Automate trace element dosing.

[Paalk]

I am about to automate all dosing of aminos and trace elements. Salifert says to dose every week but I would rather dose a smaller amount every day. Have any of you guys done that? I imagine it would be a better way of doing it but I am not sure.

Please advice guys:)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you already know an amount you want to dose, it is certainly a good way to go.

The difficult part is knowing how much of what to dose. :)

[Paalk]

Thanks, I will just have to Follow the manufacturers recommendations on this as I do not know what the tank use of these elements for the time beeing. Would that suffice?

[disc1]

If your tank is the same as the one they wrote the recommendation for

[Paalk]

Disc1 I did understand that even though I am a Viking Norseman hahaha

[DiscusHeckel]

I am about to automate all dosing of aminos and trace elements. Salifert says to dose every week but I would rather dose a smaller amount every day. Have any of you guys done that? I imagine it would be a better way of doing it but I am not sure.

Please advice guys:)

Salifert also says shake bottles well before dosing. How do you intend to do so if you automate the dosing process?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Presumably it will be diluted, and hopefully it will remain in solution then, but that is a concern.

[rayjay]

How do you know how much of each to dose?
I've always been more concerned about too much trace that comes from decaying food and fecal matter and I do water changes to LOWER the levels rather than boost them.

[remiball]

When I read a Trace Element label it showed that Copper 3mg was part of the dosing. Would not that kill all the inverts?

[GreenTankCorals]

I considered trace element and amino acid dosing through the dosing pumps.
However I could not find a way around "shake well before use" for some of the trace elements and the fact that the amino acids need to be refrigerated once opened.

[tmz]

FWIW, I don't dose trace elements or amino acids anymore and haven't for years ; never observed a benefit but some tanks can be difficient ,I suppose. I never automated the dose but think it would difficult at low volumes and given the usual manufacturer"s recommendation to shake it and cut back on skimming and filtration when dosing for some products..

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

When I read a Trace Element label it showed that Copper 3mg was part of the dosing. Would not that kill all the inverts?

Depends on how much is added. :)

[doctorwhoreefer]

If you're going to do a nutrition program, I would stick with Red Sea, Triton, Brightwell, or any of the other 'all in one' solutions. In my opinion Red Sea and Triton are ahead of the game, unfortunately Triton isn't in the US yet except for water tests.

I would avoid anything with copper in it though bottom line. That can cause issues for you later.

And unless you're heavily, heavily stocked in the tank for corals, I would be very cautious about the amounts you add if it's not a significant encompassing program like the above.

[rayjay]

I'd be REALLY leery of "all in one" solutions.
Who's to say that your tank is going to use the specific chemicals in the specific proportions supplied by any given mixture.