From hand dosing to doser - Questions!

[NakiFantaki]

I have been hand dosing BRS 2-part (soon to be ATI as soon as I run out of BRS) and I was just gifted a 4 head dosing pump. Current daily consumption is 18ml of Alk and 8ml of Ca. I have been testing DAILY for the past 2 months and I am consistently seeing WAY less Ca need then Alk need. Some days i don’t need to dose any Ca, but Alk demand is always consistent.

When I start using the doser - should I start off my dosing equal parts of Alk and Ca?

Do I want to dose small amounts throughout the day? Or 1 or 2 doses a day?

When is the best time to dose in small amounts multiple times a day? AM or PM?

What chamber in the sump should I set the line to dump into?

What about Mag? I’m not seeing a ton of Mag demand in my system.

What other things can you recommend that I dose? I have 2 extra heads on the dosing pump.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Hitman]

It’s best to dose multiple times a day to keep the parameters from swinging. I dose 2 ml each of CA and ALK every hour. As for MG test monthly and hand dose as needed if needed. You will have to readjust everything when you switch to ATI I’m sure. I dose esv b-ionic Ca & Alk as I have great results and find it to be the best priced as it so includes all major and minor elements in the 2 part mix vs having to dose multiple elements like the ATI or Triton system.
Oh and I have my doser tubing drip right in front of my return pump.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Same advice as above. Divide your alk consumption by twenty-four and calibrate to deliver a portion each hour. I'd dose the same amount of calcium and alkalinity and separate the timing by thirty minutes so you don't have both dosing at the same time and creating a mess. I added a small powerhead in my return chamber to help mix and disperse the additive as well, otherwise I start building up some calcium in one spot of the sump. Mag is easy enough to do as needed weekly through manual dosing.