Coral dosing?

[Dustinba]

I have been doing a lot of reading and watching videos and still can't seem to find the right answer. First off, my tank is not even cycled yet, I am just trying to get a head up on the game. That way when the time comes, i will be ready and know what to do.

So here is my question(s)... Would it be right to say that soft corals do not need any dosing as long as you are feeding them and have the correct light, flow and parameters?

Also are there any SPS corals that would not need dosing? I really love and respect corals, but am also trying to make this a more budget and lower maintenance friendly tank. I am hoping to get away with not having to buy extra calcium or whatever else to dose.

Thank you. Curious to see what people have to say.

 

[James M]

You don’t have to dose to keep a reef tank. Water changes will replenish what ever was consumed by coral

 

[KrisReef]

Lower maintenance = no water changes? Then you will need to dose because corals remove elements from the environment (water). Dosing adds back in what the corals consume, so some folks dose and don't do many water changes and if you have very few corals it might actually save money vs water changes which require DI water + salt.

Short answer, it depends really upon what kind of soft + sps + fish? etc you want to keep, and the approach you use to keep water parameters up. Sorry for the long answer, ihth's

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I have been doing a lot of reading and watching videos and still can't seem to find the right answer. First off, my tank is not even cycled yet, I am just trying to get a head up on the game. That way when the time comes, i will be ready and know what to do.

So here is my question(s)... Would it be right to say that soft corals do not need any dosing as long as you are feeding them and have the correct light, flow and parameters?

Also are there any SPS corals that would not need dosing? I really love and respect corals, but am also trying to make this a more budget and lower maintenance friendly tank. I am hoping to get away with not having to buy extra calcium or whatever else to dose.

Thank you. Curious to see what people have to say.

When coralline algae starts growing in you tank, that will make dosing a requirement

 

[Scrubber_steve]

You don’t have to dose to keep a reef tank. Water changes will replenish what ever was consumed by coral

No.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

like above said, but dosing can be as simple as adding a little kalkwasser to your ato.

 

[James M]

No.

Ok

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Explain

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/aquaforest-balling.506921/page-3#post-5396792

 

[Dustinba]

When coralline algae starts growing in you tank, that will make dosing a requirement

Why would that make it a requirement? Does the coralline suck up a lot of the nutrients corals need?

 

[Dustinba]

like above said, but dosing can be as simple as adding a little kalkwasser to your ato.

And that would be if I see if my calcium starts to decrease? But I I do like that idea. Makes it nice and easy

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Why would that make it a requirement? Does the coralline suck up a lot of the nutrients corals need?

Coralline algae is a calcifying algae & a reef builder & naturally needs calcium & bicarbonate just like corals.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

And that would be if I see if my calcium starts to decrease? But I I do like that idea. Makes it nice and easy

Checking your alkalinity level is the best way to know if your system is assimilating the major elements

 

[Justfebreezeit]

And that would be if I see if my calcium starts to decrease? But I I do like that idea. Makes it nice and easy

Just like steve said i use alkalinity testing to determine general uptake. I test everything else monthly but alk almost everyday.