I'll begin dosing this coming week. Going to start with BRS three part. I know the goal is to keep the alk stable and build the cal etc around it. What's the best way to figure my starting point? I've been taking alk measurements for the last 10 days and am assuming that if I figure out a weeks alk use and break that into 7 days that's my daily dose? Am I missing something?
Guidance needed in dosing settings
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johndoe
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first i hand dosed till it was where i wanted it , test every day , then with the doser i started with 20mil of each [alk, cal ] a day , an tested every day , untill i got it where i wanted it consistent , it took me awhile few weeks till i got it right , went through a few text kits , now i check 2x a week , but i did it slow , thats the key , slow
Randy Holmes-Farley
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It isn't perfect to estimate doses based on observed demand over several days of not dosing because the demand rises as the alk rises, but it's an OK place to start and then optimize the alk dose by trial and error.
Do a one time correction to get calcium where you want it (if needed), then match the calcium dose to the alk dose unless the calcium is already too high (then just wait to begin dosing).
My strong suggestion is to dose the magnesium as directed. Its purpose is to not just maintain magnesium but also other things (i.e., sulfate) and the real demand for magnesium is so low that you'll hardly detect the drop (or the rise, when dosing).
Do a one time correction to get calcium where you want it (if needed), then match the calcium dose to the alk dose unless the calcium is already too high (then just wait to begin dosing).
My strong suggestion is to dose the magnesium as directed. Its purpose is to not just maintain magnesium but also other things (i.e., sulfate) and the real demand for magnesium is so low that you'll hardly detect the drop (or the rise, when dosing).
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Unless and until you have been dosing for a while and determine that a better ratio is optimal based on your water changes, salt mix, etc.
Dosing based on calcium levels in the short term is prone to error since the calcium kits are not nearly as reproducible as most alk kits, and calcium changes more slowly on a percentage basis due to seawater having a larger reservoir of calcium.
