Non-obvious ill effects from missed dosing?

jabeuy · Jan 29, 2015

I'm looking to start dosing 2 part (manually at first). I go away regularly for a few days at a time, and since I'll be dosing manually for now, doses will be missed for sure.

This is probably a noob question, with an easy answer, but are there any ill effects from missing doses? Other than the obvious calc/alk lowering.

My assumption is that they'll just lower at a steady rate as they're consumed. Then I would steadily bring them back up to desired levels. Since the moves (both ways) will be gradual I'm thinking that this will be fine.

maroun.c · Jan 30, 2015

Not an optimal scenario and effect will depend of your daily consumption, missing dosing on a super loaded system over 4-5 days can result in very low levels and lead to side effects. I would invest in a dosing pump. In case not when you realize your daily dosage needed, you just have to add the doses you've missed spread over a few days to keep changes gradual.

NanaReefer · Jan 30, 2015

You could get some 10ml syringes from your local pharmacy, fill with regular dose amount and ask a friend to administer. Mark each one with A&C. It's what I have my sis do when I go see my grand babies

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 30, 2015

What sort of tank is this?

Limewater in an ATO could solve the problem, as would the alk part of the two part in an ATO, if the demand is not too high, or dosing pumps if it is.

If the demand is on the medium low side, your plan may also be OK, but not, as folks mention, in a heavy SPS tank.

jabeuy · Jan 30, 2015

Thanks for the responses!

jabeuy · Jan 30, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
What sort of tank is this?

Limewater in an ATO could solve the problem, as would the alk part of the two part in an ATO, if the demand is not too high, or dosing pumps if it is.

If the demand is on the medium low side, your plan may also be OK, but not, as folks mention, in a heavy SPS tank.

The tank is predominantly LPS. I have 3 sps frags, a few softies.

My guess is that mostly LPS puts demand around the middle. I've attached a picture.
I'm holding some corals temporarily for a friend (huge octospawn, lobo, blasto and maze) so that might be what's depleting my levels.

I've been doing weekly water changes but it doesn't seem to help much at increasing the levels (4g pwc on a total water volume probably around 30g).
The alk was holding at 6-7 dKh before the influx of corals. Now it's at 5-6 dKh.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 30, 2015

Do you have an automatic top off?

jabeuy · Jan 30, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Do you have an automatic top off?

Yes sir, I do.

jabeuy · Jan 30, 2015

Oh forgot to mention calc is at around 380-390.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 30, 2015

Putting some amount of calcium hydroxide into the ATO might be a good plan.

Have you considered that option?

jabeuy · Jan 30, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Putting some amount of calcium hydroxide into the ATO might be a good plan.

Have you considered that option?

Thanks Randy. Yes I have (if that's kalk/limewater).

For some reason I was leaning towards 2-part, but I'm gonna read up on kalkwasser in ATO now as well.

Which is your preferred method assuming you're able to dose both equally consistent?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 30, 2015

I've only used limewater for the past 19 years as my tank has never needed more.

If you didn't want to use limewater, you could put the alkalinity part of the two part in the ATO while you are away. Calcium drops so slowly that you could just dose it before you leave or when you get back (or split the difference).

It is the alkalinity that drops faster and needs more constant attention.

jabeuy · Jan 30, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I've only used limewater for the past 19 years as my tank has never needed more.

If you didn't want to use limewater, you could put the alkalinity part of the two part in the ATO while you are away. Calcium drops so slowly that you could just dose it before you leave or when you get back (or split the difference).

It is the alkalinity that drops faster and needs more constant attention.

Thanks for the info Randy

I dropped by my LFS, and they had some B-ionic calcium buffer 2-part. So I picked up some of that, looking to very slowly bring up my alk/cal since I don't plan to be away more than overnight for the foreseeable future.

jabeuy · Mar 5, 2015

So I've been dosing manually now and it's been going well. Only dosing about 7.5ml of each solution of 2-part to maintain 8dkh and about 480 calc (seems high).

I plan on getting a doser, but will be away for about a week pretty soon. I don't wanna add a doser to the tank and then just leave haha.

How would I go about putting the alkalinity portion of the 2-part in my ATO? Would it simply be taking the # of days I'll be away multiplied by the amount I dose daily?

7.5ml * 7 days = 52.5ml in my ATP reservoir

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 5, 2015

jabeuy said:
So I've been dosing manually now and it's been going well. Only dosing about 7.5ml of each solution of 2-part to maintain 8dkh and about 480 calc (seems high).

I plan on getting a doser, but will be away for about a week pretty soon. I don't wanna add a doser to the tank and then just leave haha.

How would I go about putting the alkalinity portion of the 2-part in my ATO? Would it simply be taking the # of days I'll be away multiplied by the amount I dose daily?

7.5ml * 7 days = 52.5ml in my ATP reservoir

Yes, that should work. Calcium won't decline too much in that time.