Dosing issue need help.

[Cstarling]

So I cannot seem to get my daily dosing of calcium, alkaline, and magnesium right and it is causing me to lose Corals… I’m not sure what’s going on. Here’s what I got. My doser is calibrated. My tank is approximately 255 gallons of water. I have all Hannah checkers with no expired parts . I am currently dosing all bulk reef supply. two part and their magnesium. With the recommended mix of 5 1/2 cups to one and 1/4 cups. I’ve been trying to chase down my magnesium every time I check I get a different value. As I believe it’s recommended to get your magnesium correct first. Mag lvl 1500+ cal I checked it yesterday. It was 410 the day before it was 421. As for the bulk reef supply calculator. It’s telling me I need 278 ML’s to get it from 410to 421. So I added 278 ML’s of two part calcium. Tested hours later I was at 439 ppm. Alkalinity is around 10 it stays pretty consistent. I Dose 44 ML’s of alkalinity daily. 15 mls of calcium and 11 mls of mag. I think the only thing keeping me going right now are water changes.. send all the help!!!

 

[*GAREEF*]

So I cannot seem to get my daily dosing of calcium, alkaline, and magnesium right and it is causing me to lose Corals… I’m not sure what’s going on. Here’s what I got. My doser is calibrated. My tank is approximately 255 gallons of water. I have all Hannah checkers with no expired parts . I am currently dosing all bulk reef supply. two part and their magnesium. With the recommended mix of 5 1/2 cups to one and 1/4 cups. I’ve been trying to chase down my magnesium every time I check I get a different value. As I believe it’s recommended to get your magnesium correct first. Mag lvl 1500+ cal I checked it yesterday. It was 410 the day before it was 421. As for the bulk reef supply calculator. It’s telling me I need 278 ML’s to get it from 410to 421. So I added 278 ML’s of two part calcium. Tested hours later I was at 439 ppm. Alkalinity is around 10 it stays pretty consistent. I Dose 44 ML’s of alkalinity daily. 15 mls of calcium and 11 mls of mag. I think the only thing keeping me going right now are water changes.. send all the help!!!

I only use icp ms for checking magnesium and I’ve compared theee of the top magnesium test to icp ms. All three were off between 100 and 300 and give different result just as your finding out.
Can you post a picture of your current system please.

 

[Reefering1]

You should be dosing equal portions of alk and calcium. 20ppm difference in calcium tests is irrelevant

 

[Cstarling]

You should be dosing equal portions of alk and calcium. 20ppm difference in calcium tests is irrelevant

Just now, I took two more test of calcium I got 469 on one and 494 on the second. Just food for thought? by no means am I chasing numbers but I just wanna keep it consistently in the 400s

 

[Cstarling]

I only use icp ms for checking magnesium and I’ve compared theee of the top magnesium test to icp ms. All three were off between 100 and 300 and give different result just as your finding out.
Can you post a picture of your current system please.

 

[Reefering1]

Just now, I took two more test of calcium I got 469 on one and 494 on the second. Just food for thought? by no means am I chasing numbers but I just wanna keep it consistently in the 400s

Work on your measuring for tests, consistency is key. When filling the vial to the line, be sure to get the bottom of the meniscus to the line. Not the top

 

[*GAREEF*]

Okay no problem.
You don’t have that many corals in your system and you should not be having to dose much if at all right now.
There is a good chance that your magnesium levels are sky high right now because the magnesium test are not accurate and if you have been adding magnesium to the tank the only thing that would be using it in quantities is your coraline algae.
How long has your tank been up and running for.

 

[*GAREEF*]

Okay no problem.
You don’t have that many corals in your system and you should not be having to dose much if at all right now.
There is a good chance that your magnesium levels are sky high right now because the magnesium test are not accurate and if you have been adding magnesium to the tank the only thing that would be using it in quantities is your coraline algae.
How long has your tank been up and running for.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Okay no problem.
You don’t have that many corals in your system and you should not be having to dose much if at all right now.
There is a good chance that your magnesium levels are sky high right now because the magnesium test are not accurate and if you have been adding magnesium to the tank the only thing that would be using it in quantities is your coraline algae.
How long has your tank been up and running for.

Agree. Ignore Mg for now. IMO, you should try to keep Ca in the low 400's and Alk in the 8's. Concentrate on Alk and make sure you are testing at roughly the same time every day. Strongly disagree that dosing for Alk and Ca should be same number. I have a 180gl. system and dose roughly 10 times as much for Alk vs. Ca. How new is that system? If in the first couple of months then you should expect numerical fluctuations as most systems take at least 6 months to completely stabilize.

 

[Cstarling]

Okay no problem.
You don’t have that many corals in your system and you should not be having to dose much if at all right now.
There is a good chance that your magnesium levels are sky high right now because the magnesium test are not accurate and if you have been adding magnesium to the tank the only thing that would be using it in quantities is your coraline algae.
How long has your tank been up and running for.

2/3/2023

 

[Cstarling]

Agree. Ignore Mg for now. IMO, you should try to keep Ca in the low 400's and Alk in the 8's. Concentrate on Alk and make sure you are testing at roughly the same time every day. Strongly disagree that dosing for Alk and Ca should be same number. I have a 180gl. system and dose roughly 10 times as much for Alk vs. Ca. How new is that system? If in the first couple of months then you should expect numerical fluctuations as most systems take at least 6 months to completely stabilize.

The Tank was started on 2/3/2023

 

[Cstarling]

The Tank was started on 2/3/2023

Added first coral on March 5 2023

 

[Uncle99]

Results do not seem unusual to me consider hobby grade testing. Nor do they seem out of line.

Systems work well anywhere in the traditional bands. See what your system “likes” to run at and only adjust if you see continuous increases or decreases, week over week.

As an example, MY CA runs 470ppm, or at least that’s what the test says and it’s likely in the 450-480ppm actually, but who knows. However it stays there week in and week out without any fuss….so I leave it even when it’s maybe a bit high.

I’ve run ALK for years at 12dkh, and then years more at 8dkh with no differences except a lower salt bill.

Seek to stabilize each and every parameter the same way.

Solid water chemistry is the single best way to move your system forward.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Looking at your tank, I would keep up water changes, only test alkalinity, and only dose kalkwasser.

Make sure your nutrients stay in an acceptable range and you’re golden.

I’ve run mixed reefs this way and started several SPS tanks this way.

 

[Jamie814]

It was 410 the day before it was 421. As for the bulk reef supply calculator. It’s telling me I need 278 ML’s to get it from 410to 421. So I added 278 ML’s of two part calcium. Tested hours later I was at 439 ppm.

The hanna CA tester has a margin of error of +/- 6% So from one test to another it could vary as much as 12% and still be within the error margin of the tester. You're looking for an average over time, don't chase one test to the next. 380-450 is fine for CA.

If you're not testing CA under 380ppm I would not add any CA supplement especially since you don't have much demand for it in your tank.

ALK stability is more important than CA stability. 8-9dkh is what I recommend.

I would use Kalkwasser over 2 part for new tank with low demand.

 

[*GAREEF*]

Looking at your tank, I would keep up water changes, only test alkalinity, and only dose kalkwasser.

Make sure your nutrients stay in an acceptable range and you’re golden.

I’ve run mixed reefs this way and started several SPS tanks this way.

Beautiful!!!

 

[Cstarling]

Looking at your tank, I would keep up water changes, only test alkalinity, and only dose kalkwasser.

Make sure your nutrients stay in an acceptable range and you’re golden.

I’ve run mixed reefs this way and started several SPS tanks this way.

I have never run it before I’m sure I can do research and get into it but that means I’m changing up what I already have and I can’t even get what I already have balanced.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have never run it before I’m sure I can do research and get into it but that means I’m changing up what I already have and I can’t even get what I already have balanced.

Ignore magnesium measurement and dose as the method you are using recommends:

1 mL of the mag part for each 6 mL of the alk part. Don’t base it on testing.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

 

[Scallopking]

I run BRS 3-part hybrid TM balling method. You shouldn’t need to switch now to Kalk to maintain your tank if that was the suggestion. I’d keep going with the BRS until it runs out and then decide to change.

I don’t use Hannah for Ca or Mg. Instead I use Salifert for those two. I use Hannah for Alk and Low Range Phosphate. You might consider if your using Hannah for those Ca and Mg to switch to Salifert. I’ve had issues with Hannah on those two. Though Mg testing is flawed anyhow you do it. I still have the Hannah Ca checker and don’t use it.

Try not to chase Mg. I’ve don’t that for years. Now I just get Mg where I want it, set dosing to a third of the alk addition and then let that and water changes do the rest. If needed occasionally will adjust with the maintenance Mg from BRS.

My Alk is dosing 95mls x 24 hours. My Ca is 85mls x 24 hours. So they don’t need to be the same exactly. My Part C is 165mls x 24 hours.

But you probably want to maintain an ionic balance running the BRS method. I use TM part C for that, it’s another dosing additive, that is the downside though. This will keep things in balance.

You may also consider if not running your dosing schedule for Alk and Ca on 24 hours to do that also. I see Alk staying more constant.

In addition to what others have said, Stop dosing Mg for now. Monitor Alk and Ca daily, every 24 hours.

Here’s my tank.

 

[Cstarling]

Thank you I appreciate the input! I don’t think I’m going change the method I’m using I just wanted to get thoughts on what I have and get it dialed in. I am scared to get more coral until I am done getting my number right due to lossing money….. the I will increase my dosing as needed with coral consumption.