2 Part dosing - rule of thumb ?

[cobraz]

Hi Randy,

I have seen people dose Alk in the morning and Calcium at night and I have seen people dose Calcium in the morning and Alk at night.

I know it all depends on the tank... but there must be a "Rule of Thumb" as to which one should normally be dosed and at what interval... day vs night ?

Thanks for looking....

 

[TD13]

I dose both in total volume / 24 hrs all day long. I dose Alk at the top of the hour 0:00 and Calc at the Half 0:30...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, it depends somewhat on what you are dosing with (the chemical), whether you do it manually or with pumps, and whether you are most concern with keeping up the low pH minimum at night or leveling out the alkalinity as much as possible.

The timing of calcium chloride dosing (if you use that) is not very important. Once or twice a day is fine, and at any time. It doesn't deplete much on a percentage basis each day, and has no impact on pH.

The timing of sodium carbonate dosing (if you use that) is more important. Some folks dose it evenly 24/7 with pumps to balance out alk needs (more during the day) with pH needs (lower pH at night so the dosing then offsets the pH drop). Some folks dose just during the day to stabilize alk most, and some only at night (to keep up the pH minimum). The alk stabilizing may be most important in ULNS SPS systems.

The timing of sodium bicarbonate dosing (if you use that) is middling. It has no pH effect, so I'd dose it during the day, maybe once AM and once PM if manual dosing.

I dose calcium and alkalinity with limewater (kalkwasser) in an ATO, so it is effectively dosed 24/7.

 

[AdamNC]

I dose 6 times a day, so every 4 hours via 2 BRS 1.1ml Dosers on timers. First Alk and then an hour later Ca.

 

[cobraz]

IMO, it depends somewhat on what you are dosing with (the chemical), whether you do it manually or with pumps, and whether you are most concern with keeping up the low pH minimum at night or leveling out the alkalinity as much as possible.

The timing of calcium chloride dosing (if you use that) is not very important. Once or twice a day is fine, and at any time. It doesn't deplete much on a percentage basis each day, and has no impact on pH.

The timing of sodium carbonate dosing (if you use that) is more important. Some folks dose it evenly 24/7 with pumps to balance out alk needs (more during the day) with pH needs (lower pH at night so the dosing then offsets the pH drop). Some folks dose just during the day to stabilize alk most, and some only at night (to keep up the pH minimum). The alk stabilizing may be most important in ULNS SPS systems.

The timing of sodium bicarbonate dosing (if you use that) is middling. It has no pH effect, so I'd dose it during the day, maybe once AM and once PM if manual dosing.

I dose calcium and alkalinity with limewater (kalkwasser) in an ATO, so it is effectively dosed 24/7.

I am using a 2 Part A and B ..... so PH at night sounds more reasonable to offset the lowering of PH naturally.
I just bought a DOS system should be here Friday !
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Good luck and happy reefing.