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.