First time dosing pump set up & tuning, check my work!

[AmatuerAuer]

I am not a scientist and there are likely many mistakes below. It's my hope you can show them to me and help with guidance for both myself and others who will inevitably be in the same situation. Thanks in advance to all who read and participate!

It's a 120g tanks with a 40g sump. To give you an idea of my tank stock:
- 3 birdsnest coral (total 1ft of so of branch length)
- 6 Acan lords. 20 heads or so
- A 2 head hammer
- A small frog spawn
- A Qrtr size month cap
- Ton of zoa, palys, some gsp, green leather, some mushroom, Xenia

I use the BRS dosing pump, I use the BRS Soda Ash mixture, I use the BRS Alk calculator for my measurement guidance. All measurements are at 150g total water volume on the BRS calculator.

I use the Red Sea titration method for checking my levels and I typically test Alk and Calc in triplicate and Mg in duplicate to ensure my levels are true and not fluke readings. Assume all of the following measurements have been taken this way.

Here are the numbers for Alk that I am basing my initial dosing schedule off of:
Date of dose - Start->End and amount dosed:
- 11/11 - 8.4->9dkh dosed 64ml
- 11/13 - 7.4->9 dosed 171ml (split 11/13 & 11/15)
- 11/16 - 7.6->9 dosed 150ml
- 11/18 - 7.8->9 dosed 128ml
- 11/19 - 8.7->9 dosed 32ml
- 11/21 - 8.3->9 dosed 75ml
- 11/25 - 8.4->9 dosed 64ml
- 11/27 - 7->9 dosed 214ml (split 11/27 & 11/28)
- 11/28 - 8.4->9 dosed 64ml
- 11/29 - 8.7->9 dosed 32ml
- 12/1 - 7.8->9 dosed 128ml

Now, in that same time period I did a water change on 11/8 and 11/24 using reef crystals.

Calcium Measured:
11/11 -480
11/14 - 460
11/17 - 480
11/21 - 410
11/21 - 410-450ppm dosed 614ml
11/27 - 420
11/29 - 420

Mg Measured:
11/17 - 1440
11/21 - 1400
11/27 - 1400

I am not planning to begin dosing calcium yet. I want to get a handle on Alk (at least close) and then look to dose Calc in the coming week. I do not see a need for daily Mg dosing at this time.

Keeping in mind, testing/user error that is equal to1,122ml over 20 days or 56ml per day for alkalinity. My plan is to start dosing 44ml a day and measure every day to see where we land in terms of stability. I will use an electronic timer set to go off four times for 10mins at a time at night. 40mins at 1.1ml per minute or 44ml a day.

If after a day I come in a little high, I will lower the dosing timer by 1min. Continuing in this way until I am getting even daily readings. If I need to adjust up, I will add 1min to the timer. I will also be working to keep Calc at 420 by testing and manual dosing.

While I write this I have the pump set to ON and started a stopwatch when the first drop came out into a measuring cup. This is to confirm it really does out put 1.1ml a min. I will also be leaving my timer and pump running over. Night to test the timer to see if, left alone, it will dose the proper amount and that my settings are accurate.

It's a lot of double checking but I DO NOT want to make a mistake that could cost me my tank.. Let's hear it, any thoughts/comments/concerns??

Thanks again,
AmateurAuer

 

[Sabellafella]

Start with equal doses with the 2 part recommended then go from there test everyday, i just setup my neptune dos and it took be about a week of testing every 12 hours to figure it out, i started dosing mag 10% of my calcium uptake nd landed at about 15 20% of my calc uptake, my advice will be try not to swing it too low ,your on the rite track

 

[Sabellafella]

It looks to be a about 50 ml but 44s a good start

 

[AmatuerAuer]

A little RTN began on the green birdsnest but that was before I had a solid handle on the dosing schedule. It has stopped and appears to be coming back slowly.

 

[Sabellafella]

Yea birdsnest nd some chalice are usually the first to react to a big dip in alk

 

[AmatuerAuer]

I wanted to come in under rather than over

 

[Sabellafella]

Love the aquascape btw

 

[AmatuerAuer]

Thanks!

You started dosing both calcium and Alk at first? Then dialed them both in at the same time?

 

[Sabellafella]

Well i use bionic its a little more concentrated but i start at equal parts, even if your 1 or 5 mls off at a higher dosage your not going to realize the change untill about a week or 2 later then you adjust accordingly

 

[Sabellafella]

I have my alk at 8.8-9 nd my calc is 410, i use esvsalt for larger changes because it fits my parameters if i skip a few weeks. Then ill use redseapro every week or everyother week for about 10 percent change just so my alk doesnt get outa line

 

[AmatuerAuer]

Thanks Sabella, I haven't looked at other salts outside of RC yet but maybe one day. I am upgrading my kessils to a Kessil T5 hybrid this week. Then nothing for a while, I hope..