Least contaminating way to dose?

[FlyPenFly]

Thinking about trying an experiment and going to once a month or once every two month water changes on one of my tanks. I plan to half dose with a wide spectrum trace supplement.

I think with two part dosing you might create some sort of ionic imbalance with infrequent water changes. I think possibly ESV makes a two part that prevents that?

With kalk you're still introducing contaminants even when using a reactor that drips from the top...

Perhaps a calcium reactor is the best way to go since you're just melting coral skeleton? There shouldn't be anything in the bones as I think the soft tissue is what contains possible bad stuff.

[disc1]

Thinking about trying an experiment and going to once a month or once every two month water changes on one of my tanks. I plan to half dose with a wide spectrum trace supplement.

I think with two part dosing you might create some sort of ionic imbalance with infrequent water changes. I think possibly ESV makes a two part that prevents that?

That is typically made up for by using extra mag sulfate in the magnesium dose. But if you are not doing water changes 2-part will eventually lead to a rise in salinity and that may cause problems. 2-part is usually not the best if you're not going to do water changes.




With kalk you're still introducing contaminants even when using a reactor that drips from the top...


The high pH in the reactor keeps most contaminant from being dissolved. It's generally not a problem and it is even less of a problem if you dose kalk from a still reservoir instead of a reactor.




Perhaps a calcium reactor is the best way to go since you're just melting coral skeleton? There shouldn't be anything in the bones as I think the soft tissue is what contains possible bad stuff.

That depends in large part on where you get the reactor media from, but with good media there shouldn't be any high level of contaminant.

[FlyPenFly]

I think adjusting salinity once a month during the water change would be okay.

[disc1]

I think adjusting salinity once a month during the water change would be okay.

Oh yeah. Unless you're using just a super ridiculous amount of 2-part.

[bertoni]

It takes a lot of two part to raise the salinity a dangerous amount in a month. :)

[FlyPenFly]

So for the magnesium dosing, how many ml will I use that's chloride vs sulfate if I'm buying from BRS per gallon of rodi.

[hogfanreefer]

[QUOTE=FlyPenFly;21862536]So for the magnesium dosing, how many ml will I use that's chloride vs sulfate if I'm buying from BRS per gallon of rodi.[/

5 cups chloride to 3 cups of sulfate is what I use for magnesium dosing and use 20oz of the solution for every one gallon of 2 part dosing (Ca, Alk) used.

[bertoni]

I agree that 5:3 is right when dosing the 2-part. You should add only as needed according to a magnesium test, though.

[FlyPenFly]

Yep I use salifert and usually maintain at 1450ish.

[hogfanreefer]

I agree that 5:3 is right when dosing the 2-part. You should add only as needed according to a magnesium test, though.

I do. Forgot to mention that as I copied and pasted that and didnt edit it.

I keep mine 1380 to1400. Is there a better range to keep Mg?

[bertoni]

The canonical ocean average is about 1275 ppm, but 1380 ppm or so is fine. I don't think you'll see a difference.

[FlyPenFly]

Theoretically I think you can keep higher alk and Ca levels without precipitation occurring with higher mg levels.

[bertoni]

Yes, but the difference is very small, and 1275 ppm is more than enough to keep very high levels of both calcium and alkalinity, well beyond what we target anymore.