Auto Dosing & Balling Method

[SPR]

I have been using the Red Sea NoPoX for months and also been activiely using the Red Sea Foundations A B & C for around 10 weeks and things are looking good.

I am looking to get the Kamoer 4 channel doser (thanks to much advice on here) as I do go away for around a week every month so am getting as much automation as possible which is the reason. I know it's not cheap but I believe in you get what you pay for so... I don't mind manual dosing at all but I don't want people messing with complicated buffering when I am away.

I understand how to test and work out daily usage to set the amounts to add, but I am a bit confused with regards to the water changes and how this would then affect my carefully calculated addition of the Ca Alk and Mg buffers (Red Sea A B & C).

I have the Red Sea MAX S 650 and do an aprox 10% water change each week. About 55 litres in all.

So all week I will have been dosing and then I do the water change so what happens to all my carefully calculated buffer calculations when I add the new saltwater. I use the Red Sea Coral Pro salt which I think is set to the correct parameters anyway but...

I realise I still have to test on a regular basis and I don't mind the water changes as takes just a few minutes. I just empty the left hand sump on the 650 and refill it when the main pump is off

Would appreciate any pointers and tips from you guys on this who use the auto dosing.

 

[DaveK]

If your doing water changes, and your going to be a perfectionist about it, you match temp, SG, Ca, Alk, and Mg in the new SW before you make your water change. That way there is no big effect to your parameters from the water change.

One thing I would recommend is to keep the filtration system running as you add the new water to the system. That way if your a little off the livestock doesn't get hit with a blast of water that's a little different.

Keep in mind also that if your only changing 10% of the water, the most you can effect the parameters is 10%. This isn't much of a change. For example, if your SG is 1.025 and you change 10% of the tank water and replace it with RO/DI water with no salt added, your new SG is still going to be about 1.022. It's a drop you wouldn't want, but it's usually not a disaster.

 

[Oxylebius]

I dose amounts of Mg, Alk, and Ca that are equal to the amount that is in newly made SW. After a couple of water changes you will get a good idea of what the amounts are in newly made SW by testing it and then try to keep the tank at the same levels w/dosing. There might be a little variation, which is fine, it won't hurt any corals. After a couple of water changes you will start to get a good feel for the levels.

 

[SPR]

I dose amounts of Mg, Alk, and Ca that are equal to the amount that is in newly made SW. After a couple of water changes you will get a good idea of what the amounts are in newly made SW by testing it and then try to keep the tank at the same levels w/dosing. There might be a little variation, which is fine, it won't hurt any corals. After a couple of water changes you will start to get a good feel for the levels.

Thanks - just awaiting the doser to arrive next week and the will have a go and see how I get on

 

[Oxylebius]

I have two 4 channel Kamoers and I like them (a master and 2nd unit set up).

 

[SPR]

I have two 4 channel Kamoers and I like them (a master and 2nd unit set up).

So what do you dose apart from the Ca Mg Alk? I was thinking these three and my NoPoX?

 

[Oxylebius]

I've been dosing some major and minor elements in the additional channels. I've been experimenting over the past year doing less water changes and more testing & dosing of elements and amino acids to see how that works out. The results = Coral health is fine, growth has slowed. The soft coral is the only one that isn't happy and has instead shrunk and parts have died and flaked away.

How much Ca, Alk, and Mg are you dosing daily?

 

[SPR]

I've been dosing some major and minor elements in the additional channels. I've been experimenting over the past year doing less water changes and more testing & dosing of elements and amino acids to see how that works out. The results = Coral health is fine, growth has slowed. The soft coral is the only one that isn't happy and has instead shrunk and parts have died and flaked away.

How much Ca, Alk, and Mg are you dosing daily?

At the moment i have only been doing manual dosing once per week in addition to a mid week water change

I have just been getting used to it all and the dosing pump arrives in a few days and then i am going to daily test to work out aprox usage per day.

Today for example i added 35g Ca and 20g of Alk. Mg a bit high at 1400 still. These are dry powder Red Sea Foundations A B. I'm trying to maintain 430 8.2 and 1310

Also add around 12ml NoPox daily



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Oxylebius]

Would appreciate any pointers and tips from you guys on this who use the auto dosing.

Dosing can be very tricky to get a handle on at first. Some tanks can really get screwed up when someone starts dosing w/o really understanding the chemistry going on in their tanks. It sounds like you have a good grasp on your levels and what to dose.

For someone who isn't a chemist, it can take some time to wrap your head around the relationship of Ca, Mg, Alk and pH. They all interact with each other in your tank. And there is a balance with each that you will want to maintain in the tank.

The monitoring daily that you are doing, is a good way to understand what your tank is consuming, thus determining how much to dose.

In the future, when you begin to make adjustments, first adjust the magnesium level. This is key to getting the correct calcium and alkalinity levels. Some salt water brands mix to a low magnesium level others to a high Mg level. Before you mess with things in the tank, test your newly made SW and make sure it's mixing to a good level. It your newly made salt water is mixing to the high Mg level that you mentioned, then this is what you will need to work with (or change brands).

Listed below is my go to list when I need to read up on any issues with Ca, Alk, pH, and Mg.


Dosing Calcium and Alkalinity

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 1: The Salt Water Itself http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

Aquarium Chemistry: The Chemical and Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/4/chemistry

Chemistry and the Aquarium: Calcium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/3/chemistry

Calcium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/chem.htm

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/chem.htm

Purity of Calcium Chloride
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2004/chem.htm

The Relationship Between Alkalinity and pH.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2002/chem.htm

What is Alkalinity?
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2002/chemistry.htm

The Chemical & Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification in Corals
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/chem.htm


Articles on how to keep Ca and Alk in balance:

When Do Calcium and Alkalinity Demand Not Exactly Balance?
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm

Calcium and Alkalinity Balance Issues
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.htm

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm



Additional details on how each are used are provided in these articles:

Comparison of Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Methods
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactors
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.htm

Limewater (kalkwasser)
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Systems
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.htm


The following calculator and articles will help guide aquarists through the process of fixing calcium and alkalinity imbalances in reef aquaria using these types of supplements:

Reef Chemicals Calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

BRS Aquarium and Reef Calculators
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator

Electronic Calcium Monitoring
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04/rhf/index.htm


And here are some some good reads for you from this forum:

New Informative Post

Help with understanding dosing alk and ca and other ramblings way

Red Sea Coral colors 4 pack question

 

[Oxylebius]

So what do you dose apart from the Ca Mg Alk? I was thinking these three and my NoPoX?

I've been dosing some major and minor elements in the additional channels. I've been experimenting over the past year doing less water changes and more testing & dosing of elements and amino acids to see how that works out.

At the moment i have only been doing manual dosing once per week in addition to a mid week water change. Today for example i added 35g Ca and 20g of Alk. Mg a bit high at 1400 still. These are dry powder Red Sea Foundations A B. I'm trying to maintain 430 8.2 and 1310

Once you start to dose daily amounts above 50mls of CA and Alk, then you may want to add an additional Kamoer unit and begin to dose other elements. At this point you don't have a need to. The weekly water changes are providing all the major and minor elements your corals need.

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

 

[SPR]

Thanks Oxy - I have read some of the articles already but need to read them all again to fully absorb it all.

I'll have a look at some of the others you have listed as well.

All very helpful and many thanks for your advice