Need more dozing!!

[jcarlilesiu]

Our tank has been running and fairly stable for over a year, but as coral continues to grow and we add more hard coral and clams, we just can't keep parameters up with water changes alone.

Alk: 2.5 meq/L
Cal: 320 PPM
Mag: 1125

With a water change yesterday I was surprised with the levels. Especially considering how uniformaly low they were.

Time to add a calcium reactor? I think so.

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[ColaAddict]

calc reactor, kalk, 2 part... take your pick. I dose 2 part with a auto doser.

 

[MMreef]

I dose two part from BRS with BRS dosing pumps.When your corals grow bigger they take more out of water.You need to stay on top of your Ca and Alk testing and adjust your dose accordingly.I went from dosing 10ml.of each a day to almost 100ml of each in one year.

 

[Lil BamBam]

Calc reactor if money is not an issue. But kalk fits the budget real nice

 

[fastrc]

I had the same problem with so much coral growth. I added a duel chamber calcium reactor that keeps calcium up in tank but with so much growth i still add liquid calcium once a week. I add stronium,iodine,magnesium,phyto plankton,microvert every week also.

 

[SkullV]

It is very likely that the simple addition of Kalk will keep your levels where you need them. Calcium reactors are nice for VERY heavily stocked SPS/Clam tanks, but for most mixed reefs or basic SPS dominant reefs out there they are overkill.

Link to BRS TV episode about Calcium/Alk supplements:

Choosing a calcium and alkalinity solution for your reef aquarium - YouTube

I dose 120ml/day of 2 part right now through an automated doser and it is working out really well for me.

 

[fastrc]

For anyone that seen my tanks overkill is understated, I'm a firm believer in why work at it if you can have something do it for you.

 

[Navycook2]

You know honestly liquid calcium does not work for me no matter how much dosing i do!! so I was brought on to the kent calcium granules and take a teaspoon well for me every other day and that keeps my calcium at a steady 500ppm That stuff has helped me out major!! Calcium reactor is over doing it I think. Now according to studies we as or most reefers only use one type of calcium. To be correct If i remember correctly as liquid calcium and calcium granules have a different make up as much as they are the same thing they do provide different chemical make up. Can anyone verify this? I will look where i have found this!

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Thanks everybody. We have been dosing kalk for several months, but we constantly seem to have alk drop to a level that calc stops being consumed thowing off the balance. So then we have to start dosing alk to get the level back up so the calc starts being consumed. Things are growing great and the tank looks good, but I just want something more simple and stable than dosing. Maybe I should try 2 part, but its going to get expensive.

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[SkullV]

For anyone that seen my tanks overkill is understated, I'm a firm believer in why work at it if you can have something do it for you.

I hear you on that, I even bought a swabbie to clean my skimmer neck for me!

 

[Navycook2]

Part 2 Didnt work for me I was dosing heavy and my alk was good but i just couldnt get the calcium up until the kent calcium granules! I have a 55 so one teaspoon everyother day works great for me at 500ppm!!

 

[SkullV]

Thanks everybody. We have been dosing kalk for several months, but we constantly seem to have alk drop to a level that calc stops being consumed thowing off the balance. So then we have to start dosing alk to get the level back up so the calc starts being consumed. Things are growing great and the tank looks good, but I just want something more simple and stable than dosing. Maybe I should try 2 part, but its going to get expensive.

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If things are not being taken up in a balanced amount there is likely another issue that you need to find. Your Mag is relatively low for Cal/Alk to be properly saturated in the water. Try raising the Mag to 1350 and see if things start to stay more balanced. Mag should only need to be added once a week, if that.

What type of salt are you using?

 

[Lil BamBam]

I dose 120ml/day of 2 part right now through an automated doser and it is working out really well for me.

SkullV, how much would it cost a year at the rate you are dosing with 2 part?

 

[SkullV]

SkullV, how much would it cost a year at the rate you are dosing with 2 part?

Around $360/yr using the Seachem Reef Fusion 1 & 2. I buy 4L bottles of each part from Amazon.com for $32 each with free shipping. The standard BRS 2 part would be cheaper, but the Reef Fusion #1 contains all trace elements in proportional amounts to coral uptake. I don't know if that really matters or not since some people have thriving SPS reefs and never dose trace elements, but it isn't hurting anything.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

We have been looking for the cause. Maybe we were chasing alk when we should have been chasing mg.

Thanks. I'll give it a shot.

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[ColaAddict]

mag directly affects how alk and calc is used up in your tank. If you still need mag by this weekend let me know, I can give you some, I have a ton.

 

[Lil BamBam]

Around $360/yr using the Seachem Reef Fusion 1 & 2. I buy 4L bottles of each part from Amazon.com for $32 each with free shipping. The standard BRS 2 part would be cheaper, but the Reef Fusion #1 contains all trace elements in proportional amounts to coral uptake. I don't know if that really matters or not since some people have thriving SPS reefs and never dose trace elements, but it isn't hurting anything.

WOW!! But if you are happy, than worth every penny

 

[MMreef]

Around $360/yr using the Seachem Reef Fusion 1 & 2. I buy 4L bottles of each part from Amazon.com for $32 each with free shipping. The standard BRS 2 part would be cheaper, but the Reef Fusion #1 contains all trace elements in proportional amounts to coral uptake. I don't know if that really matters or not since some people have thriving SPS reefs and never dose trace elements, but it isn't hurting anything.

Going with two part package from BRS that include Ca,ALK and Mg for $69 you can make 7 gal (over 26L) of each solution and 3 gal. of Mg.It is a lot cheaper than Reef Fusion (almost $300 difference for the same amount). Trace elements are easily replaceable with regular WC.

 

[SkullV]

Trace elements are easily replaceable with regular WC.

Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. As hobbyists we don't really know how much of these trace elements are being used or replaced No one really has an effective hobby grade test for any of these elements. Like I said, I don't know if the addition of these trace elements are helping anything, but they certainly aren't hurting anything.

The main reason I use Reef Fusion is that it was the first 2 part I used when switching over from Kalk and I saw explosive growth in my coral that was not present when simply maintaining proper levels of Cal/Alk by using Kalkwasser. Whether this was related to the switch to Reef Fusion or something else is anyone's guess. My philosophy on the matter is "If it ain't broke don't fix it".

 

[FishBeard]

I have about 2 refills worth of my C-Balance 2-part gallons left, once i burn thru that, I am going to give the Fusion a try. It may be more expensive, but ive heard from more than a handful of people using it now that it works better than any other 2-part solution out there. Its only money, right?