Do I need to start dosing?

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

I have a 32g BioCube with about 23g of actual water. Here is a screenshot of my params from the last few weeks. Calcium, Magnesium, and Alk have dropped quite a bit after a large water change yesterday. I would have thought the water change would replenish these. I'm using Red Sea salt in the blue bucket. Do you think I need to start dosing these elements, and which is the best product to use?

Also the Red Sea test kits are a bit confusing. When testing Ca and Mg, the end point for the water is a dark blue. When it first hits that dark blue, if I let it sit for a few seconds it turns back to the bright purple, and if I add another drop it goes back to the dark blue again. Do I count it when it first hits that dark blue or do I add a few more drops until it doesn't change back to the purple anymore?

 

[pandagobyguy]

For a titration test you should swirl the vial until the color no longer corrects.

Once the liquid no longer returns to original color, the titration test is complete.

 

[PatW]

The Red Sea Magnesium test drives me crazy. I could not get consistent results. I switched to Salifert for Mg.

Looking at your results, I would want to increase calcium up to about 450. Your alkalinity looks just a bit low to me. I would not let it drop below 8. A low alkalinity can cause a tank crash. I test alkalinity daily but I have hard corals in my tank and they lower alkalinity pretty quickly.

Now I don’t know if you have anything in your tank consuming Ca, ALK and Mg.

In my tank, I find that Mg seems to be maintained by water changes. I test it about monthly.

I test Ca weekly. If it is low, I dose then.

I test alkalinity daily and I dose daily.

So far my tank just has hard coral frags and as they get larger their depletion of ALK, Ca, and Mg will increase. I will probably have to get dosers for ALK and Ca.

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Once the liquid no longer returns to original color, the titration test is complete.

Okay cool. That’s the way I’ve been doing it

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Now I don’t know if you have anything in your tank consuming Ca, ALK and Mg.

I have a ton of LPS and a few mushrooms. 2 weeks ago I added a green slimer frag and last week I added a stag Acro and a BTA.

Your alkalinity looks just a bit low to me. I would not let it drop below 8. A low alkalinity can cause a tank crash.

What’s the best way to increase Alk?

 

[RussiReef]

I would say dosing. For 5 years I am using Brightwell product and happy with result.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have a ton of LPS and a few mushrooms. 2 weeks ago I added a green slimer frag and last week I added a stag Acro and a BTA.



What’s the best way to increase Alk?

Regular dosing, use both parts of a two part.

For a one time correction, just use baking soda.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Limewater was all my tank needed for 20 years, even with many lps, some SPS, a couple of clams, and plenty of coralline.

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Well, I just tried testing everything again. Twice. Alk was 9.0 and then 8.7, Ca was 400 both times, and Mg was 1500 and then 1400 ... this is so frustrating. How does anyone know what numbers to believe and how much to dose based on probably incorrect numbers?

 

[pandagobyguy]

Well, I just tried testing everything again. Twice. Alk was 9.0 and then 8.7, Ca was 400 both times, and Mg was 1500 and then 1400 ... this is so frustrating. How does anyone know what numbers to believe and how much to dose based on probably incorrect numbers?

I Just assume a 90% accuracy really. No hobbyist test kit is close to 100 from what i understand. (Although i hear salifert is great)

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

10% seems like a pretty big margin of error if it could potentially crash your tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All of the last numbers are, fortunately, ok.