How often do all of you dose?

[Emma01]

Didn’t think I’d need to dose when I started out as I only had intentions to have a few LPS. However, it seems whatever salt mix I use, I ALWAYS get precipitation, which therefore lowers my ‘ideal’ levels on water changes.

 

[SDK]

My top off doses lime water all day long and I add extra alk as needed based on testing. My green/purple tip torch put on 10 heads in a year. Hammers and frogspawn also put on plenty of heads in that time. I can't imagine trying to keep up with the tank's needs by just doing water changes.

I do the same and agree. Some of the really small nano tank keepers can probably get away with it, but most will need to eventually need to dose the “major”elements. I also top off with Kalk and have to dose alk. So far my 10% weekly changes keep up with CA and MG but it’s only a matter of time I’m sure.

 

[SDK]

Didn’t think I’d need to dose when I started out as I only had intentions to have a few LPS. However, it seems whatever salt mix I use, I ALWAYS get precipitation, which therefore lowers my ‘ideal’ levels on water changes.

Are you saying that you get precipitation when you add the change water to your tank, and this has happened through multiple salt brands?

If yes, that is “highly” unusual. You might want to start a separate thread about this and see if you can get some help figuring it out.

 

[ReefyB]

I have a growing 45g mixed reef system. Currently need 18ml Alk, 14ml Ca (Fusion 1&2) dosed daily to maintain alkalinity at 8.5 and calcium at 480+. I also dose aminos daily (Acropower), and weekly (Fuel) with feeding (Reef Roids). And I do water changes every 1-2 weeks, but that’s mostly for nutrient export in my case.

 

[Emma01]

Are you saying that you get precipitation when you add the change water to your tank, and this has happened through multiple salt brands?

If yes, that is “highly” unusual. You might want to start a separate thread about this and see if you can get some help figuring it out.

Yes I get precipitation when i change the water. E.g my water parameters in my salt mixing bucket prior to going in are.......
KH- 9.5
Ca- 450
Mg- 1400
(Currently DDO salt mix)

Once in my display......
KH- 7.6
Ca- 360
Mag- 1200

I THINK it may be because when I first stated I was using ‘cheap’ premixed SW.now I’m constantly playing catch up with my parameters. I haste to add that I’ve a 30 litre nano- maintaining parameters is an nightmare, I dose infrequently..... sometimes every day, sometimes every other and sometimes once weekly, all depends on parameters


P.S- I use Hanna checkers.

 

[SDK]

Yes I get precipitation when i change the water. E.g my water parameters in my salt mixing bucket prior to going in are.......
KH- 9.5
Ca- 450
Mg- 1400
(Currently DDO salt mix)

Once in my display......
KH- 7.6
Ca- 360
Mag- 1200

I THINK it may be because when I first stated I was using ‘cheap’ premixed SW.now I’m constantly playing catch up with my parameters. I haste to add that I’ve a 30 litre nano- maintaining parameters is an nightmare, I dose infrequently..... sometimes every day, sometimes every other and sometimes once weekly, all depends on parameters


P.S- I use Hanna checkers.

I definitely think this deserves a thread. Something very out of the ordinary is going on.

 

[Vahanyos]

If you absolutely want to dose, the correct answer is you’ll have to test and dose according to your consumption rate.

However, I don’t think it’s necessary. My corals react better when I actually do a water change on my system because it also replenishes the minor trace elements that dosing doesn’t. I dose now in my SPS tank but I still do water changes. I see the difference when I slack off... just my two cents. Might be easier/cheaper to just do a change ever 2 weeks or even a month.. I think you’ll have good results

 

[Tamberav]

I dose daily in my 25g LPS tank. I also do weekly water changes but it does not keep up with just water changes. If i didn't dose, alk would crash pretty low. It is decently packed and also has some big hammer colonies. Consumption has been slowly increasing.

I would think weekly dosing would cause stability issues although LPS are more forgiving, I have never tried it. A doser spreading out daily doses seems ideal, I don't have one on my LPS tank yet but noticed a difference in my SPS tank when I added a doser adding every 2 hours.

 

[vetteguy53081]

4X per day via Magnus dosing pump

 

[Steve McGlamery]

Alk on the hour and Calc on the half hour 24 hr a day. About 3 ml per dose.

 

[robocop1906]

I dose minor elements daily and 2 part hrly. Minor elements come from a variety of products. I came to the conclusion of how much based on a ICP test. I came to a better understanding of the element by reading guide in the link below.

I later found out this guy live really close to me so it was cool to see his research and results live. I don't buy any of the element he sales because I figured how to get to the recommended doses with stuff I already use. There is even a Facebook support group so I'd say at least check the guide out. It's a lot to read but he breaks down trace element in a easy to understand way and the free calculator tool has been helpful with my ICP results.

https://andremueller.e-junkie.com

 

[PatW]

If I dose trace elements will that be good.

It is a value judgement.

The majority of reefers dose major elements like Ca, ALK and Mg as necessary. Dosing these elements is almost universal in high demand SPS dominant tanks. There are many reliable tests for these. Reefers also dose nutrients like N03 and P04. Some reefers dose these. Other reefers rely on indirect feeding: feed the fish and the fish poop nourishes the corals. And other reefers directly feed corals to provide nutrients. So there are three approaches to this problem.

As corals grow, they use Ca and ALK primarily and Mg to a lessor extent. But they also take up micronutrients like Fe, Mn, Bo, I, and others. Tests exist for some of these micronutrients and no tests exist for others. So if you try to dose them, you are dosing in the dark. Dosing in the dark has risks because virtually any trace element can be a problem if its levels get too high.

From my reading, it seems that the majority of reefers rely on regular water changes to provide micronutrients.

Another approach is to dose take something like Calcium uptake by corals (which you know because you are dosing Calcium) and adding a cocktail of micronutrients. The idea that in taking up X amount of calcium, the corals will also take up Y amount of trace elements so you dose Y amount of trace elements. And reefers report good results with this method. Of course, anyone who is this thorough in their reefing probably is very good at tank husbandry. So is their success their dosing of trace elements or is it their superior husbandry? Of course, the success could be a combination of the two.

Of course, one could send off reef water samples to a testing agency like ICP and dose base on the results. There are problems with this. One is time lag between sending the test in and getting the results. Second is the expense. Third is the fuss and bother. There are reefers who seem to send in to these agencies sporadically as a check on if there are any major problems. But I do not know of anyone who uses the test results to direct a regular dosing regime.

 

[tw5090]

Lps are the easier corals in this hobby. They thrive in dirty water and are generally forgiving. Depending on your fish load and how much you feed you could go months without a water change.

This is not accurate. Going months without a water change? Not recommended.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I use auto-dosers and test accordingly