Do these dosing calculations sound about correct?

[Ocean’s Piece]

I’m starting dosing in a few days and I want to see if they sound correct. I will be replacing water changes with dosing. I’ll be dosing a Biocube 32 (based off 25 gallons of water) on the weekly. Do these doses sound about correct? These numbers came from the BRS calculators but I’m unsure if they sound about correct

Soda Ash: 32 mL/week (based off a .3 dKH drop)
Calcium Chloride: 150 mL/week (based off a 10 ppm drop)
Magnesium: replenished during a once every few month water change/occasional dose
Red Sea Trace: for every 51.1 mL of Ca = 1 mL for each (according to BRS)

 

[MNFish]

You might want to double check calcium... normally it should be close to equal parts calcium and alk, and that just seems a bit high to me.

 

[MNFish]

 

[MNFish]

For alk is it a .3 drop or 3 drop....

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

For alk is it a .3 drop or 3 drop....

It’s a .3 drop. Alk is kept at 9 and drops to 8.7 weekly. I’m assuming that 25 ml is for daily so I multiplied that number by 6 (days in the week before next dose). Just realizing that number should be 7 I think because I’m dumb.

 

[MNFish]

If it drops .03 in a day you would want to add 16.6 ml a day

if it drops .03 in a week it would be 16.6 /7 or about 2.3 ml a day.

It is confusing to be honest but best advice I know is start small and test daily at first to ensure it is working how you expect.

 

[DrZoidburg]

If you used their recipe that sounds close for Ca. 25x7= 175mL. I wouldn't worry too much about equal parts. Use what your tank needs.

 

[MNFish]

If you drop 10 ppm calcium in a day then about 25 ml a day if you drop 10 in a week then it it is about 3.5 per day....

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

If you drop 10 ppm calcium in a day then about 25 ml a day if you drop 10 in a week then it it is about 3.5 per day....

So is the equation set up for a dose per week or per day? And to clarify, I plan to dose both ca and Alk on the weekly. Not daily. Ca drops 10 ppm per week (400ppm->390ppm every week), Alk drops .3 dKH per week (9.0dkh->8.7dkh every week). Sorry if this was confusing

 

[DrZoidburg]

The calculator is for what is. @MNFish would be right then 3.5ml/day. May be better off doing water changes it would be easier until things change.

 

[MNFish]

So is the equation set up for a dose per week or per day? And to clarify, I plan to dose both ca and Alk on the weekly. Not daily. Ca drops 10 ppm per week (400ppm->390ppm every week), Alk drops .3 dKH per week (9.0dkh->8.7dkh every week). Sorry if this was confusing

It is confusing as they tell you to wait a week, but the calculator is to get you from one number to another in 1 dose and does not account for days.... so what is calculated is what you need....

 

[MNFish]

Once a week dosing will work as long as consumption stays so low, but I would be careful not to raise alk more than 1 in a single dose.
Out of curiosity what are your nitrates at?

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Once a week dosing will work as long as consumption stays so low, but I would be careful not to raise alk more than 1 in a single dose.
Out of curiosity what are your nitrates at?

2.5. It’s maintained by my protein skimmer on a timer

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Once a week dosing will work as long as consumption stays so low, but I would be careful not to raise alk more than 1 in a single dose.
Out of curiosity what are your nitrates at?

The calculator is for what is. @MNFish would be right then 3.5ml/day. May be better off doing water changes it would be easier until things change.

So the 175 mLs and 35 mLs a week sounds correct right?

 

[DrZoidburg]

So the 175 mLs and 35 mLs a week sounds correct right?

No no. Would be only 25mL Ca if its 10 ppm a week. 3.5 ml a day. I read things wrong earlier. The alkalinity 5.36mL for the week if using soda ash recipe and calculator for 8.7 to 9.0 dkh?

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

No no. Would be only 25mL Ca if its 10 ppm a week. 3.5 ml a day. I read things wrong earlier. The alkalinity 5.36mL for the week if using soda ash recipe and calculator for 8.7 to 9.0 dkh?

Ok makes a lot of sense. They should definitely clarify that the amounts are on the weekly that was very confusing.

 

[mindme]

I tried using the calculators, and I guess they kind of work. I got somewhat close with it. But in the end, the way I do my dosing is to just adjust based on the usage. Because even if you get it perfect today, the consumption will keep getting more and more as the corals grow.

So when I first started I ended up doing a test every 3 days. If my alk had dropped since my last test, I added more to my dosage programming. Small changes, like 1 or 2 extra ML per dose, and I do 2 doses per day. Then do another test 3 days later, and adjust. I soon got it where I needed and now I only test every week or 2(more common). I test Alkalinty only most times, with the occasional calcium test to make sure it's still in line.

 

[DrZoidburg]

I tried using the calculators, and I guess they kind of work

The calculators do work. Are you using measuring cups vs scales to make solution. This can make a big difference.

 

[mindme]

The calculators do work. Are you using measuring cups vs scales to make solution. This can make a big difference.

measuring cups. I just had to mix up a new batch tonight.

But like I don't know my exact gallons of water in my tank. I estimate it to be around 200g in water volume, but I have no clue if that is accurate. And as I mentioned, my usage is constantly changing. In the past year my usage has doubled. Calculators got me close, but I had to dial it in manually.

I keep my alk between 8-8.5. The increases in usage/drops aren't drastic, so it's not hard to keep up with weekly/bi-weekly testing. At worse it'll rise up slowly, but then it'll start to use it up. Sometimes I'll just do a little manual dump if my usage is even but I want to raise it up a point or 2.

I also don't do water changes, so I don't have to worry about that changing my values.

 

[DrZoidburg]

This is why I use weight. One measuring cup example 180 grams, and one 150grams. Versus 140 grams each one on scale. I know what you mean though through trial and error I found one of mine to be exactly 264.4 gallons heh. That is a good way to do it if you don't know. Keep it in a close range and dial it in.