Dosing For Corals?

[Reeftanks6]

Hello,

I have had a 90 gallon aquariuam up and running for about 5-6 years. I want to start getting into more corals and from my past i've never had much success. Is it necessary to dose? Maybe my calcium levels are not correct? I am doing a full water test tomorrow so i will post the results up tomorrow when i get the chance to. Anything helps thanks!

[cherubfish pair]

Be careful when dosing. You could push the pH too high (or low for that matter). I would have a pH controller to shut off the doser or ATO pump for safety's sake.

[shaggss]

First off, regular testing is a must to learn what your system uses. Usually you should only have to dose for Alk and Ca. Maybe Mg if your system uses a lot of it. Fish poo should be sufficient food for your corals in the beginning.

[usmc121581]

Along with dosing alk, cal, and mag, you should also dose strontium. Most of the LPS corals use this.

[Reeftanks6]

Should I get bottles for this, or have an automatic dossers do it for me. I am new to the coral world so my knowledge in retrospect to coral life is somewhat low as of right now.

[gonpostal]

As mentioned, you'll have to test regularly to see how much alk, cal and mag your tank consumes. IME dosing pumps will make life a whole lot easier. Figure out how much your tank consumes daily and set up your pumps accordingly. You'll have to test daily at first until you get your pumps dialed in.

[Reeftanks6]

I cant get it any corals yet due to my nitrates sky rocketing of recently. Ill have to do a couple of water changes to get them back down to zero. I havent had this problem before so i am not quite sure what is going on.

[Reeftanks6]

Tested the water today and my Ca and KH levels dont seem to bed. I have two pictures to go along with them. My nitrates at the moment may be my problem, also may be time for some new bulbs in the light. Can this cause some failing with corals? I have a nove extreme T5 its 8x54.

Calcium, it took me 24 drops to get to this color and that was close to the end color. This is saying i have over 420ppm
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26476429@N07/8531051041/" title="IMG_2390 by tdevlin06, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8531051041_30661ed0a5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_2390"></a>

Here is the KH. It took me 10 drops from the color to go to blue to yellow. This puts me at around 179ppm.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26476429@N07/8532162118/" title="IMG_2391 by tdevlin06, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8515/8532162118_a2cf9255e6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_2391"></a>

I think my problem may have been a lack of water changes to the tank. Maybe all the calcium was being taken out. Also my nitrates could possibly be the problem. Any suggestions?

[thegrun]

For an aquarium lightly stocked with stony corals you should be able to get by using kalk as your top off water rather than dosing calcium and alkalinity seperately. You first need to get your parameters up to the level you are trying to maintain, then just mix up kalkwasser in your top-off resevoir and it will maintain your calcium/alkalinity balance. Search for kalkwasser for detailed instructions.

[Reeftanks6]

thegun- ill look for some kalkwasser stuff around RC thanks!

[Reeftanks6]

Any thing thats good from the local fish store... just to give the tank a boost and help the tank give the corals the best chance of survival