Calcium and Alkalinity Questions

Cole_Voeller · Apr 7, 2023

So I have finally started keeping LPS corals in my tank. I only have a 20 gallon tank, as I live in a college apartment and we are only allowed 10 gallon tanks (sssshhhhh). I currently have a few of each of the following; blastos, candy canes, acans, favias, war corals, duncans, hammers, frogspawn, and a torch. Maybe some more I’m forgetting. Oh Galaxea. So my question is, if just keeping softies and LPS, is dosing calcium and etc. going to be required? I’ve kept most of these corals in a 10 gallon for quarantine, with just small water changes and everything has done fine so far. So being in a 20 gallon, will water changes be enough? Or will I have to get into dosing? Thank you!

HankstankXXL750 · Apr 8, 2023

You will need to test daily for a short period to determine the consumption rates. How much do they drop daily. Then you would have an idea. Replenishing with water changes is ok if consumption is low, but if it drops a lot between water changes then I would consider it to be “unstable” so they may not be as happy. However this may not cause you too many problems as most of what I saw listed are fairly hardy.

Cole_Voeller · Apr 8, 2023

HankstankXXXL750 said:
You will need to test daily for a short period to determine the consumption rates. How much do they drop daily. Then you would have an idea. Replenishing with water changes is ok if consumption is low, but if it drops a lot between water changes then I would consider it to be “unstable” so they may not be as happy. However this may not cause you too many problems as most of what I saw listed are fairly hardy.

Oh good idea! I can definitely do that! Thank you!