Dosing question.

[CrazyEyes]

Quick dosing question, I've been dosing alk, tank is dropping from 8.5 to 7.8dkh in a 24 hour period, calcium is pretty steady at 430-440 without dosing but, everywhere I read states you should always dose both parts equally, I'm using Redsea foundation A&B, just not sure if I need to also dose 1.8ml of Ca alongside the 1.8ml of Alk. Thanks in advance.

 

[Spare time]

No you almost always dose more alk than calcium. Only dose what you need (and dose them separately). I use quadruple the alk (something like that) compared to calcium

 

[CrazyEyes]

No you almost always dose more alk than calcium. Only dose what you need (and dose them separately). I use quadruple the alk (something like that) compared to calcium

That's exactly what I've been doing, but then after reading a few things where they mention always dose equal parts I wanted to make sure I wasn't doing it incorrectly.

 

[X-37B]

Bring you alk up to the level you want and then dose equal amounts is the way to dose imo.

 

[Bells>Waimea]

Bring you alk up to the level you want and then dose equal amounts is the way to dose imo.

What is the equal amount? The dose necessary to keep the alk at the same level? Meaning if it takes 1.8ml to keep the ALK at 9, for example, then the CAL should also be dosed at 1.8ml?

 

[Mical]

What is the equal amount? The dose necessary to keep the alk at the same level? Meaning if it takes 1.8ml to keep the ALK at 9, for example, then the CAL should also be dosed at 1.8ml?

I think what he's saying is - MANUALLY dose your ALK to level where you want it, THEN dose equal amounts of Alk & Cal from then on.

 

[X-37B]

I think what he's saying is - MANUALLY dose your ALK to level where you want it, THEN dose equal amounts of Alk & Cal from then on.

Yes thats what I was saying just not clear enough.

 

[Spare time]

Tbh I've never known a tank that needs the same alk and calcium dosed as. My all drops a 0.5kh a day so I dose 36ml. If I dose 36ml of calcium a day my calcium would end up well over a thousand. The same goes for other tanks I've taken care of and such. I'm curious how one can get away with dosing equal amounts and not have calcium skyrocket

 

[X-37B]

Tbh I've never known a tank that needs the same alk and calcium dosed as. My all drops a 0.5kh a day so I dose 36ml. If I dose 36ml of calcium a day my calcium would end up well over a thousand. The same goes for other tanks I've taken care of and such. I'm curious how one can get away with dosing equal amounts and not have calcium skyrocket

If you add to much of one or the other it will drive the other down in simple terms. Thats why its important to add them in equal amounts.
The best way to understand it is to search this forum and read up on it. It is ok to add more of one than the other to get levels where they need to be then dose equal amounts.
Or just run a calcium reactor that keeps the ratio in check.

 

[Vinman]

First check your mag... also does alk and cal at least 10 minutes apart...IMO

 

[X-37B]

First check your mag... also does alk and cal at least 10 minutes apart...IMO

Good info. My mag stays 1350 with the trace elements that I dose daily. My carx is manmade media and just replaces alk and cal.

 

[Uncle99]

Consumption by corals is the same, so the thinking is that dosing is the same.
That being said, variances in current levels, frequency of dosing, concentration of liquid, all play a part in the measured level.

I dose based on consumption, which for me, in exactly the same for AlK and CA, but, I use premixed Seachem additives which concentration remains same from batch to batch.

I also ensure calibration of my doser and spread the doses evenly every hour.

 

[Spare time]

If you add to much of one or the other it will drive the other down in simple terms. Thats why its important to add them in equal amounts.
The best way to understand it is to search this forum and read up on it. It is ok to add more of one than the other to get levels where they need to be then dose equal amounts.
Or just run a calcium reactor that keeps the ratio in check.

I would love to get a calcium reactor. College student budgets and reef tanks dont get along that well hahq

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Tbh I've never known a tank that needs the same alk and calcium dosed as. My all drops a 0.5kh a day so I dose 36ml. If I dose 36ml of calcium a day my calcium would end up well over a thousand. The same goes for other tanks I've taken care of and such. I'm curious how one can get away with dosing equal amounts and not have calcium skyrocket

I don’t agree. Folks who look very carefully most often find close to the expected ratio of 2.8 dKH of alk for about 18-20 ppm of calcium. The folks who use only a calcium carbonate reactor, for example, often do nothing else for extended periods.

In your case, a drop of 0.5 dKH a day should ideally be accompanied by only about 3 ppm of calcium. The likelihood of calcium rising to 1000 ppm seems pretty remote.

The main reasons for reported deviation are not actual demand unbalances. Water changes with a mix that doesn’t match the tank, using products not designed for 1:1 dosing, and the fact that alk always drops much faster on a percentage basis than calcium due to the much larger reservoir of calcium in seawater makes many people think they have unbalanced demand when they may not. The inability to accurately detect the drop in calcium in a day or two also misleads folks.

 

[Bells>Waimea]

I think what he's saying is - MANUALLY dose your ALK to level where you want it, THEN dose equal amounts of Alk & Cal from then on.

My question is once you have your daily ALK amount to dose, do you then match your CAL to the ALK amount?

So if I'm losing .5 DKH/day and am at 8.5 and want it at 9 and it takes 6mls of ALK to get up to 9, I should then also dose 6 mls of CAL, right?

 

[Mical]

My question is once you have your daily ALK amount to dose, do you then match your CAL to the ALK amount?

So if I'm losing .5 DKH/day and am at 8.5 and want it at 9 and it takes 6mls of ALK to get up to 9, I should then also dose 6 mls of CAL, right?

Yes dose 6ml Cal to get Cal where you want it - then dose equal amounts daily

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My question is once you have your daily ALK amount to dose, do you then match your CAL to the ALK amount?

So if I'm losing .5 DKH/day and am at 8.5 and want it at 9 and it takes 6mls of ALK to get up to 9, I should then also dose 6 mls of CAL, right?

For routine dosing, I would match doses, then track calcium over weeks at a time and if it continually rises or falls, adjust slowly as needed.

For making one time adjustments to either calcium or alk, use just that one.

 

[Nick30G]

What Randy states here is correct. There is always 20 ppm of calcium consumed for 2.8 dkh of Alkaninity and you should dose in equal parts. I use BRS two part and dose equally and they state that you should ALWAYS dose in equals amounts for a ionic balance.