Dosing time...ultra confused

[ahl]

Hello guys,

Started to add a few sps and I am already seeing the need to dose. Last readings were:

Mg: 1150
Alk: 9
Ca: 390

I've been reading a lot and found the "improved Randy's formula" (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/). Also found a fair amount of confusion. I've read that in cases everything is off Mg should be the first one to take care of, then bring the others to check. I understand Randy's advice is to fix Alk first....what is your take on this?

Also, I am trying to find the components to make the Magnesium formula and can't find the Mag Flakes anywhere. As a few years have passed since this formula was put together, have other products become available? I know BRS has some stuff...any recommendations?

I am ultra new to dosing and hardcore reef chemistry so, any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Note: All my dosing will be manual for now.

 

[sghera64]

For magnesium, I switched from using a mix of Epsom salts and roadrunner ice melt to the BRS stuff after watching their videos comparing Pharma grade versus other stuff. The cost difference is not that bad.

 

[PatW]

I use BRS 2 part. 2 part is actually 3 part. You does Ca, ALK and Mg stock solutions. Since there is a bunch of Mg in salt water, you have to dose a bunch of it to bring up the levels. I did that and got tired of it. Now I just do water changes with a salt mix that is high in Mg. Mg is not taken up that quickly and water changes work for me.

The BRS 2 part Ca stock is just CaCl. I run my Ca at 450. And I dose about every week or so.

The ALK is Soda Ash is just Sodium Carbonate.

BRS sells both CaCl and NaCO3 at good purity and a decent price. You can go with BRS or look on Amazon. I try to find a source that has known purity of greater than 99%. The problem is that many of the sources are probably fine but they do not list their purity levels. I found a decent source of NaCO3 but if I recall right the CaCl sources I found of defined purity were pretty expensive.

 

[Coralsea_co]

Hi AH!
If you are a beginner in the science of chemistry, do not use any of the industrial salts.
Industrial salts always have some heavy metals that can damage your hard corals.
You can use credible companies to raise your magnesium, calcium and carbonate.
Good luck.

 

[RobZilla04]

Hi AH!
If you are a beginner in the science of chemistry, do not use any of the industrial salts.
Industrial salts always have some heavy metals that can damage your hard corals.
You can use credible companies to raise your magnesium, calcium and carbonate.
Good luck.

Huh?

 

[RobZilla04]

Hello guys,

Started to add a few sps and I am already seeing the need to dose. Last readings were:

Mg: 1150
Alk: 9
Ca: 390

I've been reading a lot and found the "improved Randy's formula" (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/). Also found a fair amount of confusion. I've read that in cases everything is off Mg should be the first one to take care of, then bring the others to check. I understand Randy's advice is to fix Alk first....what is your take on this?

Also, I am trying to find the components to make the Magnesium formula and can't find the Mag Flakes anywhere. As a few years have passed since this formula was put together, have other products become available? I know BRS has some stuff...any recommendations?

I am ultra new to dosing and hardcore reef chemistry so, any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Note: All my dosing will be manual for now.

Manual dosing is a good way to start. Alk of 9 is spot on, not sure what you are shooting for. Better to maintain a range than a specific number. Attempting to stay on a single number like 8.5, or 450 ppm calcium ends with headache and constant adjustments.

Stabilizing Alk is the simplest, and it does take quite a bit of Mg dosing to bring that value up. Define what range(s) you want to stay at and correct in the order of Alk, Cal, Mg. Once the values are between your acceptable ranges, test each several days to a week later. Subtract the differences and divide by the number of days between tests. That gives you your daily consumption rate. From there you can get a doser if you are ready for daily dosing and program one to dose 2-part to keep the levels stable.

Best of luck, plenty of information can be found through Google or the R2R search bar.

 

[Coralsea_co]

It was a good and useful guide.

 

[ahl]

@RobZilla04 I am not specifically set on a particular number. I am mostly following the common rule of thumb about Mg being as close as possible to 1360 and Ca to 420. I am far from those and I am starting to introduce some hardies. I agree that a range is better but I am shooting for one closer to the "ideal numbers"...whatever they are. I do not have lots of experience to I am using the commonly followed ones.

I think its safe to go with the BRS stuff, it rarely disappoints.

 

[RobZilla04]

@RobZilla04 I am not specifically set on a particular number. I am mostly following the common rule of thumb about Mg being as close as possible to 1360 and Ca to 420. I am far from those and I am starting to introduce some hardies. I agree that a range is better but I am shooting for one closer to the "ideal numbers"...whatever they are. I do not have lots of experience to I am using the commonly followed ones.

I think its safe to go with the BRS stuff, it rarely disappoints.

You're on the right track. BRS does have some quality products and plenty of tutorials/reviews to help with education and use of the products.

I started off manual dosing, but once the need became more often than once or twice a week, I went to a doser. I believe this is very common.

What salt mix are you using? The best advice I can give is to choose a salt mix that matches (or is very close) to where you want your values to be. Otherwise you'll be swinging every time you do a WC.

 

[ahl]

I am using Instant Ocean. I did measure the baseline a while ago and I have the values at home. I'll check it again to make sure they haven't changed their formula and see how it compares to what I want.