Dosage Help On Lps softy tank

[crazybanana2]

Currently, the blue pen are my parameters and my nitrates and phos are bottomed out. I plan on feeding more and adding more live stock to raise those naturally, but its my first time owning a reef tank so the dosing is very consuming to me. I was hoping someone can help me decide on what to buy/use and how to use it to raise my alkalinity, calcium and magnesium levels for my lps softy tank.

 

[Fish Fan]

All For Reef is a really popular and effective "1 part" dosing solution:
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/all-...VVARTDAhh9trvvAwvtvB5rsjOjdoDjjg9C5WQQZdJmZeH

 

[crazybanana2]

All For Reef is a really popular and effective "1 part" dosing solution:
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/all-...VVARTDAhh9trvvAwvtvB5rsjOjdoDjjg9C5WQQZdJmZeH

Would I need to individually raise my mag alk and calc first?

 

[Fish Fan]

Would I need to individually raise my mag alk and calc first?

Not in my opinion, nothing I see in your blue pen numbers above is a huge cause for alarm.

The directions for All For Reef tell you to dose it based on your calcium, but here on Reef2Reef we think (know) it makes more sense to dose it based on your Alk consumption.

It's a pretty easy to use and well-liked product

Keep in mind that if you have a brand new tank with small frags, there may not be much consumption of elements such as alk, calc, and mag just yet.

I'd also suggest double checking your testing to ensure it's accurate before taking action. Please make sure you're using good test kits, Salifert and Hanna Checkers are widely trusted.

And starting with a salt mix that mixes to the parameters you want to keep is a good idea too

 

[exnisstech]

I'm a fan of all for reef to maintain alk and calcium dosing based on alk not calcium as mentioned. I've never tested magnesium. If feeding doesn't raise your N and P I would look into Randy's DIY recipes for dosing N and P tho I'm a fan of dosing ammonium instead of dosing nitrate.

 

[crazybanana2]

I'm a fan of all for reef to maintain alk and calcium dosing based on alk not calcium as mentioned. I've never tested magnesium. If feeding doesn't raise your N and P I would look into Randy's DIY recipes for dosing N and P tho I'm a fan of dosing ammonium instead of dosing nitrate.

Yeah, I was also thinking of possibly using reef roids ?

 

[crazybanana2]

Not in my opinion, nothing I see in your blue pen numbers above is a huge cause for alarm.

The directions for All For Reef tell you to dose it based on your calcium, but here on Reef2Reef we think (know) it makes more sense to dose it based on your Alk consumption.

It's a pretty easy to use and well-liked product

Keep in mind that if you have a brand new tank with small frags, there may not be much consumption of elements such as alk, calc, and mag just yet.

I'd also suggest double checking your testing to ensure it's accurate before taking action. Please make sure you're using good test kits, Salifert and Hanna Checkers are widely trusted.

And starting with a salt mix that mixes to the parameters you want to keep is a good idea too

Ok thank you for your help! I know for sure the blue pen is very precise but the black pen writing is a tad innacurate, i use salifert. Right now i use purple box instant ocean but ill probably switch to reef crystals instant ocean.

 

[exnisstech]

I've used nothing but IO purple for 10 years. I run my alk around 8 dkH and IO mixes close enough I don't have to adjust it. It done fine for me.

Yeah, I was also thinking of possibly using reef roids ?

I've heard of using roids to raise PO4 but I found dosing phosphate gives me more control so things stay more stable.

 

[NeMoo]

I’ve been dosing small amounts of neo phos and Neo nitro,
Seems to be clean and effective.

I’m working with small systems so literally using drops but helped me get phos off zero and nitrates stable!

Be careful as others have said and make sure test are accurate

 

[crazybanana2]

I’ve been dosing small amounts of neo phos and Neo nitro,
Seems to be clean and effective.

I’m working with small systems so literally using drops but helped me get phos off zero and nitrates stable!

Be careful as others have said and make sure test are accurate

I might just go with the brightwell products then

 

[NeMoo]

I’ve been dosing small amounts of neo phos and Neo nitro,
Seems to be clean and effective.

I’m working with small systems so literally using drops but helped me get phos off zero and nitrates stable!

Be careful as others have said and make sure test are accurate

I might just go with the brightwell products then

I would highly recommend them. I’m sure that the DIYs are cheaper and if you follow instructions I would trust Randy Holmes advice I was definitely to busy/lazy to do any DIY and like I said I would give the Neo phos and Neo nos ten out of ten

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How old is your tank? Is your tank packed full of coral? Have you measured how fast your alk drops?

 

[crazybanana2]

How old is your tank? Is your tank packed full of coral? Have you measured how fast your alk drops?

My tank is like 7 months old. It has a few branching hammer and a torch and other soft corals, so not that much coral. This week i’m measuring how fast my alk drops

 

[exnisstech]

My tank is like 7 months old. It has a few branching hammer and a torch and other soft corals, so not that much coral. This week i’m measuring how fast my alk drops

I'm not sure how low alk can go in a reef tank but at 6.5 you may want to dose it up to maybe 7.5 over a couple of days using an alk supplement then monitor consumption.

 

[crazybanana2]

I'm not sure how low alk can go in a reef tank but at 6.5 you may want to dose it up to maybe 7.5 over a couple of days using an alk supplement then monitor consumption.

Yes, I plan on using supplemnts to bring then all up and then maintain with all for reef

 

[exnisstech]

Yes, I plan on using supplemnts to bring then all up and then maintain with all for reef

I've not found a calculator for AFR and their instructions for dosing based on calcium doesn't make sense to me and many others. @Randy Holmes-Farley once said that ESV 2 part is 1.7 times stronger than AFR so I use the brs calculator for ESV and multiple the recommended dosage x 1.7 and use that amount of AFR. That has worked well for me. Not sure if your aware but AFR is slow to release so it's best to wait 24-48 hrs after dosing to test alk.

 

[crazybanana2]

I've not found a calculator for AFR and their instructions for dosing based on calcium doesn't make sense to me and many others. @Randy Holmes-Farley once said that ESV 2 part is 1.7 times stronger than AFR so I use the brs calculator for ESV and multiple the recommended dosage x 1.7 and use that amount of AFR. That has worked well for me. Not sure if your aware but AFR is slow to release so it's best to wait 24-48 hrs after dosing to test alk.

Ok, so I’ll raise my mag first, then calcium and then alkalinity while simultaneously raising my nutrients ? I would just be using bright well products to dose those

 

[exnisstech]

I've never measured or dosed magnesium so I can't comment other than to follow the directions I suppose. Same with the other bright well products. With calcium at 375 I would probably use a 2 part and dose calcium and alkalinity both. I'm only familiar with ESV 2 part so that's what I would use but there are plenty of 2 part options.
I can't say it's correct but I've not seen any adverse affects dosing N and P while also dosing 2 part or AFR.

 

[Fish Fan]

Ok, so I’ll raise my mag first, then calcium and then alkalinity while simultaneously raising my nutrients ? I would just be using bright well products to dose those

I wouldn't bother adjusting your magnesium, home tests for mag are notoriously unreliable, and Randy does not suggest testing for mag at all. This thread has more information:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/just-say-no-to-magnesium-testing-rmm-is-born.1017528/

 

[NeMoo]

I've never measured or dosed magnesium so I can't comment other than to follow the directions I suppose. Same with the other bright well products. With calcium at 375 I would probably use a 2 part and dose calcium and alkalinity both. I'm only familiar with ESV 2 part so that's what I would use but there are plenty of 2 part options.
I can't say it's correct but I've not seen any adverse affects dosing N and P while also dosing 2 part or AFR.

I can second this I have dosed both probably even closer in time gaps then I should have without adverse effects so far!!

Do be slow with the Neo phos and nitro is easier to bring them up in my opinion than bring them down but definitely important to be above zero.

I was using old droppers from my Hanna alk reagents and I just started with a few drops every night and frequent testing