Dosing
- Thread starter Diddly64
- Start date
Gasturbineguy
Member
Hmm... I'm in a similar boat and planning on the following for an SPS shallow build: Red Sea Reef Foundation ABC+ (the + includes the coloration A and B according to the Red Sea info). Then a carbon source since I don't care for solid carbon. Maybe NoPox or something simpler/cheaper depending on what I feel like trying.
I'd fill out the rest of the dosing with Reef Energy A/B if needed. That would be six channels if needed. I'm still researching the Red Sea stuff so I'm on the fence but the concentrations are pretty good compared to what I've used before e.g. Kent Marine.
I'd fill out the rest of the dosing with Reef Energy A/B if needed. That would be six channels if needed. I'm still researching the Red Sea stuff so I'm on the fence but the concentrations are pretty good compared to what I've used before e.g. Kent Marine.
reefer gladness
Well-Known Member
Depends on the size of the tank. If the tank is large enough I'd run both a calcium reactor and a kalk reactor because it's cheaper than dosing calcium and buffer. Smaller tank maybe just the kalk reactor or dose part A+B (calc and buffer). Depending on the salt mix used and the uptake in the system probably dose magnesium as well. That's all I would ever need to dose while using a quality salt.
Hi.. The tank is 1200x500x830. I have been looking at Kalk stirrer etc but other posters have used them and reverted to dosing as per the above suggestion with the Red Sea range. I was thinking of a similar programme with the Red Sea additives but might consider the Kalk. Do you have experience of this and how do you set up?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
reefer gladness
Well-Known Member
Opinions will vary, personally I'm boycotting all Red Sea products.
1. Their salt mix (RSCP) has been inconsistent from batch to batch.
2. Their test kits are harder to use and take longer compared to Salifert and some of them have been recalled due to inaccurate results.
3. Their new and extensive line of dosing products I feel is just a ploy to get people spending more money with them.
I use Tropic Marin Bio Actif salt and dose top-off water through a Precision Marine kalk reactor. My system loses about 6-7 gallons per week from evaporation so I calculated the daily and then hourly evaporation have a BRS dosing pump dose every hour, 24/7. I replace kalk once per month and this keeps my calcium and alk stable. Magnesium I dose manually, about 5ml per day.
Remember every system will be different. My tank is a mixed reef, mostly LPS with a few SPS and a clam.
1. Their salt mix (RSCP) has been inconsistent from batch to batch.
2. Their test kits are harder to use and take longer compared to Salifert and some of them have been recalled due to inaccurate results.
3. Their new and extensive line of dosing products I feel is just a ploy to get people spending more money with them.
I use Tropic Marin Bio Actif salt and dose top-off water through a Precision Marine kalk reactor. My system loses about 6-7 gallons per week from evaporation so I calculated the daily and then hourly evaporation have a BRS dosing pump dose every hour, 24/7. I replace kalk once per month and this keeps my calcium and alk stable. Magnesium I dose manually, about 5ml per day.
Remember every system will be different. My tank is a mixed reef, mostly LPS with a few SPS and a clam.
I'm also in the same position of dosing and I'm about to buy a Bubble Magus Dosing pump. I've never had a calcium reactor but after researching I'm thinking of dosing instead of reactors. Initially I'm thinking the 3 basics (Calcium, Magnesium & Alkalinity) however, I'd love to hear what others are dosing in terms of trace minerals, amino acids ect.
Gasturbineguy
Member
I agree with Reefer on the reactor use, there are certain setups where it's a better option if you can get it to mesh with your coral choices. Same on water changes versus additives, always a tough call since it is a lil cheaper to water change and refresh trace elements and Ca/Mg/Alk that way, also more idiot proof. But I find it more trouble honestly when I travel for more than a week. I don't trust anyone to watch my tank, trust issues I guess lol. Since I run low evaporation tanks I find dosing easier in my instance and cheaper since if I ran 100% "open top" tanks my water bill would be nuts!
So what exactly do you dose?
Gasturbineguy
Member
Formerly Kent Marine & Seachem products and I've also tried BRS 2 part. I've yet to dose any Red Sea stuff so that'll be interesting. They all probably work about the same. I like the added trace elements to the Red Sea ABC+ product. I've only auto-dosed 2 part and manually dosed the lesser additives. Most of my past tanks have been mixed reef with less than 100 gallon total volume. Also no super long term testing, oldest tank was up for 4, almost 5 years and had good coral growth with just dosing 2 part with occasional trace additions, with maybe 20% water change every other month if I remembered to do it.
First off, and most important, only dose what you need to. Every tank is different. In some cases, the best approach is to use a high quality salt and make water changes to maintain your parameter levels.
Only consider dosing if you can't maintain calcium, magnesium, or alkalinity by doing water changes.
Also consider a calcium reactor and a kalk reactor. While an expensive initial investment, they are very low cost to run. Again, only go with what you need. You might get away with just a kalk reactor or you might need both. Generally a calcium reactor is only needed on tanks with massive amounts of SPS corals.
As for other trace elements, if you can't test for it, don't dose it. You have no way of knowing if your using too much.
Don't expect dosing to make up for SW that is off on it's parameters to start with. Dosing is something to maintain your existing levels. If your newly mixed SW isn't on target, you need a better salt.
Go slow with dosing. It's almost always better to add too little than too much. Improperly used, you can turn a minor parameter problem into a real mess.
Does anyone run a Kalk Stirrer? If so how have you at it up. It appears that you have to run via your ato but can you then use a dosing pump to deliver your fresh water and how would you monitor your levels and regulate according to evaporation? What if you need more ro water than the Kalk? Would you then have to use 2 systems? All seems a bit confusing so veering towards the simpler option of dosing but if someone could provide an idiots guide to Kalk then it would be much appreciated 
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk
Many kalk reactors contain a stirring system build right into them. Here is am example of one (offsite) - http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aqua-medic-kalk-reactor-1000.html?gclid=CLOSv9K1yrsCFUgS7AodKnIATQ
Keep in mind that only a small amount of kalk will actually dissolve into the water being run through it, even with a stirring system. You can usually run all your top off water through the reactor. These reactors, at best, only maintain existing calcium levels. If you do have a problem though, it's easy enough to use a couple of plastic airline valves and have some of your top off water bypass the kalk reactor.
As always, just because you don't usually have problems, it doesn't mean you can just "set it and forget it". You still need to test your water from time to time.
While the setup for a kalk reactor does seem complex, it's really not too bad. Just take it one step at a time.
Keep in mind that only a small amount of kalk will actually dissolve into the water being run through it, even with a stirring system. You can usually run all your top off water through the reactor. These reactors, at best, only maintain existing calcium levels. If you do have a problem though, it's easy enough to use a couple of plastic airline valves and have some of your top off water bypass the kalk reactor.
As always, just because you don't usually have problems, it doesn't mean you can just "set it and forget it". You still need to test your water from time to time.
While the setup for a kalk reactor does seem complex, it's really not too bad. Just take it one step at a time.