[miserkris]

For my 75 mixed reef thats 2yo.....my alk was 4.9.,ca 360.
Amazingly corals r fine.

Wanna start dosing....whats the simplest , automated dosing u can suggest. Something that is cheap,automatic, least manual maintenance. Is the BRS peristalic pump,mix ok?any diy?....if diff bet diy & brand product is small I might as well buy some brs product.

Question:Shouldn't the mixes, be shaken before use, then how can they be used automatically

Pls advice

[mbg75]

If its lightly loaded, kalkwasser in the top off might be all you need.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[ecvernon]

alk was 4.9 meq/l or dkh?

[Awibrandy]

Did you test the magnesium? If you are going to be dosing, you should 1st. find out what all your parameters are. It could possibly be that your mag is low. I had this happen to me as well as others. Fixed the mag, and everything else was fine. So all I had to dose to correct the situation was magnesium.

I'd like the answer to your other question as well. I was confused about that too so I sold my dosing pump.

I really don't like the idea of putting kalk in my ato cause I don't want my reef overdosed in the event that the pump gets stuck, and dumps a bunch of it.

[miserkris]

Quote: Originally Posted by mbg75 If its lightly loaded, kalkwasser in the top off might be all you need. Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

U mean kalk in top off reservoir will take care of alk, and ca,mg? Or just ca?

I might try this simple option since its....er....simple! Thx

[miserkris]

Quote: Originally Posted by ecvernon alk was 4.9 meq/l or dkh?

Used elos dkh kit, at 10drops it was nice yellow (from cyan), so dkh is bet 4.5 & 5.
Lfs tested with salifert....he said its "4.9"

[ecvernon]

kalk replaces alkalinity and calcium. First you should bring your levels back to normal slowly. I reccomend you do water changes. what salt are you using? With regular water changes your Alkalinity should not have dropped so low

[miserkris]

Quote: Originally Posted by Awibrandy Did you test the magnesium? If you are going to be dosing, you should 1st. find out what all your parameters are. It could possibly be that your mag is low. I had this happen to me as well as others. Fixed the mag, and everything else was fine. So all I had to dose to correct the situation was magnesium. I'd like the answer to your other question as well. I was confused about that too so I sold my dosing pump. I really don't like the idea of putting kalk in my ato cause I don't want my reef overdosed in the event that the pump gets stuck, and dumps a bunch of it.

Tested just now, salifert....result is 1470ppm.
So my alk is 4.9,ca 360,mg1470...ppm.

I use RC salt, wc every 3wks,....my sps,lps are growing faster, from being small frags.

[Awibrandy]

Quote: Originally Posted by miserkris Tested just now, salifert....result is 1470ppm. So my alk is 4.9,ca 360,mg1470...ppm. I use RC salt, wc every 3wks,....my sps,lps are growing faster, from being small frags.

This most likely your issue! Not a bad thing Your corals I using it up quickly. Perhaps weekly water changes before you start dosing.

Anyone care to respond to the OP question on how the dosers work if there isn't any manual shaking of the bottles?

[KathyC]

Not sure what brand you folks are taking about dosing, but B-Ionic doesn't need to be shaken unless you are mixing the concentrate, and once that is done, you're good to go, it does not require continoius shaking.
If you read the Alk bottle - it states that it should be checked for crystalization during winter shipments, but again, once that is checked - and assuming you have a house with heat... again, you should be good to go.