Hey Everyone. Im very interested in switching my tank to SPS dominated. I would just like to get some feed back on who keeps an SPS dominate tank without a dosing pump? Do you dose Mag, Alk and Cal all seperate? If you do, what brands do you use. Do you dose 2 part? What is the exceptable swing in the trace elements before things go down hill?
Keeping SPS Dominated Tank Without Dosing Pump.
- Thread starter Oakie12
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alten78
Active Member
I got by for quite some time by using kalk only while most of the tank were frags and then into mini colonies, eventually started adding alk and cal manually daily but that got old pretty quick. Bubble Magus using BRS was the best thing I did in a very long time.
AdamNC
Lawnmower Blenny says nom nom
It can be done but it's not easy. Firstly you'll want to dose twice a day at least, once in the morning and 12 hours later. Test every few days for Alk and Ca and test Mag about once a week. I did it for about 10 months until I bought a doser. But when I bought the doser things really took off as my levels were more stable.
fishboys
Active Member
I hand dosed for over a year. The swings didn't really effect my corals. 25% water changes every other week. Guess it depends on your system. I had no major colony's but plenty of styxs.
It depends on you. I have a very demanding job and sometimes I am very tired when I get home and don't feel like doing much. So I can forget to dose the tank. So I use dosing pumps a lot to keep everything running on the same time table everyday day in and day out. Do it by hand and see how you do. I know I am not as reliable as my 3 GHL dosing pumps.
All I do is check the system once a week and test my Alk everyday.
All I do is check the system once a week and test my Alk everyday.
For $40to $60 for a decent pump it's really not worth considering IMO.
You could I suppose drip kalkwasser with a big gravity feed.
You could I suppose drip kalkwasser with a big gravity feed.
I have a 255 gallon predominant SPS mixed reef with over 40 small colonies now. I have no issues and I don't have a dosing pump. Never think about having one with all the stories of having to replace them. Obviously I do have a calcium reactor. Its dripping supplements into the aquarium constantly. You want to dial it in just under what you need to keep the aquarium going. I check all parms like once a week or two depending on work schedule and I actually supplement Magnesium, strontium, potassium once a week and calcium when needed. I use brightwell products. My reactor is a Geo REactor. Love that thing. One of my best investments.
Vaughn17
Well-Known Member
I hand dose my 180 twice daily and it's no big deal. My acros don't mind parameter swings if they're well fed and healthy. I use BRS 2 part, plus Mag and Strontium twice a week, and K and Iodine occasionally. Seems like I've heard way too many accounts of tanks crashing because the dosers failed.
Ive done it for 2 years and my tank is full sps from the start. I buy those ketchup bottles and fill them with alk, cal mag and. K+ i just squirt daily at no specific amount except for mag and k, these two is every 2-3 days or so. I also drop kalk in a 10g tank as top off with aqualifter pump($15) i switch to a dosing pump now because i cant consistancy to get better color off my corals. You can find my build thread for more info.
