2 Part dosing

[Polyp Addict]

I haven’t dosed my zoa only grow out tank. I’ve done biweekly water changes and seems to be doing good. Is it necessary to dose alk and Ca for the tank? I’m on the fence with dosing, so been trying to ask around if zoas actually need it or does my wc help manage those two. Thanks

 

[Brad Miller]

If your test results of the big three are showing normal then no… You don’t need to dose anything.

Only when your tank starts using alkalinity and calcium well you need to start dosing to maintain your normal level based on your growth rate

 

[ReefHomieJon]

I haven’t dosed my zoa only grow out tank. I’ve done biweekly water changes and seems to be doing good. Is it necessary to dose alk and Ca for the tank? I’m on the fence with dosing, so been trying to ask around if zoas actually need it or does my wc help manage those two. Thanks

Water changes are fine for zoas. They are soft corals so they’re not really consuming any calcium magnesium or alkalinity. Any tiny minor consumption will definitely be replenished 100% by your water changes. And if you were to ever test the levels of calc mag and alk prior to your water change you’d prolly never really see any loss. And the trace elements that the zoas utilize will be replenished as well just by water changes. Dosing is mainly for sps or a whollllllle lot of lps. Or like me, I don’t do water changes unless my water test tell me I need it. Otherwise I dose to keep the levels consistent with my tanks needs. Only if the nitrates or phosphates are high will I change water.

 

[grantUcorals]

If you don’t want to dose I would just keep doing weekly water changes to keep the parameters in line! And then just start dosing once your water changes can’t keep up and you start having bigger swings, which obviously you don’t want ..

 

[ReefHomieJon]

If you don’t want to dose I would just keep doing weekly water changes to keep the parameters in line! And then just start dosing once your water changes can’t keep up and you start having bigger swings, which obviously you don’t want ..

He said it’s all zoas tho, he’ll never have a problem keeping up with his levels..... unless he adds stony corals you know

 

[grantUcorals]

He said it’s all zoas tho, he’ll never have a problem keeping up with his levels..... unless he adds stony corals you know

Oh yeah I don't know how i missed that part! Yeah you are right

 

[blasterman]

Baloney.

Softie tanks can consume more alk than SPS tanks. My zoa/paly gardens in smaller tanks devour alk like crazy. 10% water changes per week even with high alk salt mixes like RC cant keep my dKH stable. Not even close. Calcium barely moves. Alk is a major building block for soft coral growth and heavily stocked softie tanks that are healthy and growing will not consume alk and calcium at a normal ratio like heavy SPS tanks do. Calcium can typically be replenished with WCs in softie dominated tanks. Coraline gets most of it anyways. Plus, aggressive WCs screw with nitrate levels in softie tanks which also inhibits growth.

Obviously a 125 gal tank with only a few young zoa/paly frags isnt going to dent alk consumption but I have no idea what the OP has going on. The blanket statement that softies dont consume much alk though is 100% wrong. Even worse if you have some fat xenia colonies.

If the OP has multiple colonies that are healthy and growing in a 30 gal or smaller tank an alk test kit is worth the investment just to verify alk is staying around 9-10 dKH which is ideal for zoa/paly growth. Alk is basically free to dose anyways - generic grocery store baking soda.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

Salami.
Maybe it’s YOUR coralline consuming your alk lol