Dose but when?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you have some sort of statistics what has been dosed and when? I think this could really help this discussion

Most people who look deeply into dosing will dose alkalinity mostly during the day when it is mostly used.

Calcium dosing is not very time dependent, or even necessary more than once a day.

Magnesium dosing need not be more than once a week, though a dosing pumps more often is fine.

Some things, like iron or silicate, can be dosed once or twice a week.

 

[attiland]

Most people who look deeply into dosing will dose alkalinity mostly during the day when it is mostly used.

Calcium dosing is not very time dependent, or even necessary more than once a day.

Magnesium dosing need not be more than once a week, though a dosing pumps more often is fine.

Some things, like iron or silicate, can be dosed once or twice a week.

I dose magnesium every day in very little doses like 1-2ml doses during the day. I noticed some of the corals don’t like big doses so to keep them happy I had to break up the doses.

 

[attiland]

I do, but note I dose 4 part so it's always equal doses to the Alk. (even the corrective doses match)

Fair enough.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I dose magnesium every day in very little doses like 1-2ml doses during the day. I noticed some of the corals don’t like big doses so to keep them happy I had to break up the doses.

Real magnesium depletion is typically less than 1 ppm per day, so unless the material you are dosing has impurities that are bothering the corals, it isn't needed to dose it more than once a week.

Evaporation moves magnesium up and down more than actual depletion does on a day to day basis.

 

[DrZoidburg]

@PeterB113 Consider maybe watching more closely. Don't be surprised if all of a sudden growth starts going well, and the numbers get weird.

 

[PeterB113]

@PeterB113 Consider maybe watching more closely. Don't be surprised if all of a sudden growth starts going well, and the numbers get weird.

I've been testing weekly still no major drop in elements I'm hoping to sustain it with water changes long term I really don't want to have to dose.

 

[DrZoidburg]

In a 20gal If all goes well I suspect you may run into that problem sometime.

 

[jmichaelh7]

I haven't dosed yet tank is 8months old and packed with coral. I'm trying to find a way to do it without a dosing pump because I'm scared it will malfunction lol.

Get a DDR DOS from apex

 

[PeterB113]

Get a DDR DOS from apex

If I do end up dosing it will be manually. I don't want to trust that a pump won't malfunction.

 

[DrZoidburg]

Running kalk in a dripper style hob doser. That works good for smaller tanks to a certain point.

 

[DrZoidburg]

Saw your tank in other thread just now. Something must be working haha. No way that all grew like that in 8 months?

 

[PeterB113]

Saw your tank in other thread just now. Something must be working haha. No way that all grew like that in 8 months?

Lol yea it did check out my YouTube channel I have a video from 8mos ago and another video showing what it looks now.

 

[madweazl]

I don't believe there is anything to gain in regard to timing the doses (i.e. peak consumption or any other reason). I dose, logically. I run BRS dosing pumps and they need to run for a bit to be consistent; if you're trying to dose 10ml and spread that over a number of doses, they just don't work well. Under 10ml, I'll run a single dose regardless of what I'm adding. Usually, under 20ml I'll do this. Once I get above 20ml, I'll spread them out a bit. When I do, it's evenly divided. For instance, 30ml demand, I'll dose 15ml every 12 hours. I just don't believe it makes any real world difference how you do it.

 

[DrZoidburg]

I see you added a lot of euphyllia though.

 

[PeterB113]

I see you added a lot of euphyllia though.

Oh yes i did lol. I have another comming in the mail Friday also lol and some new zoas

 

[attiland]

I don't believe there is anything to gain in regard to timing the doses (i.e. peak consumption or any other reason). I dose, logically. I run BRS dosing pumps and they need to run for a bit to be consistent; if you're trying to dose 10ml and spread that over a number of doses, they just don't work well. Under 10ml, I'll run a single dose regardless of what I'm adding. Usually, under 20ml I'll do this. Once I get above 20ml, I'll spread them out a bit. When I do, it's evenly divided. For instance, 30ml demand, I'll dose 15ml every 12 hours. I just don't believe it makes any real world difference how you do it.

Would the consistent levels have no benefit in your opinion? We hear from all SPS keepers that corals thrive on stability.

 

[olonmv]

After much deliberation and tryin my hand on 2 part I’ve decided to go buy all for reef. In the future I plan on getting a dosing pump.

 

[attiland]

After much deliberation and tryin my hand on 2 part I’ve decided to go buy all for reef. In the future I plan on getting a dosing pump.

I will be honest with you I don’t really see reliable dosing by hand possible as there is always circumstances playing against me.
- not always home when need to dose
- Not having time to split the doses in timely manner. I mean who can dose 5 times a day by hand. Feeding twice is already an issue.
- I forget
- I am on holiday / ill
Etc…

 

[olonmv]

I will be honest with you I don’t really see reliable dosing by hand possible as there is always circumstances playing against me.
- not always home when need to dose
- Not having time to split the doses in timely manner. I mean who can dose 5 times a day by hand. Feeding twice is already an issue.
- I forget
- I am on holiday / ill
Etc…

Certainly can agree. Luckily my schedule is pretty consistent. I’ll use that consistency to get a handle on what my tank demands are and in the meantime it gives me plenty of time to decide on the right pump for my needs.

 

[madweazl]

Would the consistent levels have no benefit in your opinion? We hear from all SPS keepers that corals thrive on stability.

My opinion, no. With the range of acceptable parameters for healthy organisms, trying to maintain something to the enth degree seems pointless. I learned a lot with the 75g SPS tank I had and one of the biggest was, don't sweat the small stuff. It takes a number of "bad" things to have noticeable effects on the corals. One thing being slightly out of "perfection" wont manifest into anything.