Dosing Questions

FPotter · Feb 15, 2020

Ok so I am still very new to reefing. I have had my tank up and running for awhile and have just recently added a bunch of corals. I am currently using Instant ocean reef Crystal's for salt and am going to use the BRS 2part.

Currently my parameters are
PH 7.7
Calcium 501
Alkalinity 8
Magnesium 1578
Salt 1.026
Nitrates and Phos are in the normal ranges

I was watching the BRS video about increasing Alk and Calcium levels to get increased coral growth. They were using a Alk of 12, Calcium of 465 and PH of 8.3.

So my thoughts are. To dose and raise my alkalinity. Hopefully raising my Alk will help raise my PH. If not I will install a CO2 scrubber on my skimmer. But wait to dose my calcium until my levels drop then dose to maintain it.

I am also planning on dosing Tropic Marin Part C to replace my trace elements.

Would this be an appropriate strategy. I wasnt sure if it's ok to only dose Alkalinity or not calcium.

Thanks on advance

Reefer40b · Feb 15, 2020

Being fairly new to this I would not be messing with alk above 8 maybe even lower it into the 7's. You can grow coral at a fast pace even at lower ALK.

And depending on the types of corals you may not need to dose if your water changes can keep up.

FPotter · Feb 15, 2020

Fair enough. However how do you recommend I deal with the high calcium. I have been doing nothing but weekly water changes and its sky high.

W1ngz · Feb 15, 2020

High calcium and magnesium could be a testing problem. Confirm your salinity and test numbers with another method or someone else. Also test a freshly mixed batch of water.

Low ph has more to do with air than water. I keep my ph up by leaving the bathroom exhaust fan running 24/7.

FPotter · Feb 15, 2020

Confirmed numbers with both Red Sea testing kit as well as Hanna Checkers

W1ngz · Feb 15, 2020

FPotter said:
Confirmed numbers with both Red Sea testing kit as well as Hanna Checkers

Including salinity?

FPotter · Feb 15, 2020

No I check salinity with a calibrated refractor meter. I also have a digital reader I can calibrate as well

Uncle99 · Feb 15, 2020

your CA and MG is a bit high but not out of the ballpark. Running higher Alk requires higher nutrient levels and this can be problematic to the more sensitive SPS.

I have found the best growth through average normal ranges with Alk 8-9, CA 440-460, Mg 1369-1400 matched with nitrates at 2-5ppm and phosphate 0.05-.1

what made the biggest difference in growth and colour was stability, maintaining all 8 parameters with little change and maintaining potassium for the blues and iron for the red greens

at very high Alk levels, SPS can brown out or RTN at the slightest change.

So yes, higher growth, but at what cost.