Dosing question.

[NoobSalt]

So I don't dose my tank at all, and I kind of like it this way. No chemicals (Other than ChemiClean once cuz I had a serious Cyano problem that I could not solve any other way) but aside from that, I don't dose, and I dont think I need to, but I figured I would just ask if anyone would dose with the following parameters:

SL/g - 1.025
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10ppm
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 400
Alk - 8 dKH
pH - 8.4
Temp - 80.3 F

Really, I guess my only question is, would anyone dose anything to boost the calcium or Alk? I know they are both in good ranges, but would getting them up higher prove beneficial for more coral/coraline growth?? Thanks friends! If I left any info out that you need let me know!

[Reefing Madness]

Wouldn't touch a thing. Looks good here. There other test you might want later on also would be for Magnesium.

[Original Fin]

+1

Ca and Alk are ok right now, but you also need to know where magnesium is.
To some extent, your water changes help to replenish calcium carbonate from what the organisms in your tank have bound up within their flesh and skeletons. This depends on what brand of salt you are using too. They dont all mix to the same levels where Ca? Alk and mag are concerned.
You will get to a point sooner or later where water changes alone will no longer be enough, and then you will have to find a method that works for you to bring those levels back up into range.

Dosing 2 part is one way, kalkwasser another, and use of a calcium reactor is still another way.

Regardless of which you choose, you will also need to begin measuring and adjusting magnesium. It's levels from that of normal sea water will drop over time through the process of consumption. Magnesium affects the solubility of calcium carbonate. If your magnesium is low, you may not be able to raise calcium to where it should be...it will just precipitate after it reaches the saturation point, and that point is controlled in part by magnesium.



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[NoobSalt]

Nice, yeah I didn't think I would need to add anything, and I like not adding unneeded chemicals to my tank, but I was just kind of curious. I do plan on picking up a test kit for Mag cuz I have no clue what its at.

[chrisfont23]

Randy Holmes Farley wrote an article about reef chemistry . I would give it a read before you plan on dosing or not dosing. I myself chose to dose a 2-part supplement called "C-Balance" by Two Little Fishies after reading (and doing some DD). I only did so because I sought to hone in on specific params rather than hover around them. Make sense?

Here's Randy's article : http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

I found this part of Randy's article most compelling:

"If you are anywhere within these ranges for both parameters, you do not need to perform any correction on your tank chemistry, though you may choose to do so for other reasons. In this sense it makes no difference what the relationship is between the two values. If alkalinity is 4 meq/L, it is not inherently any “better” for calcium to be at 380 ppm or 450 ppm. Also, these ranges are somewhat arbitrary, especially at the high end. In fact, the primary reason for having a high end at all is that it is often difficult to keep one of these parameters above the minimum end of the range if the other is over the top end. So if one of these parameters is slightly above the high end, and the other is OK, that is not a problem worth worrying about.

One of the reasons that you may find compelling to adjust values even when within the recommended range (or outside but close to it) relates to test kit errors. All measurements of calcium and alkalinity have some uncertainty associated with them. Even if the kit is a reliable one, you may still want to strive to be in the center of the range to make it less likely that you are actually outside of it and only appear to be inside of it due to uncertainties in the measurement. This issue is especially important at the low end of the ranges, and not so important at the high ends."

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

I was the same way about dosing. For a long time my Cal, Alk and Mag were fine but there came a time ( as I added more corals) that I had to start dosing. Mag was needed only once in a year ( had done a couple of large water changes in that time so I think that's why). Calcium hydroxide in my top off water worked for a while but eventually ( just recently) I had to switch to two part to keep things in check. Its been great so far. Cal at 425. Alk at 9DKH and Mag at 1350. My Ph has been at 8.2 with a diurnal swing of 0.2 or so. Mag wont need to be added often but don't overlook it for the reasons already posted by Fin. I'm a big believer in not adding anything you don't have to but the big three are the important ones.

[NoobSalt]

Thanks for all the input guys, very helpful stuff. I guess I will keep an eye on things and dose as needed, and ask a billion questions when the time comes.