Advice needed!

[Mr Mumblez]

Ok so I’m 2 months in. 46 gallon bow front, pair of ai primes, live rock, live sand, 8 crabbies, only one snail left, royale gramma, yellow eye kole tang, dragon goby, fairy wrasse, pair clowns, green star polyp.

my issue is alkalinity/ph. My ph stands at 8.3 pretty much all day every day but alkalinity seems to lose about 3/4 point each day so I’ve been adding about3/4 to 1 teaspoon of seachem reef builder every night in my top off RODI water.
All other parameters are perfect ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, phos 0, calcium 430-450. Salinity 1.026, temp. 79-80 very little fluctuations. I use BRS mini reactor with 1/2cup rox.08 and 1/4cup GFO. I have 10 gallon sump with refugium filled with marine pure blocks, Chaeto (which is turning white) and sea lettuce (hoping it grows better) I have a huge colony of copepods/amphipods and even saw and caught bristle worm (The good kind) last week. Hoping I don’t get many of those nasty creatures.

Ok so now the advice part?

when I start adding corals I’m pretty sure the alkalinity will need even more buffer. What is the best way to make this automatic? Should I get the 2 part with dose pumps from BRS? It’s like $190 -$200. Or is there a better way? Easier? Cheaper? is the way I’m doing it now ok?

also I don’t have a skimmer yet but honestly I don’t foresee needing one as my nitrates are being destroyed by my filtration. I also have a Eheim 4+ 600 canister running independently with its own return and intake.Mabye I’m overdoing it? Looks clear as ever since adding reactor.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

What are your phosphate levels? 0 nitrates isn't good for corals. I think you have too much filtration. That is why the chaeto is dying. There are no nutrients left in the water for it to eat.

As for dosing what your doing is fine but an automatic doser is always easier (although imo it's just another machine that can fail and nuke your tank)

 

[P-Dub]

I concur with @xxkenny90xx .

 

[Mr Mumblez]

So should I add more fish? I’ve been adding phytoplankton daily. GSP Mat has grown 1/4” all directions in about 4 weeks. I just started over feeding some cuz I was thinking low nutrient levels. Phos is 0. Mabye I should stop the reactor with carbon/gfo for a week too see what happens?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I would definitely stop the reactor. Then wait a bit and see where your numbers are at. If they're still low then yes add a fish or feed more heavily

 

[P-Dub]

That would be a good first step or just feed a little more. I wouldn't stop carbon, though. Nitrates aren't removed by GFO, so watch your phosphates carefully.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

That would be a good first step or just feed a little more. I wouldn't stop carbon, though. Nitrates aren't removed by GFO, so watch your phosphates carefully.

Fwiw I'm not a fan of running carbon. I do keep some in the closet for emergencies but don't believe in running it all the time...

 

[Pistondog]

I started dosing b ionic 2part by hand but got tired quickly. Brs is good too. They have dosing pumps, 1.1 ml/minute, then you can run off timers.

BRS 2 Part Doser - 1.1 mL per minute

Why does BRS recommend this? The BRS 1.1 mL dosing pump is a very cost-effective yet long lasting stand-alone dosing pump perfect for trace elements and 2 part. By hooking the pump up to a simple timer or aquarium controller they can be one of the most inexpensive ways to get into an automated...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

They are consistent, but not accurate so you need to calibrate. Plug it in for 10 minutes, dosing into a container, measure the volume dispensed, and divide by 10 for calibrated dispense volume.

 

[P-Dub]

Fwiw I'm not a fan of running carbon. I do keep some in the closet for emergencies but don't believe in running it all the time...

To each their own. I find carbon to be immensely beneficial for my SPS dominant reef. Been using it regularly for years and years with positive results. The absorption of nasties, should they make it in my system, is easier to be in front of rather than react to and clearer water for increased light penetration is a bonus. Call it being proactive....

 

[xxkenny90xx]

To each their own. I find carbon to be immensely beneficial for my SPS dominant reef. Been using it regularly for years and years with positive results. The absorption of nasties, should they make it in my system, is easier to be in front of rather than react to and clearer water for increased light penetration is a bonus. Call it being proactive....

Last comment for me on this as I don't want to hijack this thread.

I mainly don't care for the fact that running carbon all the time you are removing useful organics and metals/trace elements all the time. Even when you feed your corals the carbon is sucking some of that up. Of course in a high nutrient tank that might be a good thing.

Also a big issue for me are the studies I've read about the connection between carbon and lateral line disease.

But of course it works for you and 10,000,000 other people so it may be possible that it's benefits outweigh the "downsides"

 

[Uncle99]

Two part and doser is easy

 

[Mr Mumblez]

Ok reactor off last night. See what happens over next week

 

[nereefpat]

when I start adding corals I’m pretty sure the alkalinity will need even more buffer. What is the best way to make this automatic? Should I get the 2 part with dose pumps from BRS? It’s like $190 -$200. Or is there a better way? Easier? Cheaper? is the way I’m doing it now ok?

"Best" is always subjective.

2 part on a doser, as you are thinking, is really easy...and cheap, after your initial investment in the doser.

Other 2 options, for automatic, would be kalk on a doser or calcium reactor.