M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 So I finally calculated my dosing rate of each pump. So pump one doses at 1.3986/min (I'm rounding up as to not overdose) so Pump 1= 1.4mL/min Pump two. Same thing but 1.2924/min so Pump 2= 1.3mL/min Here are my ca and alk levels and what the BRS calculators said I needed. Ca- Alk- What I need help with, or more or less second checking myself, is how many minutes a day to run each pump to get the desired levels without overdosing those levels each day. So how many how many minutes how many times a day as well as period of the day to alternate ca and alk (BRS has a recommended max mL dosing per day if you read the instructions to the right of each elements calculated picture) I want to stay within these parameters while alternating the dosing of ca and alk. (I realize fine tuning will be needed but your help should get me in the ball park. I'm still at home on the computer to buy the tickets to the game it feels like. Miles away from the ball park haha) Thanks a bunch!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 M6S1K3,That's great that you were able to determine the actual dosing rate of your pumps. Before you start dosing of any kind, I just wanted to double-check you on your desired levels. I see 440 ppm Calcium and 190 ppm (10.6 dKh) for your desired values on the BRS calculator. I don't see an issue with 440 ppm Ca but 10.6 dKh seems a little high. While there are proponents of higher alkalinity possibly increasing growth rates in corals, I haven't read any research that is definitive on that. I personally run 8.0 dKh, which I see is your current level on the calculator. My 2 cents, I'd stick with that alk level. But to get back to dosing, if 440 ppm of Ca and 10.6 dKh of alk is where you want to be, I'd personally just hand dose it up to that level. The reason being, as for dosing, the ideal scenario is to bring you levels up to where you want it, and then use the dosers to keep them there. It's the same method with dosing with a calcium reactor... for instance, I bring my calcium to 420 ppm and my alk to 8.0 dKh, using 2-part solution. Then, once the levels are where I want them, I use the calcium reactor to keep them there. For 2-part dosing, the same idea. Bring your levels up to 440 ppm of Ca and 10.6 dKh of alk and then once they are at that concentration, use your 2-part dosing to keep them there.For calcium, you can just add the 435 ml of the Ca mix in a high flow area of the tank... slowly. Allow it time to distribute and don't pour it too fast. I tend to just pour a little at a time while I'm messing with other items in the tank or feeding the fish. This is right at the max of 50 ppm they recommend to increase the tank so it shouldn't be a problem.For dosing of your alk, since you're at 8.0 dKh right now, I'd dose half the recommended amount today and half tomorrow... 68 ml each day... since the max recommended increase per day is 1.5 dKh. Alk you really need to pour VERY slowly and in a very high flow area of the tank... preferably in front of a powerhead and try not to blast it into corals if possible. I usually take my time throughout the day to pour in the alk... just a little here, a little there. You'll see your pH jump up fast too but if you're only dosing 68 ml/day, it won't be a huge issue.The next step is to actually determine your consumption. After hand dosing to attain target levels, I usually like to give it an hour or two and test my levels. Once your Ca is reading 440 ppm and your alk reading 10.6 dKh, retest exactly 24 hrs later if possible. The difference in concentrations from Day 1 to Day 2 is the consumption rate of your tank. That's how much is uptaken by your corals/clams/corraline/etc on a daily basis. I typically like to do two days of testing to confirm consumption... letting it go to a 3rd day and see if the same amount was consumed from Day 1 - Day 2 and Day 2 - Day 3. That'll confirm your consumption rate.Once you have your consumption rate... let's just say 10 ppm of Calcium/day and 0.5 dKh/day, you use your dosers to put exactly that amount back. I don't know your tank size so I'm just going to use 100 gallons as an example.For 100 gallon tank, you need to dose 102.3 ml/day of Ca and 35.7 ml of alk/day. You then divide those values by the actual dosing rate of your pumps. 102.3 ml divided by 1.4 ml/min gives you 73 mins/day you'd need to run the pump to maintain your calcium. 35.7 ml divided by 1.3 ml/min gives you 27.5 mins/day you'd need to run the pump to maintain your alk. I would have at least a minimum of 30 mins apart for dosing Ca or alk but I used to dose them about an hour apart just to be safe. Someone please check my math... it's been a long day of work. Hope that helps... please feel free to ask for any clarification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madsalt Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 give this a shot http://www.reeftronics.net/adpg/dosingcalc.php/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 That is an awesome site except I don't have an apex. So it generating how to type in the code is somewhat pointless. If it displayed the exact times to dose it would be perfect. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Ty. Thanks a lot for the help. What is the conversion of alk ppm to dkh. I want my dkh at 9 not the 10.1. So that's for pointing out a flaw. Glad you caught that. And secondly I will definitely hand dose up to the levels and then test daily to find consumption and then maintain. I appreciate it! Some people say dose alk and ca at opposite parts of the day but a few hrs apart should be sufficient? And what's the best way to make the solution to bring them up to level. Right now I have my two 1 gallon jugs already made. Just pour them into a ml measuring cup to the desired ml needed and pour in slowly to my tank? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 No problem. Conversion is multiply ppm by 0.056 to get dKh. Most actually prefer to dose alk at night so that it offsets the pH drop you get at night. Then you can dose the Ca any other time. If you followed the BRS instructions correctly to make the solutions, it's as simple as measure and pour the needed volume. I'd actually dose on the lower side initially to make sure there wasn't any error in creating the gallon solutions. It's much better to underdose the first round then overdose and nuke your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Ok Ty. Thanks! Yea I have a fuge that's crazy so I get no drop in pH at all. No matter time of day. In this case is it safe to dose alk any time? Or .... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Your preference then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Thanks Ty! I'll let you know how it turns out Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Ty. What about mag? Also I could t at before I start dosing to level and see the consumption from yesterday to today. Right? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Yes, any change from one day to another is a good indication of usage. Mg generally only needs to be dosed on a monthly basis... it's uptake is slower than Ca and alk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 And dosing that is the measured amount from brs if I have the 2 part mg and pouring it in all at once? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Yeah, just aim to not dose more than 100 ppm/day of Mg. If more is needed, spread it over a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Ok. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Started my tests now and dosing soon. Hopefully I don't mess it up Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Started my tests now and dosing soon. Hopefully I don't mess it up Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk If your tank blows up... I will remove all record of this thread and deny everything! [emoji86] 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M6S1K3 Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Ty I Pm'd you Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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