14 Month Tank alk consumption with only 3 corals - Normal?

[sanzz18]

I am literally a week or two away from adding some corals to my 14 month old Waterbox 220.6. Goal is SPS dominant but will obviously start with some easier ones. I been working to get my tank chemistry stable the last few months as maintenance was neglected and levels were all over the place.

I only have a fairly big piece of GSP, 3" red Monti cap, and a mushroom currently. My rocks are completely covered with coraline algae but not so much the back wall.

My alkalinity was 7.9 on the 18th and 7.4 last night. I dosed it back up to 8.1. No water change was done in this time period. Is 0.5 a normal consumption in 3 days for my tank? Do I really need to setup a doser or manually dose every day now?

 

[cocoReefer]

If that is consistent, then go with the flow. Yeah.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I am literally a week or two away from adding some corals to my 14 month old Waterbox 220.6. Goal is SPS dominant but will obviously start with some easier ones. I been working to get my tank chemistry stable the last few months as maintenance was neglected and levels were all over the place.

I only have a fairly big piece of GSP, 3" red Monti cap, and a mushroom currently. My rocks are completely covered with coraline algae but not so much the back wall.

My alkalinity was 7.9 on the 18th and 7.4 last night. I dosed it back up to 8.1. No water change was done in this time period. Is 0.5 a normal consumption in 3 days for my tank? Do I really need to setup a doser or manually dose every day now?

It depends what your dosing with for levels to know if its "normal" but it doesn't sound like to much, sorry not very scientific, but I want to say about the doser, I would definitely get it, it will come in handy and, The dose will increase, and you can spread the doses out, trust me get a doser and it will help you more.

 

[sanzz18]

It depends what your dosing with for levels to know if its "normal" but it doesn't sound like to much, sorry not very scientific, but I want to say about the doser, I would definitely get it, it will come in handy and, The dose will increase, and you can spread the doses out, trust me get a doser and it will help you more.

Ive been dosing 2-part to basically correct my all and try to see if it is stable. The problem is I have been doing many 25% water changes these last couple months to get nutrients under control. I am trying to keep my alkalinity around 8.5. I currently am using up my last bucket of Tropic Marin pro then switching to something else, but it obviously has lower alkalinity then most and fluctuates my alkalinity when doing these water changes.

I knew I would have to get a doser already, I just didn't think it would be so soon and without many corals in the tank.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

It's not the quantity of corals, but how happy they are

If the monticap is happy and growing, they can pull down alk pretty well. Though in your case, if your rocks are covered in coralline, then the coralline is probably the biggest consumer at the moment. That will change with more corals.

 

[Uncle99]

Coralline can really uptake, so .2dkh daily is very possible.

 

[Reefahholic]

You just need to match the water change water to the ALK, salinity, and temp in the display. Then it won’t fluctuate much.

Also, 0.17 a day isn’t very much consumption, but it’s enough to supplement back to the system. Personally I hate hand dosing and would buy something like a GHL or ReefDose 4 and automate it. So much easier.

 

[sanzz18]

You just need to match the water change water to the ALK, salinity, and temp in the display. Then it won’t fluctuate much.

Also, 0.17 a day isn’t very much consumption, but it’s enough to supplement back to the system. Personally I hate hand dosing and would buy something like a GHL or ReefDose 4 and automate it. So much easier.

So what I am trying to do at this point is figure out my daily alk consumption. I checked my alk last night before I did my water change and it was 7.9. My new saltwater using TMP mixed up to 7.6, so I dosed the alkalinity up to 8.0 in hopes that my tank all would stay at 7.9 or even creep up to 8.0. I just checked tonight (about 24 hrs later) and it was 7.4.

I am at a loss as to why it drop 0.5 in 24 hrs versus 0.5 in 3 days between my last tests. Why can't I seem to get at least get my alk stable enough to at least get a 24hr consumption rate? Any advice would be great!

Also, when you dose your new saltwater to match levels before adding it to your tank, do you dose just alk or do you dose calcium as well?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

What are u using to test?

 

[sanzz18]

What are u using to test?

Hanna Checker

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I use tm pro and have a heavily stocked mixed leaning sps lps w a large clam. I target like 8.5 and I dose 40ml daily to keep it there. Also use Hanna.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I use tm pro and have a heavily stocked mixed leaning sps lps w a large clam. I target like 8.5 and I dose 40ml daily to keep it there. Also use Hanna.

Esv Bionic 2part

 

[sanzz18]

Esv Bionic 2part

I also use ESV. Do you have any insight on my last questions?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Could b the coraline consuming the alk in the system. Test and dose to keep stable. Coraline growth has u moving in the right direction for your goal.

 

[sanzz18]

That is what I feel I am doing. Ive been testing then correcting/dosing, over and over. I feel like there is no rhyme or reason for my alk levels. 7.9 with 8 dkh new water being changed. How does it go from a 0.5 swing in 3 days to 0.5 in 1 day? What is getting me frustrated is I just simply want to find my 24hr consumption. Am I reading too much into this?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Test daily same time and a pattern of consumption should appear. I wouldn t worry. I just add to get me close to my target.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I am the apex and dose pump and ato

 

[Reefahholic]

So what I am trying to do at this point is figure out my daily alk consumption. I checked my alk last night before I did my water change and it was 7.9. My new saltwater using TMP mixed up to 7.6, so I dosed the alkalinity up to 8.0 in hopes that my tank all would stay at 7.9 or even creep up to 8.0. I just checked tonight (about 24 hrs later) and it was 7.4.

I am at a loss as to why it drop 0.5 in 24 hrs versus 0.5 in 3 days between my last tests. Why can't I seem to get at least get my alk stable enough to at least get a 24hr consumption rate? Any advice would be great!

Also, when you dose your new saltwater to match levels before adding it to your tank, do you dose just alk or do you dose calcium as well?

I would just stick with your preferred salt and start testing every night until you get a good understanding and know the tank. You will quickly see your daily consumption. It will level out. Don’t do anymore water changes for now. Just keep testing “at the same time” daily. Example…I test almost every evening at 5:00 p.m. Pick a time that works for you and stick with it. The ALK will fluctuate on every test with the photo period If you don’t test at the same exact time.

I typically just adjust my ALK, Salinity, and temp. If Cal or Mag is low, I’ll boost it in the water change water or dose the tank x amount of days to get it back in range.

 

[Reefahholic]

That is what I feel I am doing. Ive been testing then correcting/dosing, over and over. I feel like there is no rhyme or reason for my alk levels. 7.9 with 8 dkh new water being changed. How does it go from a 0.5 swing in 3 days to 0.5 in 1 day? What is getting me frustrated is I just simply want to find my 24hr consumption. Am I reading too much into this?

The tank can hit different growth spurts depending on chemistry and other factors. Just relax…keep testing and log the results. Test at exact same time daily.