Do the math dosing vs quality salt
- Thread starter Basile
- Start date
mtsully71
Well-Known Member
IMO Basile, dosing is only done when the demands of the tank/system do not keep up with water changes or the hobbyist is trying to achieve a certain result/affect. As far as maintaining ALK, that conversation is to broad and complex to give a correct/definitive answer. Are you slowing, maintaining or boosting growth. How is adjusting you ALK going to affect CA and mg? Are all your corals going to like higher or lower PH? How is your salt prepared, quality of RODI, salinity, temp of water etc. There are many reef salt comparison out there, that show rmeasured levels when made according to the manufacturer. Pick your flavor.
You can dose and use the best salt on earth for your tank, but what has the hobbyist decided about what levels of Phosphates and Nitrates are healthy, promote growth and are beneficial to tank inhabitants?
On the flip side........when I had an RSM 130, with good WC's I didn't need to dose, based on what my system required.
Now, the reefer I have, I dose as required. CA and ALK as my system requires (only about 20-25ml a week) and maintain good WC's. I dose/add two supplements, but that's strictly a personal choice, not a measured one.
Frankly, I think there are so many variables, I don't feel a best option is applicable. I depends on what your a trying to achieve with your tank. But, I will say......If you use poor salt it will likely reflect a more demanding need for supplements and/or trouble maintaining solid numbers.
Sully
You can dose and use the best salt on earth for your tank, but what has the hobbyist decided about what levels of Phosphates and Nitrates are healthy, promote growth and are beneficial to tank inhabitants?
On the flip side........when I had an RSM 130, with good WC's I didn't need to dose, based on what my system required.
Now, the reefer I have, I dose as required. CA and ALK as my system requires (only about 20-25ml a week) and maintain good WC's. I dose/add two supplements, but that's strictly a personal choice, not a measured one.
Frankly, I think there are so many variables, I don't feel a best option is applicable. I depends on what your a trying to achieve with your tank. But, I will say......If you use poor salt it will likely reflect a more demanding need for supplements and/or trouble maintaining solid numbers.
Sully
In my opinion, the top quality salt wins in all cases.
This is not a question of doing the math or supplementing low or missing readings. This is because you can make up for properties you can test for, but you can't make up for anything you can't test for. On the later case you don't even know it's missing in the first place. As a note, I'm talking about supplementing a salt at the time you mix it. I am not talking about using additives in the tank to sustain it, making up for calcium and alkalinity that is consumed.
In addition, there are several ways a manufacturer can formulate a salt. In some cases, they might use a less expensive compound that will mix to the same readings, but it will not be quite right as far as the water goes. This however doesn't mean it's a bad salt.
There are also other factors. For example I don't like salts that do not dissolve clear, or form precipitates if you don't use them in a day or so. I will admit that I can't prove that this makes any difference. It's just my preference.
So I recommend using a top quality salt, even though it can cost a lot more. As usual, there are a lot of good salts out there, and there are some bad ones. If you have a salt and you like the results your getting stick with it, unless you have very specific reasons to change. If you do make a switch, make the change slowly over a long period of time.
As for what method works best a lot depends on the size of the tank and the livestock being kept. In a small tank you can easily keep up with everything doing water changes. If you have a 10 gal tank, a 5 gal water change will work out to about a 60% water change. That's enough to keep up with just about anything.
However, if you had a 250 gal tank, you'd need to change about 125 gal of water to make the same percentage water change. That would be expensive and a lot of work, so smaller water changes and possibly supplements are a very reasonable way to go.
This is not a question of doing the math or supplementing low or missing readings. This is because you can make up for properties you can test for, but you can't make up for anything you can't test for. On the later case you don't even know it's missing in the first place. As a note, I'm talking about supplementing a salt at the time you mix it. I am not talking about using additives in the tank to sustain it, making up for calcium and alkalinity that is consumed.
In addition, there are several ways a manufacturer can formulate a salt. In some cases, they might use a less expensive compound that will mix to the same readings, but it will not be quite right as far as the water goes. This however doesn't mean it's a bad salt.
There are also other factors. For example I don't like salts that do not dissolve clear, or form precipitates if you don't use them in a day or so. I will admit that I can't prove that this makes any difference. It's just my preference.
So I recommend using a top quality salt, even though it can cost a lot more. As usual, there are a lot of good salts out there, and there are some bad ones. If you have a salt and you like the results your getting stick with it, unless you have very specific reasons to change. If you do make a switch, make the change slowly over a long period of time.
As for what method works best a lot depends on the size of the tank and the livestock being kept. In a small tank you can easily keep up with everything doing water changes. If you have a 10 gal tank, a 5 gal water change will work out to about a 60% water change. That's enough to keep up with just about anything.
However, if you had a 250 gal tank, you'd need to change about 125 gal of water to make the same percentage water change. That would be expensive and a lot of work, so smaller water changes and possibly supplements are a very reasonable way to go.
Florida Sunshine
Member
I am with Dave on this one. I agree with his reasons but for me probably the biggest is the fear of overdosing something using supplements. I feel I am pretty safe with water changes and if needed supplementing something I can test for, but other things just make me too nervous.
The exception for me would be if I had a true dosing system where everything was added in a measured amount slowly as needed. Those are quite expensive and my corals really don't need it so I will stick with my weekly WC.
The exception for me would be if I had a true dosing system where everything was added in a measured amount slowly as needed. Those are quite expensive and my corals really don't need it so I will stick with my weekly WC.
Basile
Well-Known Member
So to resume with a weekly change with good salt you can eliminate the dosing cost because the salts properties out weigh a dosing of 3 component. So your focus is refreshment of the media WC rather than supplements.
Thanks i'll focus on a weekly wc rather than dosing.
Whats you % for your weekly WC.
Thanks i'll focus on a weekly wc rather than dosing.
Whats you % for your weekly WC.
Florida Sunshine
Member
I generally go for 25 - 30% approx. unless something doesn't test well and then I will do more.
This depends on what your dosing and why. On some systems, especially ones with a lot of SPS and/or clams, the livestock may deplete a lot more calcium and alkalinity then you can supply via water changes alone. In this cases you'll need to dose or use additives in one form or another. However, on other systems it's possible to keep up with only water changes, and this should be your first choice. Only consider other means if water changes alone can't keep up.