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Unread 06/22/2021, 09:04 PM   #1
jd_n
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Dosing method

Hi Guys, appreciate your input for the following.

Been using CARx for years but as i downsized my tank hence switching to dosing pumps.

Understand that most divide the volume of dkh solution required by 24hours and dose them evenly every hour hence the gradual drop of dkh during lighting period and gradual increase after lighting period.
(Example 78ml of dkh solution divide by 24 = 3.25ml every hour)

My lighting period is from 1200-2200hrs and dosing approach is based on dkh volume consumed per hour to maintain dkh at 9.05-9.2. (Example 1430hr dose 2ml, 1530hr dose 2.5ml, 1630hr dose 3.5ml….etc.
My dosing schedule is 22 doses per day and i skipped 0300 & 0400 dosing as i noticed my dkh is hovering at my desired value w/o any dosing.

I run my dkh testing every hour and set some actions so that if dkh goes below 9.05, a set amount of dkh solution will be added.
If it exceeds 9.20 the next dosing will be skipped in percentage.
So far my dkh fluctuation is as the attached pic.

Is my dosing method ok or should i switch to spreading out the dose evenly?


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Unread 06/24/2021, 04:07 PM   #2
Sk8r
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I wish I could help you. I don't use a doser, and have not a clue. My calcium is delivered by the autotopoff pump, ie, mixed in the topoff water, so it doses whenever the autotopoff gets triggered by evaporation, which is not all that often. At my best, it prompted an explosion of hammer coral in my tank, so the only conclusion I can draw is that corals of that nature are pretty darn forgiving. I think, in short, that whatever you do that produces a reasonable level of calcium at 8.3 alk and 1200+ magnesium 24/7 is going to be just fine. The balance I maintain is 420 cal, 8.3 alk, and 1350 mg.


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Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low.

Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.
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Unread 06/25/2021, 02:56 AM   #3
jd_n
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sk8r View Post
I wish I could help you. I don't use a doser, and have not a clue. My calcium is delivered by the autotopoff pump, ie, mixed in the topoff water, so it doses whenever the autotopoff gets triggered by evaporation, which is not all that often. At my best, it prompted an explosion of hammer coral in my tank, so the only conclusion I can draw is that corals of that nature are pretty darn forgiving. I think, in short, that whatever you do that produces a reasonable level of calcium at 8.3 alk and 1200+ magnesium 24/7 is going to be just fine. The balance I maintain is 420 cal, 8.3 alk, and 1350 mg.
Thanks for the response, my Ca through dosing has stay very much stable every time i tested at 450 and Mg at 1350.
Its the dkh fluctuation every hour (under 0.5dkh) i am more concern about as my is SPS dominated tank.

Folks that use CaRx and dosing evenly will experience dkh decreasing gradually during photoperiod and thereafter increases gradually after lights off.
Curious if any attempted and have success with my approach to maintain dkh consistency throughout 24hrs.


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Unread 06/25/2021, 06:09 AM   #4
Member No. 1
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I wouldn't sweat a +/-.2 change in dKh over 24 hours.
Your current method looks like it's working fine. Try not to over think this.
I'm using a GHL P4 controller with a KH Director that's controlling my doser in adaptive mode. Mine stays pretty steady at 9.0dKh +/-.1 over 24 hrs.
I'm SPS dominate and I have no issues.


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Unread 06/25/2021, 07:02 AM   #5
jd_n
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Member No. 1 View Post
I wouldn't sweat a +/-.2 change in dKh over 24 hours.
Your current method looks like it's working fine. Try not to over think this.
I'm using a GHL P4 controller with a KH Director that's controlling my doser in adaptive mode. Mine stays pretty steady at 9.0dKh +/-.1 over 24 hrs.
I'm SPS dominate and I have no issues.
Thanks, that's comforting to hear.
I am using RF KH keeper with their dosing pumps. Ever since then am chasing numbers too closely which is a bad thing


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Unread 07/01/2021, 07:27 PM   #6
BigDave
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Just for comparison.

I dosed manually once a day. So my tank saw large spikes in the morning as I dosed before work before the lights came on. Then it would gradually decrease until the next morning.

My corals did just fine for what I kept.


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