Do I need to dose a 10g reef?

[dbleoh7]

I'm setting up a 10g Waterbox and am planning for what I need. Will I need to dose for a 10g nano? It will predominantly be softies with some LPS and a few SPS. Planning on birdsnest and a green slimer acro to test the waters in SPS. I've read that weekly water changes are enough typically... True? I don't want to complicate things and add on dosing unless it's necessary.

 

[Daddy-o]

When your water changes fail to keep your parameters up to your desired level it will be time to dose. It will likely be a long while before you find yourself needing to dose.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Phil D.]

I had given my daughter a 10g waterbox and we found that it needed water changes every 3 days to keep on top of the algae and parameters

 

[Hermie]

check your alkalinity if it gets too low (below 7) then yes you need to dose, or do a water change with something that has a lot of alkalinity

 

[dbleoh7]

I had given my daughter a 10g waterbox and we found that it needed water changes every 3 days to keep on top of the algae and parameters

Interesting. Is/was it heavily populated with fish and coral?

 

[WisconsinReefing]

If you do regular water changes then absolutely not

 

[Phil D.]

Interesting. Is/was it heavily populated with fish and coral?

No, just had 2 clowns, 4 zoa colonies, and a nem.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I’ve had an innovative marine 10 gallon running off and on for the past 4 years. I wouldn’t worry about dosing, just do water changes every week. Mine had a lot of SPS in it that was growing like crazy. I’d definitely recommend an ATO though.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

It is a good idea to invest in quality testing equipment. No matter the reef size. If you don’t check your parameters, you’ll just be guessing.

 

[dbleoh7]

I’ve had an innovative marine 10 gallon running off and on for the past 4 years. I wouldn’t worry about dosing, just do water changes every week. Mine had a lot of SPS in it that was growing like crazy. I’d definitely recommend an ATO though.

Alright perfect. Yeah I have an ATO. Greatest addition of all time

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you do regular water changes then absolutely not

would have to be fairly high daily changes if there are thriving SPS in order to maintain alk. If demand is 2 dKH per day, you’d need to do a 50% change with a salt mix 4 dKH above the tank target, which if done all at once is quite unstable with respect to alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Alright perfect. Yeah I have an ATO. Greatest addition of all time

I think you should expect to dose, unless the SPS that are “growing like crazy” are also tiny.

 

[Pbh-reef]

My 10 gallon loses about .2 dKh a day so I’ve started dosing 1ml of each component of esv two part daily to keep the parameters stable between my weekly water changes - not sure if it is needed with such low usage but I hope to see better growth and color in the next few weeks

 

[Angel_V_the_reefer]

I think you should expect to dose, unless the SPS that are “growing like crazy” are also tiny.

most salts are either in the 7.5 - 8 dKH range or 10+ dKH. Lets say I’m looking to keep a reef at around 9 dKH (the HW salts claim to hold a 9 dKH, IME it’s closer to 8).

do you guys keep your slots parameters as your target levels, or do you guys aim for a different number than your salts levels ?

if so how do you guys go about this and how do you ensure your WC water is at the same level ?

planning on getting a 10g, hoping to rely only on WC if possible

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

if so how do you guys go about this and how do you ensure your WC water is at the same level ?

I changed water slowly and steadily by automatic water change, and so any effect from water changes just gets combined with demand.

Some folks do like to keep teh tank close to the new salt water. Some adjust the new salt water (usually downward).

A 10% change with a 9 dKH mix on an 8 dKH tank only boosts alk by 0.1 dKH, so exacting matching is not really necessary.