Alk stability/dosing ???

[PowermanKW]

So I just got some SPS frags. The Montis I have have been doing great. Trying to get more into SPS, but the more I read the more daunting it seems. Worms, bugs, color, PE, nutrients.... ughh!

So I have a fuge and have always had very low nitrates. Never had detectable PO4, but don't know what it actually is. Used Seachem kits, went to Salifert. Finally got a refractometer. Dose BRS 2 part #2.

When I first went to BRS (May).... I tied to get my dosing right, but went way over and calcified all my pumps. Recovered from that. Slowly got things right, but am still trying to get it right. Seems all my new growth has kept me behind. I keep swinging my Alk and can't seem to hit the sweet spot. Anywhere from 9-10.5 DKH.

I use a AC Jr. and use a dummy timer on from 10 pm till 8am for 10 hours. Then dose 4/56 on/off. I want to dose over night to keep PH up. It has been hard to do 10-11 hours for 3-4 minutes and get the right number instead of just adding/subtracting a couple of minutes from one big dose.

Is there a better dosing schedule I should do. How important is Alk stability? Are my new Acro frags going to survive me getting this right. My lasts test were

Alk 10.2 (just took off another 4 min. was at 9.6 2 days ago)
Ca 450 (seems stable now) Dose once in the morning.
SG 1.027
PH has tanked due to closed up house 7.8-8.2. was stable at 8.3 all Summer.

P.S. my alk pump also crapped out intermittently which also caused problems, but I have a new one now.

Any input for this SPS rookie is most appriciated.

[PowermanKW]

bump.

[peteyp923]

do u use mag to stabilize ur alk levels?

[PowermanKW]

Doh! Sorry.... ya, Mg is at 1300. That of course has been pretty stable. Sea chem kit.

[jimsplace]

Have you tried using kalk to help stabilize? I dose 2 part but due to the high alk demands, I have use seachem advantage 1-2 a week to raise my alk where I want it and also I also use kalk to replace my evaporation. The kalk helps to hold your alk levels.

[PowermanKW]

Right now I'm only dosing 45-50 ml/day. I'm don't think that is all that much. I'm just having trouble getting it stable. Don't know what affect that is having.

[PowermanKW]

Is there a better dosing schedule I should do? How important is Alk stability? Are my new Acro frags going to survive me getting this right.

[jimsplace]

Stability is everything! Your numbers look good, just try to do steady doses of x amount of your 2 part for several days (maybe a week), then check your numbers and adjust your dosing up or down to get the numbers you want. Too many people chase numbers by checking and adjusting every day or so. As I suggested in my earlier post if you don't already dose with kalk, you may want to look into it as it will help stabilize alk, cal and PH.

[Reef Bass]

+1 for dosing daily but testing less frequently. I test every 7-10 days, but my dosing is fairly dialed in and I only make small adjustments to dosing pump run times. My dosing happens 4 times a day, so that helps to keep my levels fairly constant (yay reef controller!). My pH varies so little I'm wondering if there isn't an issue with my pH probe but my Salifert pH test kit backs up the probe's reading.

45-50mls isn't much. IMHO, the important thing is not how much you are dosing, but what your levels are. Striving for stability is an excellent goal. SPS really like it. :)

[PowermanKW]

Thanks guys. I have considered kalk as a next step. Not right now, but in the future when I'm dosing more. I want to stay with 2 part.

I will stop messing with it so much. As an operator, I do understand being heavy handed on the controls. I did make an adjustment last week, and I think I'm pretty close. I'm going to leave it there and see where it settles at and make a change then. Perhaps you are right..... perhaps I have been chasing numbers too much.