The DSR Method (Dutch Synthetic Reefing)

[Skibum]

Thank you.

Is that really necessary? Just curious, I never saw Glenn mention anything other than adjusting NACL where necessary. I'm sure as my dosing increases for the Big 3 I will have to adjust SG more regularly. I've always questioned the so called ionic balance, I mean NACL is NACL. I would like to see if @glennf could weigh in on this one.

 

[glennf]

I also using Glenn method but using other brand supplements and elements.
Only FE+ is from DSR because of the high shipping cost in Singapore.
So far 15 months of no water change .
Everything seem ok

Make sure you use the purest elements and no complexes or mixes, than you will be fine.

Keep up the good works[emoji106]


I am going for 14 years (nov2004-nov2018) now

 

[glennf]

Hello. One question please. FE+ and Fe trace. I have a lot of po4 (and no3) in my system so i start adding FE+, right?When i start run FE trace? Sera test read them both? Thanks

What are your po4/no3 value's?
What are you measuring with?
Did you calibrate your testkits?

Forget about the Fe measurements.
It was a failsave to prevent overdosing and Fe buildup. (I was never intended to target an Iron reading)

in al those year i never saw my iron raise and stay higher. Every dosing will read less than 50% after 6 hours.


Fe+ is used whe you want to lower PO4
So use it to keep PO4 stable when your po4 is > 0,04ppm

FeTrace is used when you want Iron present as a maintenance dose and trace element.
Use it when you po4 is 0,00..- 0,1ppm

When you have to add PO4+ to keep nutrients up, but want Iron as a trace element, switch to FeTrace.

 

[glennf]

Glennf
Have you had any issues with Sulfate and Chloride staying balanced? If so how are you handling it?

In all those years i never did a ICP on my reeftank. So i don't know. What i do know is that my extensive collection of corals have no ill reaction to this neglect.

However i saw few tank with sulphur down to 500ppm (instead of 904ppm).
I even saw tanks with 1400ppm suphur.
Both levels did not seem to have any effect om the coral health present.

So to correct this, i developed this calculator:
www.DSRreefing.com/scalc

 

[glennf]

Is that really necessary? Just curious, I never saw Glenn mention anything other than adjusting NACL where necessary. I'm sure as my dosing increases for the Big 3 I will have to adjust SG more regularly. I've always questioned the so called ionic balance, I mean NACL is NACL. I would like to see if @glennf could weigh in on this one.

All elements has an effect on salinity, but with NaCl you control the salinity.

You do this by adjusting the mayor elements first: Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium.

When you feel it is neccesary, you may adjust suphur with the above mentioned scalc.

If you follow these rules you will do just fine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is that really necessary? Just curious, I never saw Glenn mention anything other than adjusting NACL where necessary. I'm sure as my dosing increases for the Big 3 I will have to adjust SG more regularly. I've always questioned the so called ionic balance, I mean NACL is NACL. I would like to see if @glennf could weigh in on this one.

You can question the possible impact on animals, but there's no question at all about ionic imbalance taking place.

Yes, sodium chloride is sodium chloride, but seawater is not sodium chloride, so when sodium chloride is continually added and the other things (notably sulfate, the third most abundant ion in seawater by weight) is not added, the water will look less and less like seawater and more and more like sodium chloride over time.

The easiest way to accomplish balance is to use additives that add a balanced amount of different ions, and not just sodium and chloride. Commercial two part systems, Balling, and limewater/kalkwasser all accomplish that (as do otehr additives, like magneisum additives with an appropriate balance of sulfate and chlorid ein them), but simple use of sodium bicarbonate/carbonate/hydroxide and calcium chloride does not.

I would also add that it is not typically more expensive to recognize the chloride sulfate issue and use appropriate additives than to ignore it altogether. Magnesium sulfate as an additive, for example, is probably no more expensive than is magnesium chloride. It may even be cheaper since you can get USP grade Epsom salt from a drug store.

 

[Skibum]

You can question the possible impact on animals, but there's no question at all about ionic imbalance taking place.

Yes, sodium chloride is sodium chloride, but seawater is not sodium chloride, so when sodium chloride is continually added and the other things (notably sulfate, the third most abundant ion in seawater by weight) is not added, the water will look less and less like seawater and more and more like sodium chloride over time.

The easiest way to accomplish balance is to use additives that add a balanced amount of different ions, and not just sodium and chloride. Commercial two part systems, Balling, and limewater/kalkwasser all accomplish that (as do otehr additives, like magneisum additives with an appropriate balance of sulfate and chlorid ein them), but simple use of sodium bicarbonate/carbonate/hydroxide and calcium chloride does not.

I would also add that it is not typically more expensive to recognize the chloride sulfate issue and use appropriate additives than to ignore it altogether. Magnesium sulfate as an additive, for example, is probably no more expensive than is magnesium chloride. It may even be cheaper since you can get USP grade Epsom salt from a drug store.

Thanks for the clarification Randy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the clarification Randy.

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[glennf]

3 year already with no waterchanges
~140 gallons

 

[glennf]

2 months (from the start) no water changes.
~ 50 Gallons

 

[glennf]

13,5 year no water
changes
300 gallon

Constant rescaping due to excessive growth.

Consumption 3,5-4,5 dKH per day (is huge)

 

[glennf]

3 years no waterchanges, near zero maintenance.

Low tech or hightech?
190 liters ~ 50gallon
No skimmer, no gfo, no biopellets, no GAC, no sump, no media reactors, no algae filter, no ATS.
Just 1 dosingpump with 5 active channels, one acting as ATO.

 

[glennf]

2 years no water changes
Low maintenance softcorals/angelsreef.


140 gallons

 

[glennf]

Fat and healthy fish also

 

[glennf]

My 35 gallon butterfly/SPS reef
Connected to 50 gallon SPS/butterfly reef

Both share sump with to 300 gallon reef with 13,5y no waterchanges

 

[glennf]

My 50 gallon SPS/butterfly reef.
Topview.

 

[Skibum]

3 year already with no waterchanges
~140 gallons

Hi Glen, what is this seafan you have here:

Is that non-photosynthetic?

-Tom

 

[glennf]

I don't know the exact name, but is is a photosynthetic specie

 

[glennf]

Very slow growing

 

[Skibum]

Very slow growing

Very eye catching. It's hard to get indo-pacific gorgonians in the US, especially the photosynthetic kind ;-).