Looks Like Time For Dosing

[Sewerat]

So it looks like I'm at a point now where I should be looking into dosing. I want to get started with just a cheap system, don't need to get into auto dosing as of yet. My alk and ph are a bit low Ca and Mg seem to be ok.
Alk 11.2
Ph 8.1
Ca 460
Mg 1560

Nitrates are still there as expected 40
Am and No2 at zero
Phos at .25
Salinity is 1.0255

So what and where do you guys recommend for product? Beanbag stock anything? Maybe I could trip out there today

 

[TORX]

Alk and Ph are good. No dosing needed.

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[reeferkeeper420]

I think these are all good levels are they not?? Or have you started seeing a decrease in all these levels? Maybe someone with some.dosing experience will chime in.

 

[TORX]

They all look good. Even a little on the high side I think, which can raise other issues. I dose manually and am not that high.

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[EricTMah]

Your alk and mag seem high. I usually run alk at 9.5 and mag at 1400

I'd recommend leaving it for three/four days. Test again and see where you're at.



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[AdInfinitum]

The big three, Ca Alk and Mg are really at the highest end of acceptable and if you are planning on any form of carbon dosing to deal with the nutrients you will need to let the Alk drop significantly. Definitely no dosing required until the numbers drop to where you want to maintain them.

Having both Ca and Alk that high is really only possible because Mg is way way up there.

 

[Sewerat]

I have noticed my Ca dropping. But I am also in the middle of switching tank from well tap water to ro/Di water, got my ro about a month ago so dilution is the solution. Have done one major water change of 55 gals and today am preparing for another major change, have been topping off wih ro for the last month or so, like put about 100gal of ro into the system before today. I use kent marine salt, gfo, carbon, and nitraguard stuff to help with the high nitrates I deal with.

 

[reeferkeeper420]

Thats probably why theres high levels, being tap water.

 

[Sewerat]

I'll give it a test again tomorrow after the new system is running thru it and see what the results are. Removed the 55gal tank Jeff's eel was in in my system and replaced it with a 75gal unit, so that is today's water change. 55out, 75 in

 

[Jewel]

Levels are a bit high, no need for dosing at this time.

 

[Sewerat]

Ok guys. Question for you all. I got the starter kit from BRS dosing kit with just and pumps, been testing and a little bit of dosing, I am trying to maintain a lvl of 12.6, 465,1390. I can see that my calcium is not being soaked up as much as I had original thought, so going to back down a bit. I have been putting 10 ml CA and 10ml alk for a week now, today's tests show 11.2 alk, 490 CA and 1240 Mg. So the Mg is dropping faster now. My question is in the brs kit there was 2 Mg mix pack? I think one is the 20ml or oz one that is in with the 2 part ca and alk the other was in the box separate, is this one made with a full gallon and dosed as req? I think the instructions say the one in the box with the 2 part is to be used after all your 2 part is used up. But not sure what the other bags deal is?

 

[unibob]

The 2 mag bags should be combined together I believe. What are the names on them? Chloride and sulfate?

Generally a starter rule of thumb would be once the alk and calcium are used up, you would dose mag. I only dose mine once a month as it really doesn't move much for me.


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[Sewerat]

Both bags say two part Mg on them? One says makes 20oz the other says makes 1 gal. I'm guessing they are the same stuff inside, made up the bigger bag into a 1 gal jug tonight. Stuff sure does soak up humidity fast, went from a relatively dry salt to a moist salt before I could get it all into the bottle.

 

[onecansay]

Wow, I would cut your dosing levels back a bit. Not sure the reason for maintaining those levels.

Let the tank chew up some of that Ca and Alk and keep an eye on Mag. Maybe this will help with your Nitrate and Phosphate problems.

That test should not harm your inhabitants if done slowly over time.

onecansay

 

[Sewerat]

Nitrate and phosphate are due to tank being set up from well water not rodi. I have now been running rodi for about a month or so and doing water changes with it now but still go old water mixed in there. Nitrates are down to 10 last two tests so it's getting there and phos is next to nothing, first colour on API kits. The Red Sea test kit I have has a colum for accelerated growth of frag and those lvls I mentioned are what it recommends. I'd like to get my stuff to start showing growth.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Running alk much above 9dkh especially with any form of carbon dosing increases the incidence of rtn/stn in acros. So you may be able to push growth of things that are established and growing but you can push less stable pieces over the edge and wild or maricultured acros will really struggle with the change from natural sea water levels. If you're doing mostly lps and monti's then no problem...