day. That seems an awful lot to me but yet my corals seem happy when i dose 100ml twice a day. Am I doing something wrong or is this normal?

I didnt think I had enough coral to eat up that much minerals.

[fshkllrz]

don't dose and test immediately, and don't test everyday either. When my tank had all sps, before the crash, I dosed, over 200ml, and your tank has way less sps then I had. I would test at the same time every other day, or every two days. Just to make sure that your tests were right. 200 ml in a 55G which is a mixed reef, seems way too high.

[MerDoX]

200mL/day seems high. +1 on what Craig said.

Also, is this a new batch of Alk solution? Did you shake it up before use? Is there any clumps on the bottom? I know soda ash/baking soda may clump up and settle down if not heated when mixing. This means the solution would be less concentrated than should be.

[Smiley]

it is a new batch, but it is completely dissolved. everything has been fine with me dosing 160ml a day since January, just recently my digi and my monti started looking pissed. when i tested it was low. so i dosed and the next day when i tested i was lower than the day before. 160ml a day wasnt keeping up.

[Mavjoy]

I was dosing 2 part, but right now, just ALK. I got the drew's pump for 3min 30secs(4 times a day). I'm using Warner Marine for the 2 part and no MG.

[Roc]

it is a new batch, but it is completely dissolved. everything has been fine with me dosing 160ml a day since January, just recently my digi and my monti started looking pissed. when i tested it was low. so i dosed and the next day when i tested i was lower than the day before. 160ml a day wasnt keeping up.

I think what Craig was saying is, test before you dose, then dose at the same time the next day but don't test, then the next day at the same time test again and then dose as the chemicals are not immediately absorbed into the water column and testing right after you dose can provide a false reading

[Smiley]

all of my testing is 12 hours after i dose or right before. According to my corals and my tests, everything seems right at 200ml a day. I just thought it was strange that I was dosing so much compared to people with bigger systems. I think i need to hurry and get this livestock gone before i start having to buy more equipment.

[fshkllrz]

That seems really high, I remember dosing 10ml 24 times when I was dosing. So 240ml of each, everyday, and I had way more SPS then you have, plus a bigger system, I don't know about having to dose 200ml, I guess if it works for you, then by all means...Plus you don't want to test everyday, that is what the gurus told me over at RC when I was figuring out my dosing amounts.

Just get rid of the corals with skeletons...lol and if you can't sell them, do what I did...toss them in the trash the night before pickup

[Roc]

I am currently doseing 270 mils per day for my system, so I agree it seems like a lot, maybe the mix you did was week for some reason, I would recheck when you mix another batch

[reefer on a budget]

dosing? what is that?

ca reactor, set it and forget it.

[Roc]

At this point I would set up a cal reactor instead of dosing, it seems SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much easier and more efficient

[fshkllrz]

CaRx never gave me a hassle like frikken 2 part did...

[MerDoX]

You can test to see if it's a weak Alk solution. The pH should be 12 (or 11.6 to be exact)....if it's not then it's not up to PAR.

+1 on Ca Rx, set it and forget it.

[Smiley]

Ca RX is new to me... what does it all do? just increase ca/alk/ph? ill have to look into them for next build. As well as a controller, auto top off, and a much easier way of doing wc.