Ready to start dosing?

[Frootstick]

Hi guys
So my tank is going good. I think I'm ready to start dosing calcium and alk.
What products do you use?
I have an apex system and am looking into the dos unit with a couple of reservoirs.
What's the best stuff to dose for?
I've read numerous times tanks should dose these 2.
Thanks

[gone fishin]

I bought the BRS dosing kit and use their 2 part products. I run the pumps on light timers.

[ericarenee]

It depends on what you are trying to achieve. what corals you have and want and so on..

You only need to do dose to maintain steady levels... Without more info it would be hard to tell what is right solution.. BUT IN General like Tony says above.. The brs two part kit would be great for you already having a apex. you can have it to control the dosing pumps. THE WHOLE Kit is much less then the cost of the dos.

[vhuang168]

I think I'm ready to start dosing calcium and alk.

I've read numerous times tanks should dose these 2.
Thanks


Why do you think you are ready to start dosing Alk/Ca?

Not all tanks need to dose 2 part or anything at all.

[ericarenee]

I forgot one important thing.

Magnesium... You have to keep all 3 in check...

SO get a good test kit. for calcium alkalinity and Magnesium.... If they are lower then your desired levels then you need to find your Consumption rate to determine the Amount to dose. Always start slow and test often....until you become stable at the specs you want..... But as said you really need to watch your numbers for a week or so and see if you need to dose at all.. If I DO NOT My Calcium will drop to 360 alk 7 -8 .. mag below 1000 . So i dose Kalk in my ATO and small amount of two part and even smaller mag in dosing pump...

[thegrun]

Why do you think you are ready to start dosing Alk/Ca?

Not all tanks need to dose 2 part or anything at all.

Exactly, you first need to test your big three (calcium, alkalinity and magnesium) a couple of days apart with a quality testing kit to determine what your consumption is and from there you figure out what if any method of dosing is required. We would need a lot more information as to your tank size, equipment and coral types and test results before we could recommend a dosing regiment.

[ericarenee]

Exactly, you first need to test your big three (calcium, alkalinity and magnesium) a couple of days apart with a quality testing kit to determine what your consumption is and from there you figure out what if any method of dosing is required. We would need a lot more information as to your tank size, equipment and coral types and test results before we could recommend a dosing regiment.

+1 i head this before... was retyping what i wrote as you posted this....

[brittonv]

I got some of these to store chemicals, work great take up no more space then needed:
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=73061
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/images/products/bottles/400/73061p.jpg


What I did to figure out my program was see what the drop was in ALK and Calcium over 7 days. Using the BRS Calculators (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator) figured out what my tank needed and adjusted it. tood that number divided by 7 and programmed the Apex... Don't know that was the 'right way' but worked for me.