Dose or no dose for Lps and Softies

[Chiefmaster30]

Do you guys dose mag, cal, and alk if you just plan on keeping zoas, lps, and shrooms?

 

[GoVols]

Do you guys dose mag, cal, and alk if you just plan on keeping zoas, lps, and shrooms?

Yes, If the big-3 testing calls for it.
And it's also good to use a product like Red Sea "Reef Energy" to keep up your organics (nutrients) for them too.

 

[john.m.cole3]

the LPS will consume alk, cal, and mag so they will most likely need to be replenished possibly through water changes but I feel like dosing keeps things more stable

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

The testing should be your guide. Salifert test kits run about $10-$15 each, meaning you can get carbonate, calcium and magnesium test kits for around $40. Once you know how to use the Salifert kits, testing is very quick and painless. I can test the big three in less than 15 minutes with ease. If you know your test results and one of the values is outside of the range of "normal", then it's very easy to adjust. But knowing is the first step

Whether you need to supplement or not, I would still advise regular testing and staying in tune with your water chemistry. No matter what type of reef tank you're maintaining, I don't think there's a downside to knowing what's in your water and how your water changes over time.

 

[GoVols]

The testing should be your guide. Salifert test kits run about $10-$15 each, meaning you can get carbonate, calcium and magnesium test kits for around $40. Once you know how to use the Salifert kits, testing is very quick and painless. I can test the big three in less than 15 minutes with ease. If you know your test results and one of the values is outside of the range of "normal", then it's very easy to adjust. But knowing is the first step

Whether you need to supplement or not, I would still advise regular testing and staying in tune with your water chemistry. No matter what type of reef tank you're maintaining, I don't think there's a downside to knowing what's in your water and how your water changes over time.

+1...

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Well I guess maybe I'm just a little confused. I started testing 2 weeks ago using salifert test kits except for calcium. For ca I have an API test kit. My Params were cal -400, alk-9.2, mag 1200. My goal was: cal-400, alk-10, and mag 1250. After the 3rd day of getting same test results cal-460, alk-9.2, mag-1270 I started dosing brs alk 2-part 26ml I believe to get all of my Params where I wanted them. After the first week my Params were cal-460, alk-10, and mag-1270. Now, I'm at the 2 week straight mark and my Params are all still the same besides the daily dose of brs 2-part alk that I'm doing. Does this mean that my tank is only consuming alk? Do I not need to worry about dosing mag and calcium? I never dosed any mag or cal during this time. The cal and mag both rose without dosing anything besides the alk part.

 

[GoVols]

Well I guess maybe I'm just a little confused. I started testing 2 weeks ago using salifert test kits except for calcium. For ca I have an API test kit. My Params were cal -400, alk-9.2, mag 1200. My goal was: cal-400, alk-10, and mag 1250. After the 3rd day of getting same test results cal-460, alk-9.2, mag-1270 I started dosing brs alk 2-part 26ml I believe to get all of my Params where I wanted them. After the first week my Params were cal-460, alk-10, and mag-1270. Now, I'm at the 2 week straight mark and my Params are all still the same besides the daily dose of brs 2-part alk that I'm doing. Does this mean that my tank is only consuming alk? Do I not need to worry about dosing mag and calcium? I never dosed any mag or cal during this time. The cal and mag both rose without dosing anything besides the alk part.

It does not mean that your corals are not taking in cal and alk ions at the same rate. Calcium is higher buffered in seawater than alk.
But... The nitrogen cycle can lower alk too.
I'd just keep testing all three and keep them inline as needed.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

All test kits have a margin for error. Myself ,I test twice quite often.
But I still dose evenly unless there is a repeatable imbalance.

 

[GoVols]

All test kits have a margin for error. Myself ,I test twice quite often.

lol,
Ditto...

 

[GoVols]

@Chiefmaster30
lol,
Do you go to the Aquatic Critter in Nashville?

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Yes I do! Actually, I'm planning a trip there tomorrow.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Why do you ask?

 

[Chiefmaster30]

And I just noticed your in the boro' and.. a Volsfan! Cool!

 

[GoVols]

Yes I do! Actually, I'm planning a trip there tomorrow.

Just took my harlequin shrimp (pair) back to them.
They were done eating all the Asterina starfish that were in my reef.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

I'm going there tomorrow to hopefully get something to fight aptasia in mine and a few more high priced goodies I'd say.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Any recommendations?

 

[GoVols]

Any recommendations?

Using these guys right now.
http://saltyunderground.com/category/berghia-nudibranch

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/govols-red-sea-s-400.308824/page-3

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Are they doing the job?

 

[GoVols]

Are they doing the job?

If you read threw the S-400 thread you can see the progress that they've made, in pictures.
At this point, I'm waiting for them to move to other areas of the reef ;Nailbiting but they've been a home run hit, so far.

Got some from the Critter in 2012 and they did do the job back then. This is the first aptasia outbreak since that time.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

I'm still trying to get my tanks consumption with the big 3. Can anyone tell me....
1. Am I supposed to be dosing equal amounts of 2 part?
2. I've got my alk consumption down to a daily dose of around 43ml. Cal I haven't figured out yet. Last week in 7 days my tank went from 450-400ppm. I dived that x 7 correct? Which using calculator on Red Sea with a 150 gallon water volume would be 767.3ml of cal solution. Do I divide that by 7 to get my daily dose? Thanks in advance!
3. Or am I going in the wrong direction with this? If it's supposed to be dosed in equal parts I'm way off.