Dosing new tank a month after set up?

[Tobias9413]

Hey all, I set up my new tank a little over a month ago. I transferred over my coral from my 20g tank to this reefer XL300. It’s 70g total volume. I was not testing my alk or calcium since it’s a new tank and I figured there was no way the coral would soak in everything in a month. I think I was wrong.

I decided to do my first parameter test today after doing my weekly 10% water change yesterday. I’m using Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt and using Hannah checker for alk, aqua forest for magnesium and Red Sea for calcium.

Tested Alk twice with Hanna checker and got 6.3 dKH. Tested with Red Sea alk test and also got between 6-6.5

Calcium is currently at 400

Magnesium is at 1220

By comparison, my previous tank was using the same salt and same coral same test kits and the last results I had for that tank were:
Alk 7.7
Calcium 455
Magnesium 1310

I was doing a weekly 6g water change for that tank which was 30% weekly so I’m assuming my parameters stayed higher due to the higher water change out.

I’m going to test again tomorrow at the same time but I’m wondering if it’s time for me to start dosing. From what I’ve read and understand, my tank may be too new for dosing but it looks like the corals are soaking everything in. Thoughts?

 

[Lavey29]

I have the same tank. It's 80g total volume but with rocks in the DT probably 65g total.

You should test alk 3 days in a row at the same time to determine your daily consumption amount.

What alk level does your salt mix at?

 

[Jekyl]

Just to be safe have you verified your salinity with a calibrated test?

What is your salts parameters per manufacturer?

 

[BillsReef10]

I personally started automated dosing a year and a a few months after startup I liked manual dosing to understand the chemistry behind it

 

[Tobias9413]

I have the same tank. It's 80g total volume but with rocks in the DT probably 65g total.

You should test alk 3 days in a row at the same time to determine your daily consumption amount.

What alk level does your salt mix at?

Yeah sorry I meant 70g is the actual water volume I got when I filled the tank. Made sure to keep a note of that.

I do plan to test alk, calcium, and mag for the next three days at the same time to keep track.

Tropic Marin pro mixes between 7-8 Alk according to the manufacturer which lines up to what I tested when I mixed the bucket I’m currently using and what my previous tank was at.

 

[Tobias9413]

Just to be safe have you verified your salinity with a calibrated test?

What is your salts parameters per manufacturer?

I tested salinity at 1.025 with a Hanna checker and a refractometer. Both calibrated monthly with recommended solutions.

Tropic Marin pro reef parameters are

• Pro-REEF: Ca: 430-450 ppm, Mg: 1300-1350 ppm, Alk: 7-8 dKH

 

[Tobias9413]

I personally started automated dosing a year and a a few months after startup I liked manual dosing to understand the chemistry behind it

I’ve had a few tanks before but none required dosing. I’ve watched many videos and read many threads/journals about dosing chemistry so I understand it somewhat. I guess I’m just startled by needing to dose so soon into the tanks life cycle. I thought I would have a few months at least. I mostly have LPS too. I would like to manually dose but unfortunately I do travel for work and I know my partner won’t want to handle that for me

How soon into your tanks life did you start dosing?

 

[BillsReef10]

I’ve had a few tanks before but none required dosing. I’ve watched many videos and read many threads/journals about dosing chemistry so I understand it somewhat. I guess I’m just startled by needing to dose so soon into the tanks life cycle. I thought I would have a few months at least. I mostly have LPS too. I would like to manually dose but unfortunately I do travel for work and I know my partner won’t want to handle that for me

How soon into your tanks life did you start dosing?

You have to take into account coralline also… if your seeing it start building up you are certainly using alkalinity and calcium

 

[BillsReef10]

I also started manual dosing probably 6 months in

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

I’ve had a few tanks before but none required dosing. I’ve watched many videos and read many threads/journals about dosing chemistry so I understand it somewhat. I guess I’m just startled by needing to dose so soon into the tanks life cycle. I thought I would have a few months at least. I mostly have LPS too. I would like to manually dose but unfortunately I do travel for work and I know my partner won’t want to handle that for me

How soon into your tanks life did you start dosing?

How soon into your tanks life did you start dosing? Two weeks - in that two weeks I made many one to three gallon water changes on a twenty gallon tank - Alk 6.5 dKH and Calcium 360-ppm before I dosed baking soda and Calcium Chloride. New rock and new sand usually drops Alk & Calcium fast. Tank is seven weeks old - I only have three soft corals.

Instant Ocean salt mix - I started a twenty nine gallon water change tank at the time tested good, Alk 7.8 dKH and Calcium 400-ppm.


Probably happens !

 

[Salty_Northerner]

I tested salinity at 1.025 with a Hanna checker and a refractometer. Both calibrated monthly with recommended solutions.

Tropic Marin pro reef parameters are

• Pro-REEF: Ca: 430-450 ppm, Mg: 1300-1350 ppm, Alk: 7-8 dKH

I use the same salt and mix mine at 1.026 on the nose verifying it using the Tropic Marin hydrometer.

Mine mixed up at
440 cal
7.4 dkH
Mag 1400

Mind you I'm getting to the bottom of the barrel for salt so I'm sure there's a little bit of stratification imbalance going on as I used to mix up at around 440 cal
7.8 dkh
1360 mag

 

[cabinet pumper123]

What does dosing do to a tank?

 

[Lavey29]

Yeah sorry I meant 70g is the actual water volume I got when I filled the tank. Made sure to keep a note of that.

I do plan to test alk, calcium, and mag for the next three days at the same time to keep track.

Tropic Marin pro mixes between 7-8 Alk according to the manufacturer which lines up to what I tested when I mixed the bucket I’m currently using and what my previous tank was at.

Ok good, so you mix slightly lower then 1.026 and your alk is slightly lower then 7. Seems about right. I would hand dose to 7.5 and then test alk for 3 days straight between your weekly water changes. Test at the same time daily and determine your consumption.

It's possible you may need to hand dose a small amount weekly or every few days.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

What does dosing do to a tank?

Dosing is usually used to raise the tank water parameters to an individuals preferred levels.

Probably happens !

 

[mrpontiac80]

What does dosing do to a tank?

Dosing is usually used to raise the tank water parameters to an individuals preferred levels.

Probably happens !

Dosing is adding elements that either corals absorb and use out of the water and or like bigmokeybrain stated, to increase to a desired level.
The salt mix you choose will have different levels of elements. I use Fritz RPM blue box and my alkalinity, cal and magnesium will be a higher or lower level than someone using a different brand.
Let’s say you want to use Tropic Marin salt, but you want a higher alkalinity…. You would dose it. Or I for example have to add those elements because otherwise my corals use it up.

 

[cabinet pumper123]

Dosing is adding elements that either corals absorb and use out of the water and or like bigmokeybrain stated, to increase to a desired level.
The salt mix you choose will have different levels of elements. I use Fritz RPM blue box and my alkalinity, cal and magnesium will be a higher or lower level than someone using s different brand.
Let’s say you want to use Tropic Marin salt, but you want a higher alkalinity…. You would dose it. Or I do example have to add those elements because otherwise my corals use it up.

OHHH thanks so much

 

[Tobias9413]

So I tested today and I got the same results as yesterday.

Alk with Hanna checker at 6.2 which is within the margin of error for 6.3 from yesterday

Calcium with salifert at 400

Magnesium with aqua forest at 1230 also within margin of error for 1220.

I’m going to test for the rest of the week to keep track but if it turns out my parameters are just low, would it be okay to dose All for Reef to bring alk to 7.5 and see if that drops?

Still plan to do my weekly water changes of 10% even if dosing.

 

[mrpontiac80]

So I tested today and I got the same results as yesterday.

Alk with Hanna checker at 6.2 which is within the margin of error for 6.3 from yesterday

Calcium with salifert at 400

Magnesium with aqua forest at 1230 also within margin of error for 1220.

I’m going to test for the rest of the week to keep track but if it turns out my parameters are just low, would it be okay to dose All for Reef to bring alk to 7.5 and see if that drops?

Still plan to do my weekly water changes of 10% even if dosing.

With All For Reef, it is actually recommended to bring your parameters up to where you want them before you start using it. I would personally use BRS 2 part.
Get your alk, cal, and magnesium up where you want it, and start with 5 ml per 26 gallons. And adjust from there.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

So I tested today and I got the same results as yesterday.

Alk with Hanna checker at 6.2 which is within the margin of error for 6.3 from yesterday

Calcium with salifert at 400

Magnesium with aqua forest at 1230 also within margin of error for 1220.

I’m going to test for the rest of the week to keep track but if it turns out my parameters are just low, would it be okay to dose All for Reef to bring alk to 7.5 and see if that drops?

Still plan to do my weekly water changes of 10% even if dosing.

An Alk reading of 6.2-6.3 is low - I would dose Alk ( 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda ) for a couple of days.


Probably happens !

 

[Tobias9413]

With All For Reef, it is actually recommended to bring your parameters up to where you want them before you start using it. I would personally use BRS 2 part.
Get your alk, cal, and magnesium up where you want it, and start with 5 ml per 26 gallons. And adjust from there.

Good info! I’m going to see if LFS has a 2 part and mag available. They sell some BRS products so they may have some 2part. If I’m doing 2part I’m going to aim for 8dKH