Dose but when?

[attiland]

After a while you will end up dosing alkalinity, magnesium, calcium and other minerals corals use to build their skeleton.



Most of us will employ a doser to do this job but how to spread out the doses throughout the day?



Some just do it equal portions in the 24 hours but it would make sense to dose when the demand is. Some people link this to the lighting since most of the demand is when light are on so does the logic say.

How do you do you dose?

What do you dose, why and when?

What is the logic behind your approach?

Whatever your approach share with us. Let’s talk about it and find the best one.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

For alkalinity i dose during the lighting period and i do calcium and magnesium seperately at night so i dont get precipitation and they dont swing as much as alk throughout the day.

 

[Gtinnel]

I use an apex with controlled dosing, and I found that I get more stable parameters if I just do the same dosing amount throughout the day, although the apex adjusts that dose some to match my set parameter.

Everything I dose is diy with dry chemicals either from BRS or the grocery store.

 

[attiland]

I start dosing in the early hours with All For Reef and later extra alk and magnesium doses fallow.
my All for reef is set based on calcium consumption and supplements are for reaching the target levels.

 

[attiland]

I use an apex with controlled dosing, and I found that I get more stable parameters if I just do the same dosing amount throughout the day, although the apex adjusts that dose some to match my set parameter.

Everything I dose is diy with dry chemicals either from BRS or the grocery store.

Do you have some sort of statistics what has been dosed and when? I think this could really help this discussion

 

[Gtinnel]

Do you have some sort of statistics what has been dosed and when? I think this could really help this discussion

I dose just a little under 1ml about every 12 minutes. I use what is basically Randy's recipe 1 and I add a total of around 90ml a day of each alk and calcium. I don't have to dose any magnesium, apparently my AWC keeps up with it for now.

 

[Spieg]

You want to start dosing when your weekly/monthly water changes (or how ever often you do WC) can no longer replenish your tanks uptake. You can do this manually at first once or twice a day until the tank consumes about 1 dKH per day, then it's probably better to use an automatic doser to maintain better stability. I've used ESV B-ionic for a long time because it is only 2 parts and contains a lot of trace elements (saves on testing and dosing a bunch or individual components). My doser is set to start dosing about an hour before lights come on and stop about an hour after lights go off (so 13 times a day).

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I voted unique as I am the doser. I've been dosing. 9.8g reef builder every 3 days. I do 20% WC every other Saturday with IORC which mixes to about 10.3 DKh to me at 1.024.

All of my dosing and testing is done around 3 pm to stay consistent. With that said, I also don't test terribly often.

Recently I've been trying to watch for signs and clues. Make a guess and test my water to confirm or deny my hypothesis. If something is off, I gradually adjust and move forward.

 

[PeterB113]

I haven't dosed yet tank is 8months old and packed with coral. I'm trying to find a way to do it without a dosing pump because I'm scared it will malfunction lol.

 

[attiland]

I haven't dosed yet tank is 8months old and packed with coral. I'm trying to find a way to do it without a dosing pump because I'm scared it will malfunction lol.

I am really pro tech. I believe these things like a doser ATO is mandatory when it comes to reef.
even cheap options like Jabeo works just fine as per those who went with it the only difference I can see between models is how user friendly they are and how small the portions it can do.
human error is what I am afraid of more

 

[MONTANTK]

I haven’t had to dose lately but when I do I set my doser to add over a 24 he period. Usually twice during the day and twice at night

 

[PeterB113]

I am really pro tech. I believe these things like a doser ATO is mandatory when it comes to reef.
even cheap options like Jabeo works just fine as per those who went with it the only difference I can see between models is how user friendly they are and how small the portions it can do.
human error is what I am afraid of more

I only have a 20g long and I've been doing water changes every week. I'm wondering if that will be okay longterm or is dosing inevitable? Everytime I test my water all parameters are where I want them

 

[attiland]

I haven’t had to dose lately but when I do I set my doser to add over a 24 he period. Usually twice during the day and twice at night

You have a really unique build but is really young.
I would recommend others to check it out. I am sure there will be a time soon. Mine didn’t really need dosing till about the 1year mark.

 

[attiland]

I only have a 20g long and I've been doing water changes every week. I'm wondering if that will be okay longterm or is dosing inevitable? Everytime I test my water all parameters are where I want them

Not sure to be honest but I find water changes bigger hassle than tune in the risers . I am an IT guy known to be lazy

 

[MONTANTK]

You have a really unique build but is really young.
I would recommend others to check it out. I am sure there will be a time soon. Mine didn’t really need dosing till about the 1year mark.

Thank you! In my old 7 gallon I followed the dosing schedule I described. I’m thinking by end of October I’ll have to start dosing again. Hopefully not as much since I’ll have my AWC system set up to get elements replenished daily

 

[Hydrored]

I dose over 24 hours more when the lights are on along with a 2.5 gallon a day AWC. You can see where it auto adjust below

 

[attiland]

I dose over 24 hours more when the lights are on along with a 2.5 gallon a day AWC. You can see where it auto adjust below

This one is really useful clearly shows there is still usage at night.

 

[Hydrored]

This one is really useful clearly shows there is still usage at night.

Actually, the largest alk uptake for me is within the first hour of the lights going off then it settles out.

What I did is set the trident to test and auto-correct every hour for 3 days. Use that data and set my dosing schedule, I’ve had to adjust it rarely from there

 

[attiland]

Actually, the largest alk uptake for me is within the first hour of the lights going off then it settles out.

What I did is set the trident to test and auto-correct every hour for 3 days. Use that data and set my dosing schedule, I’ve had to adjust it rarely from there

One more question regarding this. Do you have similar data for calcium and magnesium consumption?

 

[Hydrored]

One more question regarding this. Do you have similar data for calcium and magnesium consumption?

I do, but note I dose 4 part so it's always equal doses to the Alk. (even the corrective doses match)