Dosing question

[nervousmonkey]

Congrats daddy Jake!!!!! But don't let Mom know you were dreaming about reef tanks while Charlie was making her grand entrance...

You should do water test every day once you have it decently stocked and determine your ca, kh, and mg consumption over the course of a few weeks. Weekly water changes will more than likely keep your levels in a safe area and once you know how much of each your tank is consuming then you can supplement with dosing. But don't just dose to dose, you should be dosing in order to maintain specific numbers in your tank. The best water parameters are those you had the day before.

Sevens Up has the best advice. Know your consumption rates first, then the manner of dosing/maintenance/correction is not important as long as you maintain stable levels WNL. Read these two articles first, then think about dosing:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would you suggest dosing by hand at first? I want to be very involved with my tank, I feel like that is how I will learn. As opposed to making the tank run off computers. I am looking for stability though.

You'll learn either way, since setting up dosing pumps requires substantial knowledge of what you are dosing, but it is fine to dose manual, especially when demand is not on the high end.

 

[Diesel]

Should clarify, I'm in the hospital because my wife and I just had a baby girl! First child, and we are thrilled. Mom and Charlie are doing great, we will be out of here by tomorrow.

Bro, that's great news.
Congrats on the little one.

 

[Jakepen]

Congrats daddy Jake!!!!! But don't let Mom know you were dreaming about reef tanks while Charlie was making her grand entrance...


Sevens Up has the best advice. Know your consumption rates first, then the manner of dosing/maintenance/correction is not important as long as you maintain stable levels WNL. Read these two articles first, then think about dosing:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/

Haha I know it's bad! Once Charlie was born, and everything started to settle down, only three things were on my mind. My baby girl, my wife, and my tank. When the two former were content, I was browsing, and thinking about my tank. I've wanted to do saltwater for a few years, after freshwater got to easy.

Bro, that's great news.
Congrats on the little one.

Thank you Diesel, feel blessed.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Congrats on the little one!

Sorry, I don't want to interrupt. I would like to share my thoughts about dosing. I think it can be confusing to new reefers. In the beginning I planned on dosing for growth, colors, stability etc etc. But, really we just need to begin dosing when our parameters are off. Your lights are what provide food for the coral. Reference Symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/coral101/symbioticalgae/

All our corals need is for our parameters to mimic the ocean. If you don't already know I recommend starting with water parameters, then lighting, testing parameters, then consider dosing. Just my $.02

This is my 20 gallon after 1 year and 3 months. No dosing. Just weekly 5 gallon water change.

 

[Jakepen]

Congrats on the little one!

Sorry, I don't want to interrupt. I would like to share my thoughts about dosing. I think it can be confusing to new reefers. In the beginning I planned on dosing for growth, colors, stability etc etc. But, really we just need to begin dosing when our parameters are off. Your lights are what provide food for the coral. Reference Symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/coral101/symbioticalgae/

All our corals need is for our parameters to mimic the ocean. If you don't already know I recommend starting with water parameters, then lighting, testing parameters, then consider dosing. Just my $.02

This is my 20 gallon after 1 year and 3 months. No dosing. Just weekly 5 gallon water change.

That tank is beautiful man, really great. What size

 

[Sabellafella]

im currently on my 4th dosing pump because of failers. Believe it or not brs pump was the only one that never failed on me, your going to get into dosing anyway and what better way to start by hand to get the hang of it!!
If your worryed about trace elements and arent up to snuff with water changes you can try balling or esv bionic. Theyve worked well with me as far as trying to maintain trace elements. Only reason i wouldnt recommend the red sea is that your just starting out, and their coral colors program might be somewhat of a risk

 

[Jakepen]

im currently on my 4th dosing pump because of failers. Believe it or not brs pump was the only one that never failed on me, your going to get into dosing anyway and what better way to start by hand to get the hang of it!!
If your worryed about trace elements and arent up to snuff with water changes you can try balling or esv bionic. Theyve worked well with me as far as trying to maintain trace elements. Only reason i wouldnt recommend the red sea is that your just starting out, and their coral colors program might be somewhat of a risk

I looked into fauna Marin, looks good. But people keep saying how trace elements are replaced by regular water changes. I plan on doing at least 25% water change weekly, so hoping any trace elements will be replaced that way. In the case, would most likely go with BRS 2 part.

 

[Sabellafella]

I looked into fauna Marin, looks good. But people keep saying how trace elements are replaced by regular water changes. I plan on doing at least 25% water change weekly, so hoping any trace elements will be replaced that way. In the case, would most likely go with BRS 2 part.

Yup its that simple especially in a tank your size. You could always use kalk in your topoff (;

 

[Jakepen]

Yup its that simple especially in a tank your size. You could always use kalk in your topoff (;

Mix it directly into my fresh RODI? Kalk is something I've not looked into, not familiar with it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Mix it directly into my fresh RODI? Kalk is something I've not looked into, not familiar with it.

I describe and compare all of the common methods of calcium and alkalinity supplementation here:

The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/the-many-methods-for-supplementing-calcium-and-alkalinity

 

[Jakepen]

I describe and compare all of the common methods of calcium and alkalinity supplementation here:

The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/the-many-methods-for-supplementing-calcium-and-alkalinity

Okay thank you. While I have you, I got Fiji pink sand. I saw somewhere you are suppose to wash it before use, is this right? Would it be in fresh or RODI. Also, what test kit do you recommend, something basic and than a few Hannas?