Check my approach for Nano Daily Dosing

[natedg200202]

Hello,

I've got an 11 gallon nano that I have transitioned to daily dosing (by hand using a pipette) as follows:

Alkalinity - 1.5 mL of Sodium Bicarbonate (BRS gallon mix)
Calcium - 1.8 mL of Calcium Chloride (BRS gallon mix)
Magnesium - 2.0 of BRS magnesium mix for 'General' adjustments

I previously adjusted every week or two when I tested, but when I noticed the constant deficiencies (and unhappy corals) I transitioned to daily dosing and the results have been great. Stable parameters and happy corals.

It's time to order more supplies so I have some questions.

1. Since I have transitioned to daily dosing, would I benefit from using BRS Magnesium Mix for '2-Part Maintenance'? I swear I have researched and watched the video(s) but I can't be sure which way is best.

2. Is there any benefit to using Soda Ash instead of Sodium Bicarbonate for daily dosing? Full disclosure - I don't test for ph. (sorry!)

Thanks,

Nate

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Welcome to reef2Reef!

What values are you intending to maintain with this dosing?

How much of these ingredients did you add to make your dosing solution?

I just want to be sure it is my DIY #2 and not a mixed recipe where the calcium part is from #1 and the alk part is from 2 (BRS uses my recipe concentrations).

IMO, that magnesium dosing is likely far too high. The ratio of the mag part to the calcium part should be more like 1/10th for Recipe #2 (the normal bicarbonate recipe). Thus, if you are using 1.8 mL of the calcium recipe, the balanced mag part is more like 0.18 mL.

I describe these recipes and rationale here:

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Your questions.

1. Yes, the other recipe is better, but don't agonize over it until you buy more.

2. Soda ash benefit is to also raise pH, and most folks benefit from that. I've never seen anyone report pH too high using it.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I think your daily dosing is a very good move, especially in a small tank.

I don't think it matters much which products you use as long as the parameters stay stable. I have a 40g aio and I dos Dow Flake (snow melt) of Ca and swimming pool soda ash for alk. My sps &lap dominate tank has been happy for over a year!

I don't think the difference between sodium bi-carb and soda ash is very long lived in the tank, so the effect on pH is not an issue.

And I never test for pH!

 

[natedg200202]

Thanks so much for the responses.

My responses to Randy:

I'm trying to maintain:
Temperature Setpoint: 25.5°C (77.9°F)
Salinity: 1.026 SG
Alkalinity: 9.0 dKH
Calcium: 440 ppm
Magnesium: 1,390 ppm

All of the solutions (Alk, Ca, Mg) were mixed using BRS's mixes in bags (for a 1 gallon solution). I mixed per instruction, I determine dosing from the calculators, and I have verified through testing (when making adjustments to my new mixed sea water). See attached image for invoice of what I'm using.

Additional info: I perform a 20% (ish) water change every 14 days and the new water is mixed and corrected to my target values.

Interesting about my Mg dosing being higher than expected. I don't know how to explain it, but I've come to that number through calculation and iteration (testing). If I dose that amount it stays stable. I define stability as maintaining about the same value over 2 weeks (values from testing right after water change and testing again right before water change).

 

[natedg200202]

Well, after a night of sleep and some additional thought and research, it would seem like my magnesium dosing is incorrect (as Randy pointed out). The only thing that would lead to this (thinking the values are dropping that much over time) is perhaps incorrect test results. (?)

I've been using the Salifert Magnesium test (NEW Version!). When I first started using it (new version) I had a very hard time reading it. Maybe it's user error.

I'll do some research, get an alternative test, and see where that leads me.

If anyone has a suggestion on a preferred Magnesium test, let me know.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well, after a night of sleep and some additional thought and research, it would seem like my magnesium dosing is incorrect (as Randy pointed out). The only thing that would lead to this (thinking the values are dropping that much over time) is perhaps incorrect test results. (?)

I've been using the Salifert Magnesium test (NEW Version!). When I first started using it (new version) I had a very hard time reading it. Maybe it's user error.

I'll do some research, get an alternative test, and see where that leads me.

If anyone has a suggestion on a preferred Magnesium test, let me know.

Maybe not testing at all, just dose at the recommended rate:

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[natedg200202]

Thanks for that link. I saw that yesterday . . . Mind blown.

I'll have a hard time with this approach (dosing without confirmation from testing) but it's making more and more sense as I look into it.

A little more research. . .