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Patrick Cox · 10/11/2018, 04:25 AM

Hello,
I started my primarily SPS tank in Feb, 2016. The tank is about net 90 gallons of water including the sump and minus rock volume. I started with a shallow sandbed and Tampa Bay live rock. I had on and off problems with algae for a long time so in April of 2018 I removed my sandbed and a piece of live rock that was covered with algae and then I added some move live rock. I probably have 60 lbs of live rock right now. The tank is also pretty full with hard corals.

I have been trying to keep my alkalinity around 7.5-8.0 and then I just let the Calcium fall where it does and then I try to keep Mg above 1300.

I dose ESV 2 part on BRS 1.1ml dosing pumps that split the dose every hour across a 24 hour period.

Now to my issue and questions...

Back in mid July, I was checking my alk about once per week and I discovered that my alk was all of a sudden down to 6.6 dKH. At the time I was dosing 31ml per day of ESV 2 part. Since then I have closely monitored my alk and as of today I can report the following...

1. I am now dosing 77ml per day. So my dosing has more than doubled since July. My corals do seem to have really taken off and I have a lot of coralline algae growing in the tank. So this seems like I am on the right path.

2. The issue I am having and really my main question is - my alkalinity seems to fall during the day and then rise at night. I have never experienced this before but I assume that it's because my tank was not consuming that much alkalinity until now. But I am having a hard time figuring out what I should be dosing because I keep having to supplement in an effort to keep my alkalinity stable. Maybe I don't need to do that? So is it normal for alk to fall during the day and then rise at night if I am dosing at the same rate every hour over a 24 hour period? Maybe I should change my dosing schedule?

So thanks for any thoughts/suggestions!

Pat

This picture is from about a month ago and the tank looks different today...

10/11/2018, 04:25 AM	#1
Patrick Cox Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 1,697	2 Part Dosing Questions Hello, I started my primarily SPS tank in Feb, 2016. The tank is about net 90 gallons of water including the sump and minus rock volume. I started with a shallow sandbed and Tampa Bay live rock. I had on and off problems with algae for a long time so in April of 2018 I removed my sandbed and a piece of live rock that was covered with algae and then I added some move live rock. I probably have 60 lbs of live rock right now. The tank is also pretty full with hard corals. I have been trying to keep my alkalinity around 7.5-8.0 and then I just let the Calcium fall where it does and then I try to keep Mg above 1300. I dose ESV 2 part on BRS 1.1ml dosing pumps that split the dose every hour across a 24 hour period. Now to my issue and questions... Back in mid July, I was checking my alk about once per week and I discovered that my alk was all of a sudden down to 6.6 dKH. At the time I was dosing 31ml per day of ESV 2 part. Since then I have closely monitored my alk and as of today I can report the following... 1. I am now dosing 77ml per day. So my dosing has more than doubled since July. My corals do seem to have really taken off and I have a lot of coralline algae growing in the tank. So this seems like I am on the right path. 2. The issue I am having and really my main question is - my alkalinity seems to fall during the day and then rise at night. I have never experienced this before but I assume that it's because my tank was not consuming that much alkalinity until now. But I am having a hard time figuring out what I should be dosing because I keep having to supplement in an effort to keep my alkalinity stable. Maybe I don't need to do that? So is it normal for alk to fall during the day and then rise at night if I am dosing at the same rate every hour over a 24 hour period? Maybe I should change my dosing schedule? So thanks for any thoughts/suggestions! Pat This picture is from about a month ago and the tank looks different today... __________________ 100G Fairly New Aspiring SPS/Mixed Reef - 48" x 24" x 20"