This is relevant mainly to no-water change reef tanks. The issue is to compensate for: 1. The slightly Lower Ca consumption due to Mg incorporation into the skeletons of corals and other critters in the tank. 2. Salinity creep up which is much less of a problem to deal with (occasional dumping of tank water into the sink etc.).
In my case because of the Ca creep-up, I have to dose different volumes daily which is a pain as you need to follow and fill each container separately.
The problems in dealing with this are: 1. Each tank consumes different ratios of Ca: Mg. 2. As the tank grows these ratios may change based on growth as well as the "rise and fall" of different critter populations in the tank. 3. As mentioned before, Measuring Ca and Mg accurately is not trivial unless you donate a kidney to finance numerous ICPs.
Please join if you have any creative ideas.
If we overcome 3 I was thinking for example of dosing a combination of TM AFR as the basic dosing element and An alkalinity source that will compensate for the Ca creep-up (forget trace and nontrace elements for now).
Measuring Mg with several repetitions each time (n=3) and always combining (normalizing) it with accurate salinity measurements may do the job and the same with Ca.
A note about Ca: RedSea's head of research said that High Ca has a higher effect on coral growth rate than alkalinity.
Here is my current dosing profile:
In my case because of the Ca creep-up, I have to dose different volumes daily which is a pain as you need to follow and fill each container separately.
The problems in dealing with this are: 1. Each tank consumes different ratios of Ca: Mg. 2. As the tank grows these ratios may change based on growth as well as the "rise and fall" of different critter populations in the tank. 3. As mentioned before, Measuring Ca and Mg accurately is not trivial unless you donate a kidney to finance numerous ICPs.
Please join if you have any creative ideas.
If we overcome 3 I was thinking for example of dosing a combination of TM AFR as the basic dosing element and An alkalinity source that will compensate for the Ca creep-up (forget trace and nontrace elements for now).
Measuring Mg with several repetitions each time (n=3) and always combining (normalizing) it with accurate salinity measurements may do the job and the same with Ca.
A note about Ca: RedSea's head of research said that High Ca has a higher effect on coral growth rate than alkalinity.
Here is my current dosing profile: