dosing mag and trace elements when using Kalk top off?

[MoshJosh]

Currently adding Kalk to my ATO, but not replacing other elements except through water changes. For those who use kalk like this, how are you replacing trace elements/what are you dosing. Long term would it be better to get a dosing pump and dose something like All-For-Reef?

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I don't think it would be beneficial to dose these trace elements other than waterchanges

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You can use a dosing pump, or manual additions.
I never dosed magnesium. I just added a little extra to my water change water.

 

[Mortgaged Reefs]

I have been running kalk + all for reef (AFR) for 9 months now and My corals seem to love it. I do have to dose soda ash from time to time to raise Alk but that will depend on your tanks nutrient uptake. I’m thinking about adding a real small daily dose of soda ash for ph and alk.

 

[PatW]

I dose Soda Ash and CaCl2 to keep these up to level. I use a doser and zero in with hand dosing once per day. I find that water changes keep the Mg levels just fine. Mg consumption is something like 5% of Ca consumption so it makes sense.

As far as trace elements, it is sort of a crap shoot. I really do not think that there is a good set of test kits for trace elements. And dosing without knowing what the levels are is semi unsettling. I dose Original Balling Components in proportion to my ALK Calcium dosage. You can probably use Balling components and do a finagle factor on how much to dose based on your KALK dosing.