When to Dose?

[FireEMT]

I wonder what the best way to dose is? Right now I have my alkalinity dosing at night for 12 hrs and then I have my calcium dosing for 12 hrs during the day. My main question is should I just dose both over the 24 hrs to be more consistent with perimeters? I know the thought behind dosing alkalinity at night to keep pH up but I feel like there would be a greater swing during the day with dKH. What are your thought?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The answer is debatable, and depends on whether the primary goal is keeping the pH minimum from getting as low, or in keeping the alk more stable.

Do you know how low the pH gets?

What sort of corals do you keep?

 

[FireEMT]

The answer is debatable, and depends on whether the primary goal is keeping the pH minimum from getting as low, or in keeping the alk more stable.

Do you know how low the pH gets?

What sort of corals do you keep?

Right now I only have a few and they are mixed zoas, mushrooms, and SPS. I am going to be getting some LPS soon and more zoas. the pH was dropping to around the 8.0s without the dosing but now that I'm dosing its staying around 8.2 all day. I'm really not sure when to test the water perimeters either. Right now I have been testing them around 4:30 - 5:00 and the Alk is down but it hasn't had any dosed all day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How much does alk drop in 24 h between dosing? If less than 0.5 dKH, it doesn't matter, IMO, when you dose in terms of alk stability. If it changes more than that, i'd spread it out.

 

[FireEMT]

How much does alk drop in 24 h between dosing? If less than 0.5 dKH, it doesn't matter, IMO, when you dose in terms of alk stability. If it changes more than that, i'd spread it out.

Alk went from 8.6 to 8.18 in the last 24hrs of not dosing yet. I just tested and from yesterday before night dosing started of soda ash it went the 8.6 to today before the dosing begins to 8.18. I also tested the Cal and its holding at 450 over the 24hrs. The pH has been sitting right around 8.2 over the last 24hrs.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So you are at a fairly low dose where I do not think it matters much when you dose.

The way you are going now is fine, but I might shift the alk to 24/7, and the calcium time does not matter.

 

[dewboy1127]

Question here ...how far apart does one need to set dosing apart from alk and cal time wise?

 

[FireEMT]

Question here ...how far apart does one need to set dosing apart from alk and cal time wise?

I let the Neptune DOS determine it, but sometimes it only 1-2 min apart. I haven't seen any precipitation.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Question here ...how far apart does one need to set dosing apart from alk and cal time wise?

You just need them to be far enough apart in space or time that the two concentrated clouds of additive do not interact before they mix in and disperse.

Depending on the system and where you dose into it, that might only be a few minutes, but if you have time available, separating them by 10 minutes would preclude any problems in most tanks.

 

[FireEMT]

You just need them to be far enough apart in space or time that the two concentrated clouds of additive do not interact before they mix in and disperse.

Depending on the system and where you dose into it, that might only be a few minutes, but if you have time available, separating them by 10 minutes would preclude any problems in most tanks.

I took another reading at night before the dosing started for soda ash and the readings went from 8.18 to 7.34 in two days. I think I will try to dose soda ash for the Alk 24/7 like you suggested. I am also going to up my dose for Alk to 80ml per day and keep the calcium at 75 ml per day. I hope that will work. Is there a best time to test Alk or is any time fine as long as its the same time every time you test?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I took another reading at night before the dosing started for soda ash and the readings went from 8.18 to 7.34 in two days. I think I will try to dose soda ash for the Alk 24/7 like you suggested. I am also going to up my dose for Alk to 80ml per day and keep the calcium at 75 ml per day. I hope that will work. Is there a best time to test Alk or is any time fine as long as its the same time every time you test?

No, I don't think there is any best time to test, aside, perhaps, from knowing how low it might get at its minimum.