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Dosing question


mcgriff82
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Hello

My tank has been up for over 9 months and I am wanting to start adding a few corals . I would like your guys recommendation on what I need to dose and if there is a brand name of products that is better than the rest . I have been looking at the bulk reef supply stuff that you mix on your own and I like the price on it but is it ok to use for a beginner?I would also like your recommendation in what parameters I should be trying to hit with my dosing .

Thanks

Mike

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I wouldn't recommend dosing until you have an actual need to dose.  Add your corals and test regularly.  When you notice your levels dropping faster than your regular water changes bring them back up, then it is time to consider dosing.  Lots of corals (soft coral, lps) don't consume much of the big 3 and will not generally require a tank to be dosed.  Dosing without an actual need will cause you problems.  BRS stuff is great.

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11 hours ago, mcgriff82 said:

Hello

My tank has been up for over 9 months and I am wanting to start adding a few corals . I would like your guys recommendation on what I need to dose and if there is a brand name of products that is better than the rest . I have been looking at the bulk reef supply stuff that you mix on your own and I like the price on it but is it ok to use for a beginner?I would also like your recommendation in what parameters I should be trying to hit with my dosing .

Thanks

Mike

Sent from my SD4930UR using Tapatalk

I see you have gotten great advice already but since I am the self appointed welcoming committee, welcome to the forum!  Please start a build thread for us to see what you have put together in our member tanks section, it helps us help you when we know more about your set up!

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As far as dosing...ive had a reef tank for 10 years and never dosed..as long as u buy a good quality salt, all the necessary minerals will be in the salt...as far as what coral to start with, i agree, soft corals..what size tank do u have?...zoas leathers and shrooms are always a good start...stay away from kenya trees, pulsing zenias and encrusting gorgonian..they can over take a tank in no time...believe me, im still fighting them back..lol...but we do need to see pics..

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I see you have gotten great advice already but since I am the self appointed welcoming committee, welcome to the forum!  Please start a build thread for us to see what you have put together in our member tanks section, it helps us help you when we know more about your set up!

Thanks I will post some pics here in the next couple of days

 

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As far as dosing...ive had a reef tank for 10 years and never dosed..as long as u buy a good quality salt, all the necessary minerals will be in the salt...as far as what coral to start with, i agree, soft corals..what size tank do u have?...zoas leathers and shrooms are always a good start...stay away from kenya trees, pulsing zenias and encrusting gorgonian..they can over take a tank in no time...believe me, im still fighting them back..lol...but we do need to see pics..

 

Thanks for the advice I will post some pics here in the next couple of days

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello

 sorry for the delays , I end up going out and buying a new test kit and i have been busy at work 

My tank has been up and running since Aug of 2015 and to be honest is really just a algee growing tank

so frustrating , but anyways here are my testing results for about the last week and a half , any help or suggestions would

be appreciated

thanks

mike

 

DATE WATER CHANGE % TEMP SPECFIC GRAVITY PH AMMONIA NITRATE NITRITE PHOSPHATE CALCIUM MAGNESIUM RO/DI TDS  
4-Feb   79 1.032 8 0 0 160 0 500      
5-Feb 60 79                 199/001  
11-Feb   79 1.022 7.8 0.25 0 0 0 500      
15-Feb   79 1.021 8 0.25 0 40 0 400      
17-Feb   79 1.021 8 0.25 0 40 0 400      
18-Feb   80 1.022 8 0.5 0 80 0 400      
23-Feb   79 1.021 8.2 0.25 0 80 0 500      
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As far as dosing, I dose Kent marine supplement A and Kent marine supplement B. They are a calcium, alkalinity and trace elements supplement. I also dose bionic magnesium because the Kent marine additives are light in magnesium. I keep my calcium at 480, alkalinity at 9, magnesium at 1380 dosing daily. But I agree with cheapreefer that you do not need to dose until you get a coral demand for it. I used water changes to maintain my levels for a year but growth and coral health have accelerated since I have started to dose. After maintaining a reef tank without dosing and one with dosing there is no doubt in my opinion that dosing calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium accelerates growth and improves health of coral. If you are going to start with softies though it is not necessary because they do not have a calcium structure that requires calcium and alkalinity supplement. I spend more time in this hobby researching on the web and YouTube than actually with my tank and I recommend researching anything before you buy it and understand  your tank, how much lighting and flow you have in different areas, and have a plan for what you want to accomplish. We all battle algae.

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1 hour ago, nanoreefjunkie said:

Reading nitrite and ammonia means your tank is still cycling. You should only read ammonia when something dies after the cycle completes. What size tank is it? What are you using to check specific gravity? I recommend a refractometer. I run my specific gravity at 1.026 or 35 ppm.

my tank is a 75 gallon with a 20 gallon sump , my tank has been up and running since April of 2015 is it possible that it is still cycling after almost a year and a half? and i i just use a hydrometer to test my specific gravity .

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39 minutes ago, Muttley000 said:

What test kits are you using?  I ask because it doesn't make sense that you lost 100 calcium in 4 days.  You need to be testing alk also.  It is also interesting that ammonia showed up after you did a 60 % water change.  

Hello 

I bought a new API test kit for PH, Ammonia , Nitrite and nitrate i use a old Salifert kit that came with the tank for Calcium i actually dont like it very well but i didnt buy a new one for it yet.

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I think you got a bad test kit. I have never shown ammonia while testing after cycle unless something dies. Even then it is only briefly, a day or so. Same with nitrite. I stopped testing for them a year ago because it was a waste of time. Do you have enough biological filtration? Enough live rock? Are you using a wet/dry filtration system? Is the tank heavily stocked with fish?

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5 minutes ago, nanoreefjunkie said:

I think you got a bad test kit. I have never shown ammonia while testing after cycle unless something dies. Even then it is only briefly, a day or so. Same with nitrite. I stopped testing for them a year ago because it was a waste of time. Do you have enough biological filtration? Enough live rock? Are you using a wet/dry filtration system? Is the tank heavily stocked with fish?

I have about 60 pounds of live rock . I run a sump with a reef octopus proton skimmer and some rock in the sump.i have led lighting (on a trimer , they are on about 7 hours a day) and i have had about 5 fish in it for about 9 months 3 small blue damsils and 2 clown fish . i feed them dry food.

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That's not heavily stocked. I don't get it. I would try another ammonia test kit. Do you feed heavy? Do the fish show any sign of ammonia? When ammonia gets that high in a tank you will always see fish rubbing their gills on the rock/substrate. It looks like they are scratching an itch but they are trying to remove the ammonia from their gills.

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I wouldn't start dosing anything at this point. I would make sure to keep your parameters as consistent as possible before adding coral. If you haven't already bought new test kits, I would do that. Test daily until things settle out.

I would also keep your water changes limited to 10-20%. Doing a 60% change could be adding to your algae problem.


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i think i am going to try and retest over the next 3 days and be extra careful on doing the testing and see if i get the same results. Some of the problem is probably me being in a rush when i do the test, But my tank really is just an algae growing machine and i have no ideal why .

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