New to dosing!

[Willbiker]

Hi all

I'm now starting to delve into dosing for the first time. I notice BRS has a nice kit where you mix up the two solutions and once empty, you dose magnesium a fixed amount.

I cant get this in the UK. Can anyone recommend a similar set of products which is simple to follow for beginners? Something which is complete with all trace elments etc and has an easy procedure to follow?

Also, how often should I dose magnesium? do you just test and dose accordingly or can you dump in a set amount based on how much alk and calc you have dosed?

 

[WIReefer]

I would look into kalkwasser. Not sure your consumption rate but it’s a great product. For magnesium would test weekly and see how much you need to dose and go from there.

 

[yorky1]

The best one for a beginner is Tropic Marin All For Reef Powder which makes a single solution for Ca, Alk, Mg and trace elements and is available now in the UK

 

[Willbiker]

Thanks for the replies. I've read tropic marin all for one is expensive on large systems. Mine is 700 litres but it does look like a good product. What about ATI essentials pro? It says it contains magnesium so does this mean you don't have to dose it separately? Just the two components and thats it?

 

[92Miata]

The best one for a beginner is Tropic Marin All For Reef Powder which makes a single solution for Ca, Alk, Mg and trace elements and is available now in the UK

I disagree strongly with this.

All-For-Reef is basically a small carbohydrate with a calcium atom on it - its a balanced calcium/alk supplement - but its also low grade carbon dosing.

I've had a bunch of conversations with newbies lately where they've killed a bunch of corals and its largely been because All-For-Reef has starved their tank of phosphate.


Just dose 2-part. It's easy, its tried-and-true - and it only does what you want it to do.

 

[Willbiker]

I disagree strongly with this.

All-For-Reef is basically a small carbohydrate with a calcium atom on it - its a balanced calcium/alk supplement - but its also low grade carbon dosing.

I've had a bunch of conversations with newbies lately where they've killed a bunch of corals and its largely been because All-For-Reef has starved their tank of phosphate.


Just dose 2-part. It's easy, its tried-and-true - and it only does what you want it to do.

Do most 2 parts contain magnesium? Take ATI essentials pro for example...do I need to dose magnesium in addition to the two products supplied?

 

[nukemdanno]

Check out the chemistry forum. There's lots of DIY recipes in there for items you can get from your local stores. For my 1.5 year build im using tropic marin salt. Kalkawasser to maintain alk and calcium, dosing potassium nitrate (stump remover) to keep nitrates above zero. Epsom Salt for magnesium replacement.

 

[dwest]

Do most 2 parts contain magnesium? Take ATI essentials pro for example...do I need to dose magnesium in addition to the two products supplied?

I dose kalkwasser and 2 part. My water changes keep up with Mg. I’ve never had to dose it. Just measure it and add if needed.

 

[homer1475]

I have found over the years with regular weekly small WC's, I have almost never had to add any MAG supplements. This also depends on how high you mixed water is too. Since I use IO the mag is always high.

Ialso second using just a regular old 2 part.

 

[Willbiker]

Great thanks!

 

[Bluenote]

I dont think anyone answered your second question. You will of course need to calculate your magnesium depletion to learn how frequently you will need to dose. Magnesium usually depletes much slower than Alk or Calcium. For me I usually end up dosing Mag every 4 weeks but test weekly. I dose Alk and Ca daily.

 

[Willbiker]

So I bought ATI pro 2 part. I took a readings using salifert tests of 7.3dkh alk and 385 calcium.

Next I went to the ati online calculator
https://www.atinorthamerica.com/water-care/essentials-pro-dosing/

I went to the dose adjustment part and entered my volume of 700 litres, ticked the undiluted option, added 0 as my current dose amount and specified I wanted to increase alk by 0.5

I got a 24.5ml result. So I dosed 25ml of #1 mixed in a pot of tank water first, then the same of #2 1 hour later. I waited overnight and my alk has jumped up by 2.4dkh to 9.7 and calcium has raised by 35ppm to 420.

What did I do wrong? Why did it jump up so much :S

 

[Willbiker]

I haven't yet measured my magnesium levels as my kit hasn't arrived. Could it be magnesium related? I havent done a water change in a couple of months as im fighting dinos.