Please help me to understand this dosing chart...

[Dom]

Okay... so my new 125 gallon build is up and running for 60 days. I have not done any water changes as weekly water changes to a tank this size can become expensive. This has me leaning toward a Dutch Synthetic Reefing approach in that I am testing and replacing the consumed elements.

I have been dripping 2 gallons of Kalk into the tank per week and today, I tested for the first time:

Calcium = 400
Magnesium = 1400
Alkalinity = 5.3
pH = 8
Salinity =35ppt

Obviously, I need to get the KALK up in the tank before the low number reflects in the tank appearance.

Where corals are concerned, the tank contains lots of Zoa, Hammer and Palys. In general terms, I understand these guys to be all part of the LPS family. Is this correct?

Can someone please explain this dosing chart to me? I'm really not understand it and don't want to dose incorrectly.

Also, can I add this calcium supplement to the Kalk drip.

I understand KALK increases ALK and Calcium, so maybe instead I should increase the amount of KALK dosed weekly?

Thank you,
Dom

 

[Duffer]

I find the reef calculator that is in the reef chemistry forum here very helpful...this will help you with dosing:

Reef Chemistry Calculators

Reef chemicals calculator Reef Chemistry Calculator Calcium Reactor setup calculator (CaCO3/CO2 reactors) Calcium Reactor Setup Help Aquarium System Volume Calculator Aquarium System Volume Calculator Alkalinity Unit Conversion Calculator SaltyZoo's Alkalinity Reading Conversion (meq/l / dKH...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Dom]

I find the reef calculator that is in the reef chemistry forum here very helpful...this will help you with dosing:

Reef Chemistry Calculators

Reef chemicals calculator Reef Chemistry Calculator Calcium Reactor setup calculator (CaCO3/CO2 reactors) Calcium Reactor Setup Help Aquarium System Volume Calculator Aquarium System Volume Calculator Alkalinity Unit Conversion Calculator SaltyZoo's Alkalinity Reading Conversion (meq/l / dKH...

www.reef2reef.com

Yes, I am familiar with the dosing calculator. But I am trying to understand ow to read the chart on the bottle.

 

[Duffer]

Yes, I am familiar with the dosing calculator. But I am trying to understand ow to read the chart on the bottle.

but you don't need to if you use the calculator...it does it for you...just plug in the numbers...i have seen the bottle and it's confusing as heck, so i use the calculator...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The chart is giving you several possible alk targets (grey, along the top), and how you would get there from a current alk (blue on the left side)

 

[olonmv]

Looks like you get your current measurement and select that value on the label and drag across to what type system you’re running and add that amount in ML for every 25 gallons.

 

[Dom]

The chart is giving you several possible alk targets (grey, along the top), and how you would get there from a current alk (blue on the left side)

So, according to the chart, a target of 8 in a 100 gallon SPS dominant tank would be:

Supplement: 18ml per 25 gallons.
Volume = 100 gallons.
Total supplement = 72ml

Is this correct?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So, according to the chart, a target of 8 in a 100 gallon SPS dominant tank would be:

Supplement: 18ml per 25 gallons.
Volume = 100 gallons.
Total supplement = 72ml

Is this correct?

The row to use depends on the current alk. If it is currently 8 dKH or higher, the answer is zero.
Your calculation is from row #1 with an assumed current alk of 6.2 dKH.

 

[Dom]

but you don't need to if you use the calculator...it does it for you...just plug in the numbers...i have seen the bottle and it's confusing as heck, so i use the calculator...

And that's just it; I don't want someone to do it for me because I'm not learning that way.

 

[olonmv]

Label says that 1ml raises alk in a 25 gallon tank by .1 DKH. Therefore 10ml in same size tank will raise it by 1 DKH. In a hundred gallon tank I’m assuming 40ml will raise your alk 1 DKH. I think 1dkh a day is the max for raising alk in a 24hr period. So you’d do 40ml a day until you reach desired DKH. I may be wrong though.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

And that's just it; I don't want someone to do it for me because I'm not learning that way.

That’s a very worthy goal, but I’m not sure how reading it off a table is more instructive than using a calculator using the same entries.

 

[Dom]

That’s a very worthy goal, but I’m not sure how reading it off a table is more instructive than using a calculator using the same entries.

For me, its about learning and understanding the formula to calculate. And to that end, understanding the chart can't hurt.