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BaaMNYC

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Jarett I heard you shouldn't dose alk and cal at the same time. They combine and precipitate and cancel each other out. I dose with a BM doser got it for $210 used on mr.I think there was a sale on brs for single doser but right now it's $80 each new. You can get two and put them on timers.
 
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Jarrett

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i dose alk first let it clear and then dose calcium, i don't put them both in at the same time. the dosers don't seem like a good enough option for me, with the price to buy 2 of those separate i would easily be close to 250$ and a lot of the reviews on them say there not reliable. i am really tempted to try out the kalk, but in an sps dominated tank would it even be enough to make a difference.
 

BaaMNYC

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i dose alk first let it clear and then dose calcium, i don't put them both in at the same time. the dosers don't seem like a good enough option for me, with the price to buy 2 of those separate i would easily be close to 250$ and a lot of the reviews on them say there not reliable. i am really tempted to try out the kalk, but in an sps dominated tank would it even be enough to make a difference.

Brs had it on sale for $40 each before when I was trying to decide.
 

lnevo

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I bought some chinese models on ebay for 26 each. I am aware of their reliability. I can monitor my ph for any large swings and can disable the dosers if i see any problem plus i plan on keeping close eyes on them. They are nothing but dc motors with rollers and i think any brand motor can fail and according to reviews as you pointed out they all do....so i figure Im no worse off with these. Ive also read good reviews people using aqualifters for dosing...i think the key with all these is having a controller that can support running/timing in seconds..

Also on the aqualifters they are vacuum based with a diaphragm and you can get replacements as thats whats likely to fail.
 

Jarrett

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yea i am going to look into those for the future, right now i am going to put kalk in my top off and give that a try and see if that can knock down the amount i have to dose, to possibly not make a drastic swing in params. 30 ml of cal and 20 ml of alk is by no means a lot so if i can knock those down lower by using kalk i think i would benefit from that. if that doesn't work ill have to look into a dosing method.
 
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I would say with confidence and 15+ years of experience that manual dosing is not even remotely a contributing factor in your growth rate provided your levels hold at the appropriate levels. I have been manually dosing large quantities of 2-part forever. I'll let my tank and its growth rate speak for itself.

Kalk does not go bad and it might help, but you better keep a close eye on your pH and be very confident in your delivery method.
 

Jarrett

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could you link me to where you got them for 40$? i only find them on BRS for 90$ and if you only dose every night how do you do that with a timer? aren't most timers in half hour intervals.
 

Jarrett

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i only have the api ph test i dont have a probe will that suffice for now? when would be ideal times to check it since its in the ato it only turns on for very short amounts throughout the day and night.
 
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Personally I wouldn't run kalk without a probe.

I just really feel Sps dominated hobbyists should spend extra money to help with stability. doser/reactor along with a ph probe is important unless your going to hug your tank which most of us can't do.

Anyways, do you run a controller?
 
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Glad to hear your running a controller, automation isn't needed but for some people it's the only way to keep a tank stable. Many of my close friends are prime examples.

Do you actively test your tank? Do you check waterchange water to prevent major swings?
 

Jarrett

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yes i always test the tank and for months it has been consistently 450 and alk 8.4 just recently params went a little off but that was because i wasn't dosing consistently i have to dial it back in after i see what the kalk does. as far as water changes i do not test the water but i do the same amount of salt every time 10 1/2 cups brings me to 1025 and then i heat the water, none of my corals even close after a water change.
 

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