Manual dosing

[fishmaster818]

Who manually doses and can I see your tank

 

[Pete polyp]

This tank is manually dosed

 

[Reab]

I manually dose, and would continue to, but if i get deployed its so much easier to tell someone, hey make sure this doesnt run out

 

[NanaReefer]

I manually dosed my 26g for 3yrs. I've since upgraded, but here's a pic anyways.

 

[Reab]

Holy mushrooms Batman!

 

[Cleo642]

I manually dose, and would continue to, but if i get deployed its so much easier to tell someone, hey make sure this doesnt run out

Thank you for your service.

 

[Reab]

Thank you for your service.

Thank you for your support

 

[ReefTankRebel]

Pete your tank is A mazing

 

[ArieWasHere]

Those mushrooms spawned everywhere

 

[ReefTankRebel]

My tank stay at about 400 calcium, do you think 450 would give me better growth?

 

[Pete polyp]

My tank stay at about 400 calcium, do you think 450 would give me better growth?

What are you trying to grow? The key is to keep ca and alk in balance. Elevated ca/alk has been known to slightly increase growth, but has more to do with the elevated alkalinity. As you near the upper end of alkalinity you lessen the "wiggle room" of keeping it within the recommended range. I prefer to keep the calcium around 425 and the alkalinity around 9dkh because it is right in the middle of the range. If it creeps up or down you have room either way.

To answer your question directly, increasing calcium alone will not show increased growth. However if you also raise the alkalinity in balance to the calcium at 450 you will see an increase. Also keep in mind that magnesium will need to be 3x the targeted calcium so that the water will hold it. Here's a chart for ca/alk balance.

 

[ReefTankRebel]

Most thing grow okay like acans, shrooms and some zoas. But some of my zoas in particular Utter chaos , sunny d and some other just so sloww

 

[Pete polyp]

Acan may grow a little faster, but probably not much. Target feeding them will get them to grow faster. Shroom and zoa don't use calcium and alkalinity, so no they won't grow faster.

 

[ReefTankRebel]

Ah I see , Thanks

 

[Pete polyp]

No problem. Do you want tips on how to increase growth?

 

[ReefTankRebel]

Yes Please

 

[Pete polyp]

I target fed my palys and had good results while I did. I bought a 2 polyp frag and target fed them once a day and starting day 2 I was growing 1 polyp per day. By about 2 1/2 weeks it was two. 30 days after I purchased it I had 42 polyps. I also had a bunch of growth when I was target feeding my sps powdered coral foods. I can't say for certain if that's the reason I was having good growth, but that's what I was doing at the time. Having some 10k light will increase growth as well. At one time I could frag a colony of zoa/paly starting with 2 polyps and within 2 weeks have at least 5 on each plug. With the shrooms you can cut them like a pizza and they will drop babies everywhere. You kinda have to know what you're doing with that one though. The trick is to not try and cut them completely. Just run the knife over it in a + one time, and once again as an x. As I said, I don't exactly try to make sure I cut all the way through, but I can feel the knife blade scrape against the rock while cutting.

 

[ReefTankRebel]

You the man lol Will try everything you said again really appreciate the tips

 

[Pete polyp]

Only try cutting shrooms if your comfortable with it. Also keep an eye on your nutrients if you're going to use powdered coral food

 

[Reab]

I target fed my palys and had good results while I did. I bought a 2 polyp frag and target fed them once a day and starting day 2 I was growing 1 polyp per day. By about 2 1/2 weeks it was two. 30 days after I purchased it I had 42 polyps. I also had a bunch of growth when I was target feeding my sps powdered coral foods. I can't say for certain if that's the reason I was having good growth, but that's what I was doing at the time. Having some 10k light will increase growth as well. At one time I could frag a colony of zoa/paly starting with 2 polyps and within 2 weeks have at least 5 on each plug. With the shrooms you can cut them like a pizza and they will drop babies everywhere. You kinda have to know what you're doing with that one though. The trick is to not try and cut them completely. Just run the knife over it in a + one time, and once again as an x. As I said, I don't exactly try to make sure I cut all the way through, but I can feel the knife blade scrape against the rock while cutting.

What did you feed?