Dosing

[strava]

When should I start dosing my tank to get my phosphate, Magnesium and Calcium to stabalize? Currently, not dosing just letting the tank do its thing. Only been doing water changes every week (10 gallons)

Sump running reef roller, skimmer and uv light - pretty simple set-up

- Tank running for 2 Months now and coming up on my 3rd Month
- (23) hermit crab
- (3) nassarius snails
- (2) turbo snails
- (1) sand sifting starfish
- (2) cleaner shrimps
- (2) clownfish
- (1) damsel

Corals:
- (5) zoas
- (3) hammers
- (2) candy cane
- (3) chalice
- (1) acan
- (1) frogspawn
- (1) ny torch
- (1) favia
- (1) blastos
- (2) gsp

 

[mcarroll]

When should I start dosing my tank to get my phosphate, Magnesium and Calcium to stabalize? Currently, not dosing just letting the tank do its thing. Only been doing water changes every week (10 gallons)

Sump running reef roller, skimmer and uv light - pretty simple set-up

- Tank running for 2 Months now and coming up on my 3rd Month
- (23) hermit crab
- (3) nassarius snails
- (2) turbo snails
- (1) sand sifting starfish
- (2) cleaner shrimps
- (2) clownfish
- (1) damsel

Corals:
- (5) zoas
- (3) hammers
- (2) candy cane
- (3) chalice
- (1) acan
- (1) frogspawn
- (1) ny torch
- (1) favia
- (1) blastos
- (2) gsp

That's pretty loaded for "2-going-on-3 months". :)

Any uglies?

What are your water test numbers currently?

Are the numbers you will post up or down from "normal"?

The answer to your first question will be within your test numbers and what effect (if any) water changes seem to be having....good or bad.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Only testing can answer your question, not us. What are your parameters, most importantly the alkalinity? What is your alk now, does your alk drop during the week? Alk and other elements will drop only when the coral starts growing, and when you add a coral to your tank, it doesn't growing right away, first it takes time to get used to your tank, then slowly starts growing.

You need a good test kit, IMO hanna is the best for alkalinity.

Basically, the tank is running for only 2 months then the corals are not acclimated to your tank yet so they will not be growing and consuming elements for several months yet. IME water changes are usually sufficient for most of the first year of the tanks life. But you should be testing regularly and understanding your water make up and understand how it drops and how fast it drops.

 

[BryanM]

Really new tank with tons of things in it.

Testing is key.

With regular water changes dosing is probably not necessary assuming the WC size is adequate.

 

[get-salty]

You will need to test (a lot of it) for the first year.
The more corals you add , the more they will consume trace elements.