Best dosing solution for nano reef tanks

[chipchipbro]

hello guys

I am currently in the process of deciding what dosing product I will be using.
Actually I started with ATI Nano Essentials 2 Part. However, I dont think it is worth the money since the containers are pretty expensive per litre.

What would you guys suggest dosing?

I do have a 20g nano tank and I want to keep SPS mainly.

- Is Tropic Marin All-for-reef really enough?
- Would it be better to start Balling Light (Fauna Marin)
- or is there even a better product/method?

I am not in the US so, I cannot get the BRS products.

The plan is to do max. 10% WC like every 2 weeks.

 

[ColoredRock]

The plan is to do max. 10% WC like every 2 weeks.

dosing done... consumption in maybe a year and check back..Test.. dont over do it.

is this an established tank.?

 

[chipchipbro]

No, it is not "established" it is still a young tank but I already have alot of SPS in it.
I see daily consumption of Ca and Alk already, thats why I have to dose in order to keep it stable.

I have a daily consumption of 0.3 KH and 5 mg Ca

 

[ColoredRock]

I have a daily consumption of 0.3 KH and 5 mg Ca

and mine is reverse.. tanks are weird.

5 mg of Ca a day is crazy...

do you mind showing a current full tank shot? very interested. I should have looked at your build thread before posting..sorry about that.

Me personally I would have thought just doing kalkwasser would be enough

insomnia and posting sometimes is not a good thing and im talking about me not you!!!!

 

[Nano sapiens]

hello guys

I am currently in the process of deciding what dosing product I will be using.
Actually I started with ATI Nano Essentials 2 Part. However, I dont think it is worth the money since the containers are pretty expensive per litre.

What would you guys suggest dosing?

I do have a 20g nano tank and I want to keep SPS mainly.

- Is Tropic Marin All-for-reef really enough?
- Would it be better to start Balling Light (Fauna Marin)
- or is there even a better product/method?

I am not in the US so, I cannot get the BRS products.

The plan is to do max. 10% WC like every 2 weeks.

The most cost effect way of maintaining alkalinity and calcium is by using Kalkwasser. However, it has limits and may not supply enough of these two elements if the aquarium is heavily stocked with calcifying organisms (corals, coralline algae, etc.). Check out the kalkwasser articles by Randy Holmes-Farley for more details.

Magnesium additions can be supplied by using one of the commercially available products on the market.

That covers the 'Big 3' and your stated water changes should help maintain sufficient trace element levels. For my 12g system, I do 10%/wk (2x 5%/wk) and that has worked out nicely for the last 13 years.

Side note: Tropic Marin All-for-reef works for many, but it is pricy especially for larger systems. But you may be ok with the costs on a 20g.

 

[dk2nt9]

Watch for nitrates and phosphates, I have to dose them manually.

 

[chipchipbro]

and mine is reverse.. tanks are weird.

5 mg of Ca a day is crazy...

do you mind showing a current full tank shot? very interested. I should have looked at your build thread before posting..sorry about that.

Me personally I would have thought just doing kalkwasser would be enough

insomnia and posting sometimes is not a good thing and im talking about me not you!!!!

yeah thats really crazy.. but well, I did test my params every day for a week and I saw a daily consumption.
I need to take a picture for you, ofcourse can do that later.

no problem man, I gotcha

 

[chipchipbro]

Watch for nitrates and phosphates, I have to dose them manually.

yes, same here.. my no3 is very low and po3 I do have to dose daily (especially because I am in fallow period without fish)

 

[chipchipbro]

The most cost effect way of maintaining alkalinity and calcium is by using Kalkwasser. However, it has limits and may not supply enough of these two elements if the aquarium is heavily stocked with calcifying organisms (corals, coralline algae, etc.). Check out the kalkwasser articles by Randy Holmes-Farley for more details.

Magnesium additions can be supplied by using one of the commercially available products on the market.

That covers the 'Big 3' and your stated water changes should help maintain sufficient trace element levels. For my 12g system, I do 10%/wk (2x 5%/wk) and that has worked out nicely for the last 13 years.

Side note: Tropic Marin All-for-reef works for many, but it is pricy especially for larger systems. But you may be ok with the costs on a 20g.

well, I am not very into the kalkwasser and wanted to use another method tbh.
Imo the all-for-reef isnt that expensive when using the powder. 800g will give you 5 litres of solution and 5 litres are alot for a nano.

Might just calculate the fauna marin balling light for my nano and see if it works.
But yeah, all-for-reef would be much easier by just having to dose 1 thing... But the problem I see is.. if Mg is too high and Ca too low - how would you manage that? U aint flexible with that product imo.

 

[Nano sapiens]

well, I am not very into the kalkwasser and wanted to use another method tbh.
Imo the all-for-reef isnt that expensive when using the powder. 800g will give you 5 litres of solution and 5 litres are alot for a nano.

Might just calculate the fauna marin balling light for my nano and see if it works.
But yeah, all-for-reef would be much easier by just having to dose 1 thing... But the problem I see is.. if Mg is too high and Ca too low - how would you manage that? U aint flexible with that product imo.

Personal choice if you don't want to try kalkwasser. I use it because it's always available, is inexpensive and maintains a steady reef appropriate pH when dosed properly.

As with All For Reef (or any dosing products), Kalkwasser can also show an imbalance over longer periods of time. In it's case, calcium rises very slowly even if alkalinity is kept constant. I have both calcium and alkalinity boosting products on hand for the occasional adjustment. You could do the same for All For Reef, but you would also need to have a magnesium supplement on hand.

Since so little of the supplemental products are needed to adjust any slight imbalance, they last a long time (my Seachem alk and ca products are 13 years old and are less than half way used).

 

[Sshannon]

If you dose liquid alk, Calc, Mag, etc... try to go for a more diluted supplement. Some supplements may be so concentrated that 0.5 mL of it may change your parameters by more than 1dkh or 100ppm for the whole tank. That is the trouble I'm running into with my nano tank currently.

 

[HuduVudu]

hello guys

I am currently in the process of deciding what dosing product I will be using.
Actually I started with ATI Nano Essentials 2 Part. However, I dont think it is worth the money since the containers are pretty expensive per litre.

What would you guys suggest dosing?

I do have a 20g nano tank and I want to keep SPS mainly.

- Is Tropic Marin All-for-reef really enough?
- Would it be better to start Balling Light (Fauna Marin)
- or is there even a better product/method?

I am not in the US so, I cannot get the BRS products.

The plan is to do max. 10% WC like every 2 weeks.

I would do All for Reef.

If you do two part a 10% water change every 2 weeks is not even nearly enough when you start to really dose. You will need more on the order of 30% every week.

You have a chosen a VERY DIFFICULT path. I highly suggest that you rethink this. A twenty gallon tank is so unforgiving. You can not make a single mistake if you are doing fast growing SPS in this size tank.

That you stated that you want SPS and didn't really specificy what that might mean I am thinking you are new to the hobby. It is best for you to stear clear of faster growing SPS and do easier inverts like zoa or maybe some LPS. These are more forgiving and will allow you to make mistakes without complete frustration and destruction. Get 5ish years in the hobby under your belt have a beautiful tank and some success and then come back at this.

I am not kidding or being hyperbolic, you have set yourself up to fail. It will be really frustrating for you and completely unneccessary.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[chipchipbro]

I would do All for Reef.

If you do two part a 10% water change every 2 weeks is not even nearly enough when you start to really dose. You will need more on the order of 30% every week.

You have a chosen a VERY DIFFICULT path. I highly suggest that you rethink this. A twenty gallon tank is so unforgiving. You can not make a single mistake if you are doing fast growing SPS in this size tank.

That you stated that you want SPS and didn't really specificy what that might mean I am thinking you are new to the hobby. It is best for you to stear clear of faster growing SPS and do easier inverts like zoa or maybe some LPS. These are more forgiving and will allow you to make mistakes without complete frustration and destruction. Get 5ish years in the hobby under your belt have a beautiful tank and some success and then come back at this.

I am not kidding or being hyperbolic, you have set yourself up to fail. It will be really frustrating for you and completely unneccessary.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Well I am not kinda sure what you mean with VERY DIFFICULT.
I dd have a mixed tank for 10 years but that is now 7 years since.

Now I re-started into the hobby with a nano.

I am keeping Montis, Seriatopora and Acros aswell as some LPS on the lower part of the tank.
All I want is to maintain the tank with dosing Ca, Mg and Alk and I look for the best possible solution for a nano.

RIght now I am looking into the Balling Light Method from Fauba Marin or like I said maybe All-For-Reef from Tropic Marin.

 

[Nano sapiens]

I would do All for Reef.

If you do two part a 10% water change every 2 weeks is not even nearly enough when you start to really dose. You will need more on the order of 30% every week.

You have a chosen a VERY DIFFICULT path. I highly suggest that you rethink this. A twenty gallon tank is so unforgiving. You can not make a single mistake if you are doing fast growing SPS in this size tank.

That you stated that you want SPS and didn't really specificy what that might mean I am thinking you are new to the hobby. It is best for you to stear clear of faster growing SPS and do easier inverts like zoa or maybe some LPS. These are more forgiving and will allow you to make mistakes without complete frustration and destruction. Get 5ish years in the hobby under your belt have a beautiful tank and some success and then come back at this.

I am not kidding or being hyperbolic, you have set yourself up to fail. It will be really frustrating for you and completely unneccessary.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

If the OP is a brand new reefer, then good advice if the OP meant Acropora specifically.

Edit: Looks like the OP has had previous reef experience with stony corals.

 

[Schraufabagel]

I use Tropic Marin All For Reef powder with a Red Sea ReefDose 2 pump. So far I haven't seen any bad results haha. Ultimately it was the cheapest good quality option

 

[LuizW13]

I'm currently using All For Reef in my 50g. I'm dosing 5mls (just increased it from 4) manually everyday because I'm waiting for the Versa pumps to get back in stock.

I have not measured Ca and Mg, to see if they are being used up in different rates, although I know I should. Will test them this weekend before a WC.

I like All For Reef so far, especially since I'm dosing manually; having one liquid to dose makes it super convenient.

 

[KayBabe785]

I have a 32 gal AIO mix reef. It is immature still but I'm pretty heavily coral stocked as it was an upgrade from a several year old 8 gal cube.

I am absolutely not a pro in sps and frankly acros terrify me a bit but I have some stylos, a hydnophora (ugh, learned a valuable lesson in better research there, also I know there's debate if we should classify it as lps or sps) pavona, and Monti cap. I also have a fair amount of lps and clams. I don't have a huge consumption but I went with the ATI reef essentials pro and I manually dose daily, along with 15% weekly WC and have seen great success with that. I bought the Part 1 and 2 for about $25 online and only dose 2.5mg of each daily to keep stability. That equates to roughly 80+ doses. For me that's pretty reasonable and growth is good!