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Scott B View Drop Down
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    Posted: November 22 2013 at 12:38pm
I am going to set up my dosing in the next few days and i have never done this before, so hopefully you guys can help. Right now my cal. Is 420, my mg. Is 1280, my alk/dkh is 7.8 and ph is also 7.8, sg is 1.025. So it looks like i mainly just need to get alk up for now. Do i just dose alk until i get up closer to around 9, or do i have to also dose calcium along with it now even though my calcium is right about where i want it? I am using brs 2 part if that matters
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Krazie4Acans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 12:48pm
As you raise your Alk your calcium will drop some. So I usually recommend that you raise the alk and get it stable and then work on your Ca. Trying to do both at the same time can make you nuts. So use the calculator to determine how much you need to dose to get it where you want it, spread that out over a couple of days (don't want to raise anything too quickly). Once you get one parameter locked in then start working on the next.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Scott B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 12:55pm
Cool, thx for the advice. I guess ill do it manually until i get the levels i want, and then start to automate it...right?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ReefdUp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 1:05pm
I'm on my phone, so this is a limited response.

Use the reef calculator online to determine how much you need to add right now. Dose that amount until your levels are where you want them. Then, do nothing for about 4+ days. Retest. Divide the amount of each chemical by the number of days. So if you need to dose 200ml of calcium after 4 days, you probably need to dose 50ml daily. Check this about once monthly to see if you need to adjust your daily amount.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Scott B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 1:08pm
Originally posted by ReefdUp ReefdUp wrote:

I'm on my phone, so this is a limited response.

Use the reef calculator online to determine how much you need to add right now. Dose that amount until your levels are where you want them. Then, do nothing for about 4+ days. Retest. Divide the amount of each chemical by the number of days. So if you need to dose 200ml of calcium after 4 days, you probably need to dose 50ml daily. Check this about once monthly to see if you need to adjust your daily amount.

Awesome, thanks. That makes sense
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sculpin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 1:23pm
I would suggest you bring your Magnesium up to around 1350 before you dose any Alk or Calcium. I made that mistake years ago when I was having a hard time keeping my Alk and Calc up at proper levels. I kept dosing and dosing until I realized my problem. Magnesium is what keeps your Alk and Calc from combining in the water column and precipitating out (combining to form Calcium Carbonate on their own). Maintaining a Magnesium level of 1350 or greater is the best way to keep this from happening and it will also help stabilize your Alk and Calc.

Here is a great video describing exactly what I'm talking about - http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/how-calcium-and-alkalinity-function-in-the-aquarium/

Once you have your Mag up, re-test your Alk and Calc because it may have changed and then begin dosing Alk and Calc as necessary.

Also, if you're burning through calcium I would recommend setting up a calcium reactor. I built one a few years ago out of a couple of RO canisters and an Eheim pump an it works awesome. I think in total I paid $200 for it and that includes the pump, Co2 regulator, and Co2 tank. And when it's up and running properly I very rarely have to mess with calcium, magnesium, or alk.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Scott B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 1:25pm
Ok, ill start adding the magnesium too. Thx
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BobC63 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 2:00pm
I was just going to say, get the Mg up to 1350 - 1400ppm first... Micah covered it Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Scott B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 22 2013 at 2:23pm
Thx, you guys are great
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