Question on dosing calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium with jebao dosing pump

[Stevenpandas]

Hello everyone, I’m fairly new to the saltwater side of the hobby and trying to figure out how to hook up my jebao dosing pump for calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium.
My tank is roughly 70 gallons. It is a 20 gallon long connected to a 55 gallon which goes into a 10 gallon sump/ refugium. I got about 50 pounds of rock and one bag of live sand.
I recently got more corals and a clam (3 days ago) and been monitoring my calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. I use Red Sea test pro kit. My calcium is around 400ppm, alkalinity about 8.4dkh, and magnesium 1400 ppm. They have been stable for the last three days. However based on my Red Sea coral pro salt mix and having a mixed reef tank, I need calcium to be 450 ppm, alkalinity 11.5 dkh, and magnesium 1360.
I use Red Sea liquid additives and
I plugged in the numbers into a reef calculator. I need to add 66 ml of calcium and 81 ml of alkalinity. That’s seems a lot to me. Might be the rest of the bottle of my alkalinity. I’m thinking of making my own soda ash with baking soda in the near future. Attach is the photo.
I am going to wait for my one week to see how much it my levels are changing. I haven’t gotten to calibrating my dosing pumps with 100 mls and set the system. I just want some advices/ tips from people more knowledgeable before I do anything to my tank.

 

[alain Bouchard]

those levels looks good enough to me. Dont run after numbers, its a waste of time, and risk doing more bad than good. (as long as your in range) look between each water change how much has been consumed and adjust dosing accordingly.

 

[homer1475]

Red sea's "suggestions" for a mixed reef is to increase growth exponentially. They assume we all want massive growth from our corals. Which lets be honest, who doesn't? But their suggested parameters are on the razors edge. Meaning it doesn't leave much room for error.

Your current parameters are perfectly fine for mixed reef. I would target your current parameters, and not worry about what red sea has to say they "need to be" at.

 

[homer1475]

Forgot to mention....

You do not want to increase alkalinity more then 1DKH a day. When I want to raise my alk, I typically target around .5 to .8 DKH raise a day.

Remember, stability is way more important then any specific number, as long as your within "range" of NSW.

 

[plankton]

I like the jebao (own two of them) but I found even near sump level that the dosing heads leak and fluid will drain back. It does help to add air check valves before and after. As far as tank chemistry you tank isn't always the same so don't expect to dial some dosing plan and forget about it. I'd still check at least weekly salinity and alkalinity and make sure you are more or less stable. Your corals will like you. [If your corals are upset they will tell you in form of polyp retraction, loss of color pigments or even tissue.]

 

[blackstallion]

I like the jebao (own two of them) but I found even near sump level that the dosing heads leak and fluid will drain back. It does help to add air check valves before and after. As far as tank chemistry you tank isn't always the same so don't expect to dial some dosing plan and forget about it. I'd still check at least weekly salinity and alkalinity and make sure you are more or less stable. Your corals will like you. [If your corals are upset they will tell you in form of polyp retraction, loss of color pigments or even tissue.]

Curious as to what you mean by the dosing heads leak and fluid will drain back? And adding air check valve's before and after what will help?

 

[rmurken]

I like the jebao (own two of them) but I found even near sump level that the dosing heads leak and fluid will drain back. It does help to add air check valves before and after.

I have a Jebao doser but don’t have this issue. I have read there can be problems like this if the head and tubing aren’t installed correctly. Not saying that’s your issue. Just noting it for the OP.

Agree with everything that’s been said re parameters. I have used the DIY approaches to supplementing and they’ve worked very well for me. I have switched over to kalk though because it has less impact on your water chemistry over the long haul. Not everyone can get all the Ca/Alk they need from just kalk though, and either way, using two-part instead is fine.

Would focus on your alkalinity. 8.4 is totally fine. I wouldn’t check Ca more than once a week. Mg is a once in awhile thing. Frequent testing Ca and Mg just to see is great for scratching curiosity, but the tests are not precise and the numbers will tend to vary a fair amount...which if you’re like many of us, will send you over the edge. But the truth is, it’s almost certainly fine.

Just stay on the alk.