Best products for Ca, Mg, Alk dosing and testing

[bsfmaximus]

What would you recommend for testing and dosing Ca, Mg, and alkalinity? As far as dosing, I am looking for something I can add straight to my water. Advice on testing? There are a lot of products out there and I know little about them.
Background about my tank - my calcium has been 320-380 and pH around 7.7 for the past year. I have supplemented with Purple Tech fairly regularly and do notice a drop in calcium when I don't add it for a week or so. I've tried the Kent Superbuffer but have had no luck raising pH. I currently only have tests for pH, KH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, calcium, and phosphate.

 

[Brett H whitt]

I use BRS or Bulk reek supply for Calcium, magnesium and alkalinity dosing. My calcium and alkalinity are dosed thru an Apex dos unit. I rarely dos magnesium as it is maintained thru water changes.

I use Hana testers for phosphate and alkalinity.
I use Red Sea for Magnesium, Calcium and Nitrate

Been very happy with BRS dosing products, they are consistent and reliable. They also have a free easy to use online dosing calculator. The Hana testers are by far the easiest to work with and the most accurate, but they ae also a lot more expensive.

 

[Brett H whitt]

You can dos BRS products without a dosing unit. Just make sure you add them slowly. BRS has a video or two about mixing and dosing their products.

Lots of corals, especially SPS, are sensitive to changes in alkalinity, if you do not use a dos pump, then you might need to dos daily. Most LPS corals are less sensitive to alkalinity and you can get away with weekly dosing.

My PH sites between 7.8 and 8.0 and my KH is 9.20. I know most people recommend 8.0 or higher, but I have no problems at 7.8. Maintaining a consistent level is more important than trying to raise your ph higher than what your tanks naturel levels are. High Alk swings will do a lot more damage than lower PH in my opinion.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There are many good methods that all work. I compare the pros and cons of the various methods here:

The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION
http://www.reefedition.com/the-many-methods-for-supplementing-calcium-and-alkalinity/

 

[SeaDweller]

Alk - Arm and Hammer baking soda; 12# bag for $8
Ca - Leslie pool supply Hardness plus aka Dow Mini pellets (concentrated CaCl2); 50# pail for $50
Mg - epsom salt/MgCl from BRS or Kent Tech M

I've been using Salifert and Red Sea (sometimes) kits, but Salifert would be my first choice in a colormetric test.

 

[mrtian97]

how much do you dose daily of each Ca and Alk?
Thanks

 

[nemo1017]

I use BRS or Bulk reek supply for Calcium, magnesium and alkalinity dosing. My calcium and alkalinity are dosed thru an Apex dos unit. I rarely dos magnesium as it is maintained thru water changes.

I use Hana testers for phosphate and alkalinity.
I use Red Sea for Magnesium, Calcium and Nitrate

Been very happy with BRS dosing products, they are consistent and reliable. They also have a free easy to use online dosing calculator. The Hana testers are by far the easiest to work with and the most accurate, but they ae also a lot more expensive.

+1

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

how much do you dose daily of each Ca and Alk?
Thanks

Who are you asking, and are you asking about our specific tanks, or in general?

 

[pga7602]

how much do you dose daily of each Ca and Alk?
Thanks

Its better to use a calculator on a site like brs since everyones tank are difeerent depending on suze and the types of corals we own. Even adding coral can potentially up the dosage.

 

[bsfmaximus]

Per the directions of Purple Tech, I add 2 tablespoons (almost) every day. That is it other than water changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Per the directions of Purple Tech, I add 2 tablespoons (almost) every day. That is it other than water changes.

IMO, that product won't be able to maintain alkalinity in most reef tanks with actively growing hard corals. The fine aragonite in it does not dissolve in ordinary seawater.

 

[bsfmaximus]

Yeah, that would make sense considering I lost my euphyllias. That being said, I've read people claiming regular water changes will do the trick. Any truth there? Full disclosure - as I said, I haven't monitored these levels and slowed down on water changed once I had my other levels under control (nitrate and phosphate). So, if water changes will replenish and regulate ca, mg, and alk, then it makes sense that my tank took a hit when I slowed down. Just throwing ideas out there.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah, that would make sense considering I lost my euphyllias. That being said, I've read people claiming regular water changes will do the trick. Any truth there? Full disclosure - as I said, I haven't monitored these levels and slowed down on water changed once I had my other levels under control (nitrate and phosphate). So, if water changes will replenish and regulate ca, mg, and alk, then it makes sense that my tank took a hit when I slowed down. Just throwing ideas out there.

Water changes also cannot maintain alk is you have any significant growing hard corals or coralline algae. It is easily shown mathematically that unless you are changing 30-50% daily, you cannot add enough for even low end demand.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I show what water changes can and cannot accomplish here:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

 

[that Reef Guy]

how much do you dose daily of each Ca and Alk?
Thanks

Every Tank is Different.

It depends on the Size of your Tank but more importantly how much Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium are Used Up by the Corals.

I have 6 Tanks.

I pretty much never add Magnesium.
I add Calcium Once or Twice a Week on 1 Tank and Pretty Much Never on the other 5 Tanks.
Alkalinity Gets Used up the Most by Far.

For Alkalinity I Test Every Tank Once a Day.
One Tank Gets Tested Twice a Day.

I usually Dose Twice a Day for the Tank that I Test Twice a Day.
For the Other 5 it Really Varies.

Alot of Products say "Dose this much Twice a Week Based on Tank Size"

Never Ever do that.

Always Test Before you Dose.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Per the directions of Purple Tech, I add 2 tablespoons (almost) every day. That is it other than water changes.

Yeah, that would make sense considering I lost my euphyllias. That being said, I've read people claiming regular water changes will do the trick. Any truth there? Full disclosure - as I said, I haven't monitored these levels and slowed down on water changed once I had my other levels under control (nitrate and phosphate). So, if water changes will replenish and regulate ca, mg, and alk, then it makes sense that my tank took a hit when I slowed down. Just throwing ideas out there.

In My Tanks with just Zoanthids Regular Water Changes is enough for Calcium and Magnesium but not for Alkalinity.

The More LPS and SPS you have and the Bigger they get the more Minerals will get used up.

Every Tank is Different.

You have to Test Your Tank to Figure out It's Needs.

Don't go by What a Person or Bottle Tells You.

Their Tank is Different than Yours.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In My Tanks with just Zoanthids Regular Water Changes is enough for Calcium and Magnesium but not for Alkalinity.

The More LPS and SPS you have and the Bigger they get the more Minerals will get used up.

Every Tank is Different.

You have to Test Your Tank to Figure out It's Needs.

Don't go by What a Person or Bottle Tells You.

Their Tank is Different than Yours.

Zooanthids provide no demand for calcium and alkalinity. Any demand you see is from calcifying organisms (like coralline algae) or nitrification (which depletes alk as ammonia is converted into nitrate).

 

[bsfmaximus]

For anyone interested, I got my Red Sea Mg test kit tonight. After three tests I am confident my Mg is around 1420. I retested: pH 8.1, KH 10, and Ca... 280! I am thinking about just trying Kent liquid calcium to target that level but I'll take advice with all that being said. It seems like the purple tech stuff did well with my other levels, does it just not have the Ca raising power needed? I'm fighting Vermetids... Any chance they could be putting that much of a strain in my Ca?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Kent Liquid Calcium is a fine way to go, and that magnesium level is just fine.

 

[bsfmaximus]

Randy, thanks! Any insight on the recommendation to add Strontium & Molybdenum when using the liquid calcium?