The right balance of 3part

[the.introvertebrate]

Im fairly new to reefing (3 months in) and I setup my Jebao 4 doser with Aquaforest Component 1+2+3. I have a Waterbox 130.4 and when I started dosing it was because my Alk was low (5 - 5.5), What I did was only dose Component 2 (KH) until I got it to about 7dKH over the span of about a week (started with about 10ml a day, and now at 45ml a day). With my dKH now at around 7-7.5 Ive begun dosing Calc and Mag because they were low (300 calc and 1000mag) I dosed both of those by 10ml a day each ontop of my KH (45ml) and after 1-2 days my Calc/Mag were 380/1300 respecitively so I changed the doser to every 2nd day on the Calc/Mag and maintained KH every day (I am aiming for 10dKH).

I know you're meant to dose in equal parts for Component 1+2+3 but I worry that if I drop my KH dosing to 10ml my dKH will drop again. I am also worried if I up my Calc/Mag dosing to 45ml each day those paramaters will blow out. I know the 3 components will each impact one another when dosed so I am wondering if I were to go with 10ml each day on all 3 would that work?

Also worth noting I dose the 3 elements 2 hrs apart. KH @ 6.30am, Calc @ 8.30am and Mag at 10.30am (calc/mag every 2nd day as explained)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Dose equal parts based on the alk dose. Magnesium is not an equal parts dose.

if calcium is low to start with, correct it manually over a couple of days.

 

[the.introvertebrate]

Dose equal parts based on the alk dose. Magnesium is not an equal parts dose.

if calcium is low to start with, correct it manually over a couple of days.

Thanks so basically once mag and calc are where I need them I should stop mag and do 45ml calc/alk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks so basically once mag and calc are where I need them I should stop mag and do 45ml calc/alk?

add the magnesium at the recommended rate, but it need not be added daily or even weekly.

Stick to the calcium dosing unless you determine over extended periods that calcium is rising or falling too much.

 

[the.introvertebrate]

add the magnesium at the recommended rate, but it need not be added daily or even weekly.

Stick to the calcium dosing unless you determine over extended periods that calcium is rising or falling too much.

Im not sure I follow, when you say stick to the calcium dosing, are you meaning the 10ml ive got it on now or do I bump it up to the same as the alk dose of 45ml per day?

Also I don't know what the recommended mag dosing is, I didn't use a calculator I just started with a small amount to see what would happen and it almost instantly raised it in a day to where I wanted it. The only thing that's slow to rise is the alk so i'm worried if I bump the calc to 45ml it'll blow out the calc levels

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

for a balanced two part (not all are) match the calcium dose to the alk dose determined by alk monitoring. Only adjust the calcium up or down after extended periods of monitoring.

 

[the.introvertebrate]

for a balanced two part (not all are) match the calcium dose to the alk dose determined by alk monitoring. Only adjust the calcium up or down after extended periods of monitoring.

Thanks, will try this, i'll bump the calc to 45ml a day and cease dosing mag for now unless I detect a fall off then i'll top up as needed, i'll monitor both calc/alk and adjust figures accordingly. Hopefully the alk continues to rise til I can get a stable 10dkh then make minor adjustments to the calc to maintain 400-420ppm

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks, will try this, i'll bump the calc to 45ml a day and cease dosing mag for now unless I detect a fall off then i'll top up as needed, i'll monitor both calc/alk and adjust figures accordingly. Hopefully the alk continues to rise til I can get a stable 10dkh then make minor adjustments to the calc to maintain 400-420ppm

Sounds good. Let us know how things work out.