Two part dosing

JVH · Aug 4, 2015

This is possibly a dumb question but I just want to know in case it's a problem.

I am upgrading to a 68 gallon reef tank. Ever since I've had my original tank my calcium alkalinity and magnesium have all been a little out of whack my regular corals LPL's and softies are really doing great but once my upgrade is up and running which will be hopefully by next week, I want A mixed coral reef tank and I want to start keeping SPS corals as well.
I did have a Birdsnest frag which did not do well but that was before I realized about calcium alkalinity and magnesium levels since I was a newbie!
Not that I am not a newbie now but I have learned quite a few things in the last 8 months!

So I purchased the 2 part dosing kit from BRS.
And I used their calculator to figure out the numbers that I need and the numbers that I have and came up with the proper dosage to add to my tank. I have started to add the dosing now to my current tank to slowly raise my levels because I will be bringing over 29 gallons of this tank water to my new upgrade and figured it was a good start to get the water with the proper calcium alkalinity and magnesium..
So I want to know is two things.

Does that all make sense?
My hubby keeps asking me if I am sure that I am not hurting the fish!
He's telling me it's too much of a change but I am telling him that is why I am dosing a small amount every day and that's why I use the calculator to figure out the proper amount to Dose..
Is there anything I could possibly be doing that could hurt my fish or inverts?
I have recently lost a snail and a hermit crab but I believe I had a crab fight and the snail I don't know how long they live it was a little turbo snail but now I'm thinking maybe the dosing is a problem for them and I hope it's not!

Would love to hear opinions on dozing calcium alkalinity and magnesium. Which by the way I'm not using the magnesium yet I am not supposed to does that till I'm done with a gallon of calcium and alkalinity.

Thanks for reading

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 4, 2015

What are the levels now and what is your target?

Generally, such additions won't hurt fish unless you add way too much at once.

JVH · Aug 4, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
What are the levels now and what is your target?

Generally, such additions won't hurt fish unless you add way too much at once.

Ca is about 400 looking for 450 to 465. I read that's optimal to keep SPS

Downbeach · Aug 5, 2015

My suggestion would be to start by making sure your salinity is right/consistant. I would keep it at 1.026(35ppt) measured with a properly calibrated device, i.e. refractometer calibrated with a 35ppt solution, etc., since this is where your adding your Ca, Ma and Alk initially. Keep a regular WC schedule. Measure your Ca, Mg and alk to see what your starting point is. If you need to bring any of those param's up(starting with your Mg), use this calculator, fill in the blanks for your system and use Randy's recipe #1 from the drop down menu's. Once you have your param's where you want them, i.e. Ca @ 420ppm, Mg @ 1350ppm, alk @ 8dKH, start to measure/record your readings for a few days to get your system's uptake. Then, using the same calculator, divide the uptake by the number of days your recorded to get your daily dose(this may take some trile and error). It is possible/likely, that you may be able to keep up with a low demand with simple WC's depending on what salt mix you're using, and how often/much water you're replacing. FWIW, I successfully ran an SPS dominant mixed reef for many years at these levels: Ca @ 420ppm, Mg @ 1350ppm, alk @ 8dKH.

JVH · Aug 5, 2015

Downbeach said:
My suggestion would be to start by making sure your salinity is right/consistant. I would keep it at 1.026(35ppt) measured with a properly calibrated device, i.e. refractometer calibrated with a 35ppt solution, etc., since this is where your adding your Ca, Ma and Alk initially. Keep a regular WC schedule. Measure your Ca, Mg and alk to see what your starting point is. If you need to bring any of those param's up(starting with your Mg), use this calculator, fill in the blanks for your system and use Randy's recipe #1 from the drop down menu's. Once you have your param's where you want them, i.e. Ca @ 420ppm, Mg @ 1350ppm, alk @ 8dKH, start to measure/record your readings for a few days to get your system's uptake. Then, using the same calculator, divide the uptake by the number of days your recorded to get your daily dose(this may take some trile and error). It is possible/likely, that you may be able to keep up with a low demand with simple WC's depending on what salt mix you're using, and how often/much water you're replacing. FWIW, I successfully ran an SPS dominant mixed reef for many years at these levels: Ca @ 420ppm, Mg @ 1350ppm, alk @ 8dKH.

Thanks for taking the time to respond with all this info. WoW! Sounds more involved than just dosing but I like the chemistry so I don't mind doing all that's needed. However, I am starting to wonder if I need a new refractometer.. I did purchase it initially and I zero it out every so often but maybe I'm not getting correct readings because I use Reef Crystals by Instant Ocean and for my new 68g I purchased Red Sea Coral pro salt because I read it was a better choice.. I'm small time with my 29g at this point so I'm mixing in a bucket but measure over and over for salinity, watching temp and adding salt to water..I never did understand why my Ca and Mag is not what the bag says if I do everything right.. Also my 68g has a 25 g sump so the larger water column may help..
Also good to know I can have a successful SPS tank with 420ppm CA. Im close to that now!

Downbeach · Aug 5, 2015

Are you calibrating your refractometer with a 35ppt solution or RO/DI water? If the latter, the device may be off.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 5, 2015

JVH said:
Ca is about 400 looking for 450 to 465. I read that's optimal to keep SPS

I don't think that 450 ppm calcium is clearly any better than 400 ppm, but is also is fine and boosting the calcium over 2-3 days seems like a fine plan. Use calcium chloride.

I agree to double check the salinity first. That may give you much of the boost you want.

ReefMadScientist · Aug 5, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I don't think that 450 ppm calcium is clearly any better than 400 ppm, but is also is fine and boosting the calcium over 2-3 days seems like a fine plan. Use calcium chloride.

I agree to double check the salinity first. That may give you much of the boost you want.

I agree.

I've noticed that SPS growth is mostly about consistency and controlled water parameters. Not saying 300 Calcium is ok but between 400-450 is pretty solid. I hover around 440

JVH · Aug 5, 2015

Downbeach said:
Are you calibrating your refractometer with a 35ppt solution or RO/DI water? If the latter, the device may be off.

Was using distilled but I now have the proper calibration fluid.

JVH · Aug 5, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I don't think that 450 ppm calcium is clearly any better than 400 ppm, but is also is fine and boosting the calcium over 2-3 days seems like a fine plan. Use calcium chloride.

I agree to double check the salinity first. That may give you much of the boost you want.

Yes, I'm using Calcium Chloride Plus I now will properly calibrate my refractometer.