Should I start dosing? 25 Gallon

Schraufabagel · Oct 6, 2021

I have a 25 gallon tank that's going on 7 months old now. I just recently have been tracking my parameters more regularly, along with feeding and water changes. I have a small refugium with chaeto, and codium macro algae and mangroves in my main tank that may influence NO3 and phos. For corals, I mostly have LPS and softies, but I do have a single birdsnest SPS frag. I try to feed at least my pods, TDO, and phyto daily; but if the NO3 and phos jump too much, then I just feed pods.

I test nitrate, phosphate, and alk with the Hanna Checkers. I test Ca and Mg with Salifert. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt which ahs base parameters of: 11.5 dKH, 450 ppm Ca, and 1350 ppm Mg for 34.0 salinity (which is what I shoot for). Below is a chart of my recent parameter checks. I was away from home for 2 days.

Based on this, should I start dosing anything? I have Brightwell Aquatics NeoPhos, NeoNitro, and ChaetoGro (the last I dose in my refugium once a week). I also have Red Sea Foundation A, B, and C. Would it be worth picking up the Red Sea trace colors test kit? And furthermore, dosing for those elements?

Ultimately, whatever I would end up dosing a decent amount daily, I would pick up an auto doser for those.

blaxsun · Oct 6, 2021

If you’re keeping up with water changes you probably don’t need to dose, or if you do - just infrequently (manually).

Yazannreef · Oct 6, 2021

In my opinion. There is no need to dose as long as you do your regular water changes. When you start seeing huge dip of Alk and Ca that's when you know you should start dosing. I don't thing you have enough corals to do that yet.

Your DKH is High and does require a constant readings on no3 and po4 ( the higher the Alk the higher the other elements should be to strike a good optimal balance.