Dosing/ parameters question

[Goby2]

Hello everyone I am curious for everyone’s input I have a 28 gallon jbj nano with questionable parameters I recently did a 5 gallon water change a week ago today I test all every night and noticed it went from 7.7 to 6.5 over 3 days so I decided to check my cal and mag cal was at 350 and mag was at 1315 so I decided to pick up a bottle of all for reef I dosed 5ml last night as starting out suggested and I came home to test at my normal time tonight and I tested all three again all was at 6.7 calcium was at 485 and mag was at 1260 does anyone know what happend? Yes I tested mag twice it came out 1260 the first time and 1261 the second time but I’m curious for everyone’s input also I use reef crystals

 

[edsbeaker]

Hi, what test kits are you using?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Do you have coral, have you dosed before. I suspect bad first test on cal and mag, cal was raised, ALK takes time to rise with AFR

 

[Goby2]

Hi, what test kits are you using?

Hanna checkers

 

[Goby2]

Do you have coral, have you dosed before. I suspect bad first test on mag, cal was raised, ALK takes time to rise with AFR

Yes I have 2 hammers, favia, Duncan, Montipora, and stylophora

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Yes I have 2 hammers, favia, Duncan, Montipora, and stylophora

Have you dosed before, how long have you had them

 

[Goby2]

Have you dosed before, how long have you had them

Never dosed before I have had everything about 3 months I only noticed a higher consumption rate when I got a new lighting setup

 

[Cichlid Dad]

In a 28 water changes will get you back on track. AFR is for maintenance not adjusting. ALK takes time to rise with AFR. Below is a cheap system for raising parameters.

The second one is a calculator to know how much to add on each cal mag and ALK. With AFR not everything maintaines exactly so I dose AFR to what ever stays equal and use BRS THREE part to adjust what is falling. For me mag and Cal maintain and I have to adjust alk

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/2-pa...-starter-package-bulk-reef-supply-bundle.html
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator

 

[Goby2]

In a 28 water changes will get you back on track. AFR is for maintenance not adjusting. ALK takes time to rise with AFR. Below is a cheap system for raising parameters.

The second one is a calculator to know how much to add on each cal mag and ALK. With AFR not everything maintaines exactly so I dose AFR to what ever stays equal and use BRS THREE part to adjust what is falling. For me mag and Cal maintain and I have to adjust alk

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/2-pa...-starter-package-bulk-reef-supply-bundle.html
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator

That’s awesome but would I need a dosing pump at all??? I am looking into adding more corals in the future especially when I can get my phosphates lowered they’re at a .31 ppm

 

[bossman818]

How’s salinity?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

That’s awesome but would I need a dosing pump at all??? I am looking into adding more corals in the future especially when I can get my phosphates lowered they’re at a .31 ppm

No. The calculator tells you how many ml to add. You plug in water volume current level then desired level. It will tell you exactly how much to add . Take a reading, wait 4 days take another. Go to the calculator and take the amount needed to raise it back to the first test divide by 4 that is your daily dose . Check every 2 days for a while and when you are confident test once a week

 

[Goby2]

How’s salinity?

It’s at 1.026

 

[Goby2]

No. The calculator tells you how many ml to add. You plug in water volume current level then desired level. It will tell you exactly how much to add . Take a reading, wait 4 days take another. Go to the calculator and take the amount needed to raise it back to the first test divide by 4 that is your daily dose . Check every 2 days for a while and when you are confident test once a week

Thank you so much this is so helpful I’m going to have to figure out how much total water I have I there now but I’m sure it won’t be that hard

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Thank you so much this is so helpful I’m going to have to figure out how much total water I have I there now but I’m sure it won’t be that hard

It isn't hard to figure out. It will be intimidating at first, but you will catch in quickly. This is the easiest cheapest way I've found to keep my reef going. Play with the calculator. When you pop out of it and go back in it is reset to blank again. Good luck! I'm maintaining a 120 gallon tank 150 gallon total system using this method. It should last you a year or more.

 

[KrisReef]

A dosing set up, or a calcium reactor are nice to automate additions but not absolutely necessary if you are diligent to test and add as needed.

 

[Goby2]

It isn't hard to figure out. It will be intimidating at first, but you will catch in quickly. This is the easiest cheapest way I've found to keep my reef going. Play with the calculator. When you pop out of it and go back in it is reset to blank again. Good luck! I'm maintaining a 120 gallon tank 150 gallon total system using this method. It should last you a year or more.

That’s awesome do you have any recommendations on how to find total water volume without draining all the water?

 

[Goby2]

A dosing set up, or a calcium reactor are nice to automate additions but not absolutely necessary if you are diligent to test and add as needed.

Thank goodness I have brought this problem to a few groups and everyone just keeps telling me I need to buy a dosing pump and just looking at them I can not afford them with the budget I’m on

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I would figure in your 28 gallon tank I would calculate for 26 gallons and see how that works out. Say your ALK is 8 and you want to raise it to 8.5 and the calculator says add 30 ml of soda ash, then you test again it should be exactly 8.5. if not say it's higher than lower your tank volume to 24 gallon in your next test.

 

[Goby2]

I would figure in your 28 gallon tank I would calculate for 26 gallons and see how that works out. Say your ALK is 8 and you want to raise it to 8.5 and the calculator says add 30 ml of soda ash, then you test again it should be exactly 8.5. if not say it's higher than lower your tank volume to 24 gallon in your next test.

Omg you’re making this so much more understandable than anyone else I have talked to seriously thank you this is awesome I’ll be ordering the brs dosing stuff soon and will figure this out that way I’ll shall report back when I’m a month or two when everything is settled

 

[Cichlid Dad]

That’s awesome but would I need a dosing pump at all??? I am looking into adding more corals in the future especially when I can get my phosphates lowered they’re at a .31 ppm

BN-LINK Timer Outlet Short Period Repeat Cycle Intermittent Digital Timer, Interval Timer - Day, Night, or 24 Hour Operation, Programmable Plug-in Timer for Appliances Electrical Outlets 15A/1875W https://a.co/d/9Kv7s8H

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-2-part-doser-1-1-ml-per-minute-bundle.html
Your next milestone will be to Save your money and get this doser and timer. When it comes time message me and I will help set it up

Use it for dosing AFR. Then manually dose BRS to adjust.