Colors ABCD dosing

[benapilot]

I have a 75 gallon mixed reef tank and bought the Colors ABCD product. The directions say to add based on calcium added. On my tank I do daily water changes; a little over a gallon a day using Red Sea Pro salt. Because of this my Ca is steady in the 420-450 range.

How can I determine dosage?

Also, can I add them to my fresh saltwater tank? It hold about two weeks worth of water. I figure I measure two weeks worth of the Color additives and put that in the saltwater reservoir.

 

[GoVols]

I have a 75 gallon mixed reef tank and bought the Colors ABCD product. The directions say to add based on calcium added. On my tank I do daily water changes; a little over a gallon a day using Red Sea Pro salt. Because of this my Ca is steady in the 420-450 range.

How can I determine dosage?

Also, can I add them to my fresh saltwater tank? It hold about two weeks worth of water. I figure I measure two weeks worth of the Color additives and put that in the saltwater reservoir.

I use the colors and you dose to how much your cal drops to your corals intake of calcium.
If your cal is not moving then your reef is not ready for their colors program.
Otherwise you need to buy their colors test kits.

And it's not for fresh water. It's for continual dosing of trace elements for corals in-between water changes. I has the same trace elements that Red Sea puts in their salt mixes.

 

[benapilot]

Thanks for responding!!

So if I understand correctly, the stuff in the Colors ABCD are already in the Pro Salt mix??? Hmmm.... I may have wasted some $$ on this stuff! I need to do some more research!
I think my Ca is not moving because it's getting a boost every morning during the water change.... maybe??? I'm starting to wonder if the gallon of water would boost it that much or are my corals just not consuming much Ca. A couple of them are growing like crazy!!

I guess I could stop the water changes for a week and see how much the Ca drops.

I reread what I said about where I was planning adding it, and it does look like I said freshwater, but that's not the case. I was planning on adding it to my saltwater reservoir used for my auto water changes, not my auto top off freshwater reservoir.

 

[GoVols]

Thanks for responding!!

So if I understand correctly, the stuff in the Colors ABCD are already in the Pro Salt mix??? Hmmm.... I may have wasted some $$ on this stuff! I need to do some more research!
I think my Ca is not moving because it's getting a boost every morning during the water change.... maybe??? I'm starting to wonder if the gallon of water would boost it that much or are my corals just not consuming much Ca. A couple of them are growing like crazy!!

I guess I could stop the water changes for a week and see how much the Ca drops.

I reread what I said about where I was planning adding it, and it does look like I said freshwater, but that's not the case. I was planning on adding it to my saltwater reservoir used for my auto water changes, not my auto top off freshwater reservoir.

Yes,
The "Colors" are in the Red Sea salt mixes as trace elements.
We think in Cal / Alk and Mag dosing but corals take in trace elements too. That's why you dose to how much cal is being consumed.
Red Sea does make "Colors" test kits too but if your reef is not in taking calcium yet then you don't need to dose "Colors" because the reef is not using up the same trace elements that are already in their salt mixes.

Trace Element "Colors" dosing can be a nice thing but if you overdose then things will go downhill for your corals.
To be safe, I would not use them in a dosing or auto top off system because you need to be careful when dosing them. I still pour what I want in the mi-liter cups and dose each part by hand.

 

[HolisticBear]

Because of this my Ca is steady in the 420-450 range

Ca 420 = 8.4 dKK
Ca 450 = 12.6 dKH

That's a pretty big range. Depending on what you are keeping, that much Alk movement could be an issue. But the ground rule applies that if everything looks good, you shouldn't go chasing numbers.

Maybe my math is wrong, because it doesn't seem likely that a 1.3% water change would replace calcium consumption. If you tank is steady at 430, and your fresh salt mixes at 480, then (1/75)*480 +(74/75)*x = 430, then that's like a 0.68ppm drop in Ca daily. If you did one 10% change once a week and it stays at 430, that's like 6ppm usage in a week. Now if your Ca dropped from 450 to 430 from Sat to Sat, then your actual Ca usage was ~(20 + 6)ppm that week.

 

[GoVols]

Ca 420 = 8.4 dKK
Ca 450 = 12.6 dKH

That's a pretty big range. Depending on what you are keeping, that much Alk movement could be an issue. But the ground rule applies that if everything looks good, you shouldn't go chasing numbers.

Maybe my math is wrong, because it doesn't seem likely that a 1.3% water change would replace calcium consumption. If you tank is steady at 430, and your fresh salt mixes at 480, then (1/75)*480 +(74/75)*x = 430, then that's like a 0.68ppm drop in Ca daily. If you did one 10% change once a week and it stays at 430, that's like 6ppm usage in a week. Now if your Ca dropped from 450 to 430 from Sat to Sat, then your actual Ca usage was ~(20 + 6)ppm that week.

Micheal,
Great Point!!!!
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(Personally) I would only use the Coral Pro salt mix if I went back to the Red Sea "SPS' growth program. For a mixed reef I'd buy the Red Sea regular "Blue Bucket" salt mix that has more normal ocean parameters and balance out the reef to that salt mix. But... (lol) TJMO.

Freddie

 

[benapilot]

double post

 

[benapilot]

But the ground rule applies that if everything looks good, you shouldn't go chasing numbers.

Everything does look good and is growing well. I was thinking maybe there was something in the Color supplements that has been missing from my regimen, suppressing the full color and growth potential.

My Alk has been declining over the last several months- What can you infer from these parameters?

 

[EW_Fish]

The only way to really find out what your drop is, is to not add anything to the tank for a week. Test on day 1 @ 1230PM . Lets say you have 450ppm.. On day seven @ 12:30pm you test and its at 380ppm then you have a 70ppm drop... Then you can dose 10ppm a day. If the drop is in safe area where you can raise it back to what you had on day 1 I would raise it back there and start your dosing and re test again on day 7 to see if you have gotten your dosing right. This isnt the only way you can do it but this is how I judge on what my system is taking up.

If your doing water changes everyday then you are replacing your trace elements in your system so the need for reef colors is most likely pointless.

 

[benapilot]

Thanks!

 

[GoVols]

Thanks!

You have a beautiful reef.