whats your CA/KH dosing and testing schedule?

Ephraim · #1 10-09-2009, 01:32 PM

i dose 50mL of Ca an KH 3 times daily, using randy's recipe. BRS calcium chloride is used and Arm and Hammer baking soda for KH(not baked). Mag is dosed everytime i go through a gallon of two part and mix up a new batch.

I test alk weekly, test mag when i do a h20 change, and never test ca. As long as i mix the 2 part properly and ensure the same volume of liquid is dosed in batches, calcium should remain at a constant. Alk is easier to test and cheaper so when i test for alk i can plug the result into a spreadsheet to get an assumed calcium.

Dosing is done with 2 aquamedic pumps on a timer.

Canadian · #2 10-09-2009, 02:04 PM

I dose B-Ionic parts A and B with a Profilux Standalone doser. Each component is dosed every 4 hours with a 2 hour offset between parts A and B to ensure they don't mix in the sump and form a precipitate.

I test maybe once a month.

banditpowdercoat · #3 10-09-2009, 04:00 PM

umm, once a month??? LOL. I never seem to have time to measure and all that stuff. I don;t have much in my tank yet either. But thats changeing, I better get a handle on this dosing...

Lance · #4 10-09-2009, 05:24 PM

I test every 2 weeks, just before a water change. I use RHF recipe: 80ml Ca, 60ml Alk, 50ml Mg per day via dosing pump.

BlueAbyss · #5 10-09-2009, 07:57 PM

I test before every water change (Ca, Mg, alk). I dose the water change to 440 ppm Ca, and 1320 ppm Mg, using IO salt (which tends to mix up with relatively high alk, mine is generally 11). I dose Tailored Aquatics products (Calcium Plus, Reef Magnesium) for Ca and Mg, and use a tiny bit of Arm and Hammer baking soda (to keep alk up) in between water changes. Since I do a water change every week (though I have occasionally gone 2) and I know how much my tank uses in a day, I directly dose the tank once daily for Ca and Mg (I dose a lot less Mg, unless I forget completely

I just remembered I didn't dose yesterday). The baking soda I use once a week, in between water changes. Seems to work for me so far, but I don't have any SPS, just coralline and an open brain. I may have to try something different when I get some SPS in there.

lobsterboy · #6 10-09-2009, 08:20 PM

looks like alot of reefers are using, the RHF method for keepin parms in line.

untamed · #7 10-09-2009, 08:48 PM

This question has provided some interesting replies! Good one.

I run a Kalk reactor during night hours only, and run a Ca reactor continuously. Both are controlled with pH meters and peristaltic pumps linked to the controller. These supply all my Ca/KH requirements.

I test Alk once per week (unless I'm having some problems). Maybe test Ca monthly, but I generally assume it is linked to Alk. I might test Mg only every 3 months. I've never had to dose Mg, which I cannot explain.