Is Dosing Absolutely Necessary?

[AydenLincoln]

Does anyone not dose (manual or automatic) and just does regular water changes and testing? Is this fine in the long term? Much of it seems unnecessary or add-ons to me unless you have a major problem.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

When you have hard corals that consume alk, calcium, and magnesium faster than water changes can replenish them you'll need to dose but if I remember correctly right now you only have softies so you're fine atm

 

[JCM]

Maintaing appropriate, consistent levels of Kh, Ca, and Mg is necessary for the health of stoney corals that utilize them to build their skeletal structures.

Dosing is a convenient way to maintain those levels, but there are other ways.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I don’t dose my Fowlr

 

[Dbichler]

My softy tank is practically no water change and no dosing assuming your not including carbon dosing.I do test everything biweekly.
usually around this
Alk 7.8-8
Cal 500
Mag 1350-1400
Phosphate .0-.05
Nitrate 15-25

 

[Devaji]

I dont dose I have an LPS/softie so far 2 years in no dosing. I want to start kalkwasser tho. but as of now everything is fine.

so I would say all depends on your goals and corals.

 

[MONTANTK]

Stoney corals will need alk, mg, and ca replenished. Water changes can replenish some of it but there comes a time when dosing will be necessary. Dosing also provides stability which results in happy corals. If you’re not interested in dosing then soft corals are probably the route to go

 

[kados]

I don’t dose my Fowlr

Ahh to the good life

 

[Wick]

I dont dose I have an LPS/softie so far 2 years in no dosing. I want to start kalkwasser tho. but as of now everything is fine.

so I would say all depends on your goals and corals.

This is the route I'm taking too with my tank.

 

[LegendaryCG]

Water changes accomplish the same thing, at least until your coral growth exceeds the the elements in the salt mix which may be never. If you’re growing mostly SPS you’ll eventually need to dose. If it’s mixed you might be ok forever.

 

[Devaji]

honestly I have being reefing on and off for 10+ years mostly LPS and I have never dose
I would say do your WC and test from time to time if the numbers come back low slowly start to dose.

what ever you do stability is the key IMHO

 

[Wick]

honestly I have being reefing on and off for 10+ years mostly LPS and I have never dose
I would say do your WC and test from time to time if the numbers come back low slowly start to dose.

what ever you do stability is the key IMHO

You do weekly water changes? I had to dose nitrates cause I only have one fish

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I have to dose my reef. Hand w 2 part but it’s gaining weight so I’m up to like 40-45ml alk a day to keep it around 8.5dkh. Gives me a buffer when it drops to 7.9-8.

 

[Lavey29]

I think it also depends on the size of the tank. Weekly water changes on smaller tanks typically will suffice to replenish nutrients but weekly water changes on large tanks would be time consuming and work so dosing there makes things easier.

 

[ApoIsland]

Does anyone not dose (manual or automatic) and just does regular water changes and testing? Is this fine in the long term? Much of it seems unnecessary or add-ons to me unless you have a major problem.

Dosing is not necessary at all for most corals. I went the first 10 years without dosing and always had a thriving and growing mixed reef. I did do large, once monthly water changes of approx 50% on average though. I think that would be a major turnoff to most and probably why people choose to dose. I sit in an office 5 days a week though so kind of enjoy my once monthly bucket exercises

I did not keep acros this way though. Just easy to keep sps and lps with some zoas and a few softies.

only recently have I resorted to dosing baking soda a few times per week.

for most corals you don’t have to worry about maintaining the levels of elements with any consistency and they can handle fairly large swings. My monthly water changes would routinely bump alk from the 4-5dkh range up to the 7-8dkh range all at once.

I never test for anything other than alk.

 

[Jmcg89]

I run a mixed 180 and dont dose yet, tanks been up a year, 20 gallon wc every week or so and kalk in the top off water. The corals are really starting to grow fast now so I'm thinking it won't be long before I have to start.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Since I’m the water change system it doesn’t work like it should. So testing and dosing keeps me stable

 

[Pankney72]

125 mixed reef. I maintain most things with regular small water changes and ~quarterly large water changes.

maybe once every six weeks or so my tank will need some dosing to push it back into the middle of the normal range.

it’s infrequent and inexpensive though. Regular weekly testing keeps my finger on the pulse on what I need and how much.

 

[Devaji]

You do weekly water changes? I had to dose nitrates cause I only have one fish

on nano weekly or bi weekly on larger reefs 20% once a month. my current tank I have not done a WC in maybe 3 months now as i cant get my N&P so I just stopped. I need to test again and see where I am st tho. tank is WAY under stocked with fish and coral.