New to dosing

[canadianeh]

Here is my parameter as per Trident:
All 7.12
cal 490
Mag 1343

I only do 5 gallons weekly WC right now on my 65 gallons tank.

I want to get the Alk to around 8. If I want to use ESV w parts dosing, can I just dose Alk only since my Cal is always above 450?

aso, if I dose mag, will it effect Alk and cal? How do I know how much to dose to bring it to 8?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes, you can use the ESV alk part, or just baking soda to boost the alkalinity.

 

[725196]

I don’t know about ESV but some of the companies provide calculators so you can dose the proper amounts.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you want to use a calculator, this one has that product and more:

Reef Chemistry Calculator
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

 

[725196]

If you want to use a calculator, this one has that product and more:

Reef Chemistry Calculator
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

Nice. I just bookmarked this site for myself. Thank you.

 

[canadianeh]

If you want to use a calculator, this one has that product and more:

Reef Chemistry Calculator
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

Thank you so much for the calculator!

According to calculator, when I dose either Calcium or Alk to my target level, it will lower the the other counterpart. So if I dose them together (not at the same time), I will get higher end result than what is on the calculator? Is this correct?

Before I messing around with by dosing my tank, in your honesty, are my parameters right now is at great level to keep LPS dominant tank? If I dose baking soda, it will increase Alk, but then again it will decrease Cal which almost inevitable I have to dose Cal when I start increasing Alk.

Here is my parameter as per Trident:
Alk 7.12
cal 490
Mag 1343

I only do 5 gallons weekly WC right now on my 65 gallons tank. I only have several LPS. At the end, it will be packed and busy with LPS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

According to calculator, when I dose either Calcium or Alk to my target level, it will lower the the other counterpart. So if I

I'm not sure exactly what you are reading to think that, but it is not true.

 

[canadianeh]

I'm not sure exactly what you are reading to think that, but it is not true.

Here from the calculator. As you can see if I bring the Calcium to 500, the "balanced alkalinity" will be lower than my current alkalinity. Same thing with Alkalinity. If I bring it to 8, the "balanced calcium" will drop to 417. Am I missing something?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Balanced does not mean what you are thinking. It definitely does not mean dosing one drops the other to attain "balance".

All it means is that if you start with natural seawater (420 ppm calcium, 7 dKH) and add or subtract a balanced ratio of calcium and alkalinity (20 ppm for each 2.8 dKH), what values can be attained. It is not "desirable" to be at a balanced ratio just because one of them is high or low.

 

[canadianeh]

Balanced does not mean what you are thinking. It definitely does not mean dosing one drops the other to attain "balance".

All it means is that if you start with natural seawater (420 ppm calcium, 7 dKH) and add or subtract a balanced ratio of calcium and alkalinity (20 ppm for each 2.8 dKH), what values can be attained. It is not "desirable" to be at a balanced ratio just because one of them is high or low.

so again my question before I mess around with dosing my tank, in your honesty and according to your experience and knowledge, are my parameters right now is at great level to keep LPS dominant tank? Will I get faster growth if I boost my alk and mag?

Here is my parameter as per Trident:
Alk 7.12
cal 490
Mag 1343

I only do 5 gallons weekly WC right now on my 65 gallons tank. I only have several LPS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

so again my question before I mess around with dosing my tank, in your honesty and according to your experience and knowledge, are my parameters right now is at great level to keep LPS dominant tank? Will I get faster growth if I boost my alk and mag?

Here is my parameter as per Trident:
Alk 7.12
cal 490
Mag 1343

I only do 5 gallons weekly WC right now on my 65 gallons tank. I only have several LPS.

Yes, those values are perfectly fine for any reef aquarium.

Magnesium does not generally boost coral growth.

Higher alkalinity may give faster growth. Most such studies are not done with LPS.

Boosting alk carries its own concerns, so I'd start here and only look to raise it in the future if things are going well.