Just started dosing BRS Calc, Alk, Mag

[Zeal]

Started off with all this evening. Was at 7dkH now its around 10. Which is what I want.

Is there a ideal time to dose? Right now im doing by hand I dont have a doing pump and probably wont get one till the holidays?

I have a mixed reef and Id like my alk around 10.

Should I dose literally every day? Seems ti drop 0.5 dkH daily

Edit: Right now im only doing Alk since my calcium is usually only 480 by sunday (when I do a water change) I dont have a mag test kit so not sure when to start dosing that

Edit: Correction

 

[Hitman]

It’s best to dose several times throughout the day to prevent parameter swings. As for your Mg Salifert makes a very accurate and easy to use test kit. Avoid API kits for CA, ALK, and MG as they are NOT accurate. Salifert are one of the most accurate hobby grade kits out there. Also do not dose anything you don’t test for.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Agree with above, at .5 dkh/day consumption. If dont have a dosing pump would dose either before or midday. So is available while its being used up. Brs is a balanced 2 part. The reason calcium doesn’t drop as significantly is because so much more if it in the water. Most situations would be dosing equal amounts. Just space the dosing 15 to 30 minutes apart. Magnesium will at that usage may not quiet meet the brs recommendations if coupled with regular water changes. I only test magnesium monthly tbh. If your seeing out of norm alkalinity swings, that would be a good time to test ca and mg as well.

I like the hanna checker for alkalinity, easiest test to do, also about equal in price when you price long term with refill cost.

 

[Joe Batt]

A bit confused...you say you started off with mag today and its gone from 7-10dkh? Mag doesn't read in that scale, I am guessing you mean Alkalinity. 7-10dkh is a very large increase in one day. You should do it slowly, around 0.5dkh increase a day.

What is the reason for wanting it at 10 as opposed to say 8 or 9 etc?

If your dosing anything you should really test for the main 3,ie Mg, Ca and Kh. The reasoning is that if you get out of whack with one of them you could cause precipitation, especially if Mg is low. I would suggest getting a set of Salifert test kits for the main 3.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

A bit confused...you say you started off with mag today and its gone from 7-10dkh? Mag doesn't read in that scale, I am guessing you mean Alkalinity. 7-10dkh is a very large increase in one day. You should do it slowly, around 0.5dkh increase a day.

What is the reason for wanting it at 10 as opposed to say 8 or 9 etc?

If your dosing anything you should really test for the main 3,ie Mg, Ca and Kh. The reasoning is that if you get out of whack with one of them you could cause precipitation, especially if Mg is low. I would suggest getting a set of Salifert test kits for the main 3.

and at the end he says he doesnt have a MAG test to test with. Im confused as well.

 

[Mikedawg]

Started off with mag this evening. Was at 7dkH now its around 10. Which is what I want.

Is there a ideal time to dose? Right now im doing by hand I dont have a doing pump and probably wont get one till the holidays?

I have a mixed reef and Id like my alk around 10.

Should I dose literally every day? Seems ti drop 0.5 dkH daily

Edit: Right now im only doing Alk since my calcium is usually only 480 by sunday (when I do a water change) I dont have a mag test kit so not sure when to start dosing that

Definitely dose every day in small amounts and at different times; stability of water parameters is very important for tank health as you know. Now is a good time to calculate uptake of CA, etc. so you will have established the amounts you want to dose when you get your new dosing system.

BTW, I like the BRS dosing pump (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-2-part-doser-1-1-ml-per-minute.html) and I bet it will be on sale soon; good since you are a student and budget conscious if I remember. Not particularly sleek looking, but I think it is well built. BTW, be sure to calibrate any pump you get.

Good luck

 

[drawman]

Definitely dose every day in small amounts and at different times; stability of water parameters is very important for tank health as you know. Now is a good time to calculate uptake of CA, etc. so you will have established the amounts you want to dose when you get your new dosing system.

BTW, I like the BRS dosing pump (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-2-part-doser-1-1-ml-per-minute.html) and I bet it will be on sale soon; good since you are a student and budget conscious if I remember. Not particularly sleek looking, but I think it is well built. BTW, be sure to calibrate any pump you get.

Good luck

To add onto this if you do get one make sure to test the flow rate as they can vary quite a bit between dosers. You've had some great advice from everyone here.

 

[Zeal]

Alright sorry for all the confusion. I just bought a mag test kit.

Tested...

Mag @ 1330
Alk @ 7.7 just raised to 9
Calc @ 450 raised to about 490

 

[drawman]

Alright sorry for all the confusion. I just bought a mag test kit.

Tested...

Mag @ 1330
Alk @ 7.7 just raised to 9
Calc @ 450 raised to about 490

What coral are you keeping? I would be careful with raising the alk quickly

 

[Dr. Reef]

To be safe raise maximum limits are alk by 1 ppm daily cal 20 PM and mag 100 ppm.

For example if alk is 7 you can go 8 and not 10 in 1 day.

 

[wesman42]

If you have SPS, you will likely have hurt most if not all of them by raising it that fast.

I agree with SLOWLY raising your numbers.

 

[Zeal]

Update. Retested

Alk is at 8... think I got a little trigger happy with the syringe...

I’m gonna buy a Hanna tester I don’t like doing this manually .

And I’ll try and keep it at a steady 8 for now on.

When I dose alk should I wait an hour before retest?

 

[Hitman]

You’ll love the Hanna Checker.
Yes an hour or so would be just fine.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Pick up a cheap box of nitrite gloves for the hanna checker will make keeping the curvet free of hand prints easier.

 

[Zeal]

Will do! I might buy a doser this month how do I calculate the drip?

 

[Hitman]

Will do! I might buy a doser this month how do I calculate the drip?

For example your having to dose 12 ml each of Ca and ALK a day you keep your parameters stable you would have your doser dispens 1 ml every other hour.
Example
1am, 3am, 5 am, 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm you would dose CA

And on the opposite hours you would dose Alk.

As your tank gro s and your consumption increases you just want to alway allow 20 minutes or more between dosing Ca and Alk to prevent percipitent

 

[Zeal]

For example your having to dose 12 ml each of Ca and ALK a day you keep your parameters stable you would have your doser dispens 1 ml every other hour.
Example
1am, 3am, 5 am, 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm you would dose CA

And on the opposite hours you would dose Alk.

As your tank gro s and your consumption increases you just want to alway allow 20 minutes or more between dosing Ca and Alk to prevent percipitent

Ah ok makes sense. So I’ll have to test every day at the exact time to see how much I lose daily...

Really don’t wanna mess this up

 

[Hitman]

Ah ok makes sense. So I’ll have to test every day at the exact time to see how much I lose daily...

Really don’t wanna mess this up

Exactly just go slow with it and you’ll be fine.
How often are you testing now?

 

[Zeal]

Exactly just go slow with it and you’ll be fine.
How often are you testing now?

Before I dosed I used to check every other day. So after a water change on Sunday then I’ll check again Tuesday etc etc

That’s when I noticed my alk was dropping too much throughout the week... have 2 corals from WWC I bought at their store and they’re the only ones struggling. Everything else is growing nicely

 

[Hitman]

Stability is the key. If you can test daily so you see what your daily consumption is this way you can start dosing daily then when you get your doser down the road it will just add to your stability but spreading the dosings out over more time. WWC corals have be living in rock solid stable tanks so they are just upset with the tank change you’ll be fine tho.