Anyone have success keeping sps while dosing by hand?

[Jakepen]

Getting more into sps, currently don't have a doser. I dose twice daily, usually 1.5dkh each dose, and around 15-20 ppm of calcium each dose. I worry this is not stable enough for sps.

 

[ritter6788]

I got by for a long time by adding baking soda to my ATO and dosing calcium as needed. Alk depletes much faster than calcium, to me calcium is easier to dose manually and you don't have to worry as much about that parameter swing. You have to do a lot of testing (daily for a while) to make sure you aren't over/under dosing alkalinity. Dosing pumps are worth every penny for ease of use and stability once you get ready for them. It's a great investment for a reef tank.

 

[nemo1017]

Tried it for a while...got a dosing pump to make life easier. Don't have swings anymore.

 

[Alfrareef]

Nop. Things only get steady when I got the doser. But still need to follow values and adjust dosing... I do that on a weekly base sometimes by looking at corals (have a monti for that) others with tests.

 

[jah4good]

I've been dosing by hand as needed on my 20g. Usually weekly. My SPS corals are very happy. Lots of growth, great colors

 

[Abhishek]

Well I won't say it's not possible but depends what sps we are talking here .. dosage by hand with montipora, stylo ,pocciloporas and may be seriatopora might be ok but still better to get dosing pump ..
Tanks with acros definitely not . Some of the more difficult species like albrohensis show effect even with a very small change

Reliable dosers are must and wayyy better if you have acros

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[donnievaz]

I dose ESV Bionic once a day in my Biocube 29. I have quite a bit of SPS but nothing "expert level". I have Monti's, Poccillopora, Stylophora, Cyphastrea, Digitata, Psammacora, Birdsnest, and a couple Acros that I'm pretty sure are Valonia. It's not ideal but it can be done.

 

[jah4good]

I keep Acros fine but I suggest doser for convenience and caution never bad thing. Lack of swings is good

 

[Jakepen]

Yeah that's what I thought. I mean I know it's possible, I just wanted some extra assurance that getting a doser is smart. I think if I can't find one used in the next few days, I'm going to order a GHL.

 

[Holy_makerel]

I drip kalk and dose 2 part in my 29 gal. i've got 3 acros, 4 montis, large birdsnest, Stylophora, and a bunch of LPS.
my alk has been running really low. 5.4 dkh with Ca at 440 and mag at 1235.

Setting up a dosing pump tonight but in the meantime i've doubled my alk dose and it has been slowly rising back up.

 

[DBR_Reef]

The Jebao doser is cheap as hell- cost of a few decent frags- and if it isn't broken out of the box, is reliable

 

[HB AL]

Been dosing by hand for the last year with no issues

 

[DBR_Reef]

Been dosing by hand for the last year with no issues

Very impressive. Out of curiosity how often are you dosing- just wonder what frequency can still get good results. I leave my tank for months at a time and everything is automated, but I'm still curious.

 

[GatorScott]

I dose ESV Bionic once a day in my Biocube 29. I have quite a bit of SPS but nothing "expert level". I have Monti's, Poccillopora, Stylophora, Cyphastrea, Digitata, Psammacora, Birdsnest, and a couple Acros that I'm pretty sure are Valonia. It's not ideal but it can be done.

Pics?

 

[JMF2324]

I dose by hand, but it's getting to the point that a doser seems necessary.I have a 75g mixed reef with about 7 sps corals.

 

[Jakepen]

Each time I dose, I'm adding 1-1.5 dkh, which just seems like a large swing. And I'm getting very tired of dosing twice a day every single day. If we go anywhere for the weekend, either someone needs to come do it and not mess it up, or I let my levels drop...

 

[Jakepen]

Been dosing by hand for the last year with no issues

You have some beautiful fish

 

[tj w]

Very impressive. Out of curiosity how often are you dosing- just wonder what frequency can still get good results. I leave my tank for months at a time and everything is automated, but I'm still curious.

 

[donnievaz]

Pics?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I am using IV dripper from pharmacy for kh & calcium "auto dosing". It is good to know that IV dripper is very precise (20 drips = 1 ml). The only problem is occasionally corals do have "chill out" period where they stop consuming alk for a few hours/days. Slight swing is permissible. Jebao auto doser is on my shopping list by the way