Going to start dosing for the first time, a couple of questions

[konatown]

I am going to start dosing ESV b-ionic 2-part to my tank. Total water volume of about 65 gallons. I have a bunch of lps frags, and i just added a BIG 15” x 13” multi level giant montipora dinner plate. See below!! My consumption is about to skyrocket

-Alk is testing 7.3, mayyyye 7.7, using salifert

-Calcium is at 420-430, using salifert

-Magnesium is at 1100 using Red Sea



1- It seems that there is some magnesium included in the b-ionic mixture?

2- I can figure out the dosing amount..I haven’t read the bottle yet, it’s on its way. I feel my alk is low, and magnesium is really low, and calcium is normal. What should I target with my current corals and product? And should I just stick with 1:1 ratio and see what happens with daily testing?

3- Any other recommendations out of the usual?

Thank you!

 

[Alex's Nano Reef]

I am going to start dosing ESV b-ionic 2-part to my tank. Total water volume of about 65 gallons. I have a bunch of lps frags, and i just added a BIIIG 15” x 13” multi level giant montipora plate. See below!! My consumption is about to skyrocket!!

-Alk is testing 7.3, mayyyye 7.7, using salifert

-Calcium is at 420-430, using salifert

-Magnesium is at 1100 using Red Sea



1- It seems that there is some magnesium included in the b-ionic mixture?

2- I can figure out the dosing amount..I haven’t read the bottle yet, it’s on its way. I feel my alk is low, and magnesium is really low, and calcium is normal. What should I target with my current corals and product? And should I just stick with 1:1 ratio and see what happens with daily testing?

3- Any other recommendations out of the usual?

Thank you!

I would stick to a 1:1 ratio just read the label and follow the instructions. I personally would dose half the recommended dose to start and work your way up over a period of a week or two weeks. The amounts of magnesium in these 2 parts are not as much as you might think. If you wanna raise your MG substantially go buy the magnesium additive they make that’s separate but you prolly won’t need that if you do weekly or bi weekly water changes.

 

[konatown]

I would stick to a 1:1 ratio just read the label and follow the instructions. I personally would dose half the recommended dose to start and work your way up over a period of a week or two weeks. The amounts of magnesium in these 2 parts are not as much as you might think. If you wanna raise your MG substantially go buy the magnesium additive they make that’s separate but you prolly won’t need that if you do weekly or bi weekly water changes.

Thank you! I will see what happens with the mg levels. And good idea on starting with half dose, I read that and was planning on doing that.

I don’t really do water changes. Because my nitrate won’t get past 2 (finally starting to see closer to 5 with Red Sea) and phosphate won’t get past .03 mayyybe .05.

I plan on doing at least monthly 20% water changes for trace elements and stuff, regardless.

 

[Alex's Nano Reef]

Thank you! I will see what happens with the mg levels. And good idea on starting with half dose, I read that and was planning on doing that.

I don’t really do water changes. Because my nitrate won’t get past 2 (finally starting to see closer to 5 with Red Sea) and phosphate won’t get past .03 mayyybe .05.

I plan on doing at least monthly 20% water changes for trace elements and stuff, regardless.

You need some more fish so you can have a higher bio load aka higher phos and nitrate or you could dose that stuff ya know but there tons of methods but I’m no master at controlling nutrients so do your homework there’s tons of info on this forum just read a lot of it and come to logical approach.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My recommendation is to dose both parts of the B-ionic equally to maintain alkalinity where you want it.

I expect the low magnesium is either test error, or low due to low salinity.

 

[konatown]

My recommendation is to dose both parts of the B-ionic equally to maintain alkalinity where you want it.

I expect the low magnesium is either test error, or low due to low salinity.

I use Red Sea test for mag. Did it twice to make sure.. but now that I’m dosing, I’ll check it again. I am keeping salt at 1.024-1.025.

 

[konatown]

I have had fairly stable alk and cal with my small frags.

With the big monti I added, I expected my alk and cal consumption to go through the roof, so I also got esv b-ionic so I can start dosing. As expected, my alk dropped a whole point in about 48 hours. My alk is usually stable but lower than normal at about 7.3-7.7. I use salifert

On the 20th, it was 6.4-6.7. I did a 1:1 half dose, so that I don’t accidentally overdo anything, as this was my very first time dosing cal and alk ever

On the 21st, alk is 6.1-6.4. I did a full dose according to esv.

On the 22nd, today (tested this morning since things were getting low quick) alk was 6.4. I did a full dose. Checked one hour later. Alk 7.3. 1 hour later 6.7-7.0. One hour later did half dose. One hour later alk 70.-7.3

Cal has been pretty consistent at 420 this whole time. I know not to raise alk more than one point per day. My question is, with this high of usage, how quick can I get back to an 8 range, how much should I dose to get there. I am manually dosing for now. I will get a pump once this is figured out.