Dosing on Vacation

[NeonRabbit221B]

I have a fairly new tank (40B with softies and LPS) that I know I will have some significant problems dialing in my dosing....

I had an issue with my reef-pi build that I finally resolved tonight and have been relying on manual dosing for the last 3 weeks (when I finally added my coral). Well I checked my alkalinity last night and found it at a 5.8 and my calcium was on target at a 420. I have been doing my best to remember and keep a dosing schedule of roughly 4 ml of Alk (EVS 2 part) and 3 ml of calcium but do to a stressful last two week I know I missed atleast 2 doses of alkalinity and 3 of calcium.... So I am in a pickle with deciding on what to set my dosing pumps to given that I have a bad data set from general forgetfulness and terrible parameters from what I have been doing. I am going out of town Saturday morning and need to decide what to do for Alk and Calcium.

I have someone who will come by and watch my tank but to be completely honest I don't know if I can instruct him (he has aspergers and I have ADHD so can't write instructions very well) to check Alk/Calcium and adjust if needed. Is it best to aim a little higher than what I have been doing and hope that my missed doses caused my Alk to go off target (was aiming to keep it at a 7.5)? Aim lower and hope my tank doesnt crash from the 1 week I will be away? My ATO sensor seems to be buggy so I have one overnighted to further complicate maters but I am having an anxiety attack like I never have before....

 

[Kostas G.]

Set the pump up to dose what you were dosing manually for Ca if that kept it somewhat stable. Double your normal Alk dose as what you were dosing was not nearly enough. While away and not feeding your corals will take up less Ca and use less Alk so if you dose the same your parameters will rise which with the numbers you have, its ok
Tomorrow, check your parameters again and adjust the dose. Do the same before leaving as well and you should be good. Go easy on the Alk increase, so slow. You want a dose that covers the daily coral needs and lead to a slight daily increase in Alk. For Ca you are ok if it stays stable

 

[Homebrewer]

I agree with the above post. I keep softies, LPS, and anemones (can’t speak for SPS), but I just let the parameters creep down during the time I’m away. My tank uses about 0.5 dkh a day when keeping it between 7-8. It’s not linear usage though, meaning as the levels start to decrease, the usage slows down. I can leave it for a week and I’ll come back to the low 5’s. I’ve never lost a coral doing this. They won’t grow much, but they won’t die.

When I get back I slowly increase my ESV 2-part dosing by 1/3 until I’m back to normal. This amounts to a 5-day slow decrease and a 5-day slow increase. After less than two weeks (vacation time included), everything is back to normal.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Thanks guys,

its just the first time I have been away from the tanks for more than 3 days so a little nervous. I guess to some extent its a "let jesus take the wheel" and worry about getting everything back in order once I get back home. Appreciate your help.

 

[Uncle99]

The ATO (or other means) keeps the salinity in check which I feel is the most important while traveling as it affects other parameters as well.
For less than a week, bring up dosing requirements to a bit over par, and adjust slowly upwards on return.