Evo 13.5, water changes, and dosing

[camens]

I have an Evo 13.5. I have been doing water changes every week, and with such a small water volume, I'm changing out about 30-35% weekly. The problem is the Alkalinity parameters. I'm using Reef Crystals, and after mixing overnight, it measures alkalinity at 9.9 dkh. But the tank uses .3 to .4 per week, so at this point by the time I do the water change, my alkalinity is down to the mid 7's, and a water change creates a pretty substantial spike. So, I've started a dosing schedule, with the desired goal of getting the tank closer to the fresh mix. So going to be running Alk at 9.5 dkh and calcium at 450, which is closer to the mix.

I didn't think I'd have to dose a small tank, but I like my numbers to stay a bit more consistent. Thoughts?

 

[Spare time]

Smaller tank = more dosing. Less water means faster parameter changes. I would pick up a bottle of alk solution and dose in it the rear first chamber (never into the display). However, You may want to try all for reef since its nice for smaller tanks (not very cost efficient for big tanks though). It contains alk, calcium, mag, and all the other needed elements so it makes dosing easier. Just try to keep the levels where your salt naturally mixes. However, if you reef crystals mixes at 9.9 then you are mixing your salinity WAY too low. It should be at 13 with salinity at 1.026.

 

[camens]

Yes, my salinity is at 1.026. I'll have to test the fresh mix again this weekend as I also read people have gotten as high as 13 dkh. Maybe a better solution is to switch salt mixes....just no other mixes available in the small city I live in. If it truly is 13 I don't think I want to maintain the alk at that level in the tank.