Additives/Dosing

[C-Dog]

hey guys im interested in improving my reef
is there like a general additive you can put in the tank like once a week or something?
i see lots that u need to dose everday...

lemme know thanks!
Corey

[Adam Chappell]

Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium very easy to use

[White Lightning]

Yep that's what I use as well. Always remember to perform water tests before adding any sort of chemicals to your tank.

[mikerobart]

Do you mean for general maintenance of Ca/Alk / Mg ? Or are you talking about in addition to that. The question seems pretty open ended!

In general, your options to maintain the big three are:

1. Water Changes
2. Kalk Reactor / Ca reactor / both
3. Dosing 2 part & Mg manually
4. Dosing pumps

Obviously you have to do WC's anyways but of course for many systems that would not meet demand and levels will fluctuate too much. If your system has high demand you'd be leaning towards option 2 or 4. I am thinking of using the bulk reef supply stuff with their dosing pumps eventually on my 90g once it is fully stocked.

As long as you test test test, and then carefully dose you should be fine. I like the idea of dosing pumps because it is precise, easy to set up, and easy to maintain very constant levels, provided demand is not increasing or decreasing rapidly (ie, you test frequently enough as corals grow, or you remove them etc.)  Also cost effective.

Calcium reactors seem great but scare me a little and I am very space limited under my tank. Also with Kalk and Ca reactors you have to be very careful with set up, and ensuring your pH is not too greatly affected.

[Hookup]

I have a simple, but not cheap solution.  Ultralith + Baling Method from www.faunamarin.de and a proflux controller + dosing pumps... this is what I run, it's virtually 100% automated and with a good p-skimmer and regular water changes you'll have highest quality system... automated...   but it's not free... doing it with-out a dosing pump is very easy, just more daily "crap" to tend to...

I can do a post/writeup if interested on how the system works.

[salvini55]

Tim please document your system. Im interested in the bailing method. Tell me more about your proflux controller, Im thinking about getting an RKL3.

[kole18]

i'd just used bio calcium and if its not enough i also dose turbo calcium, regulary test my calcium level, mag & salinity those 3 are the main things you have to keep in your mind has to be in right level. i know some of you are using new methods like fauna, actually i also use this amino acid fauna works to help bring back the coloration of your coral. anyhow i only have 40 gal dominated with sps got 4 clams in it pretty much im running my system sps, lps and some of zoo's softy too.

[Hookup]

Tim please document your system. Im interested in the bailing method. Tell me more about your proflux controller, Im thinking about getting an RKL3.

Sure thing mate.  I'll run a new thread...

[JD]

Hey Tim,  I am running balling now and was considering UltraLith. Let me know when you have your new thread as I'm interested also.
I have everthing on spec except nitrates, I can't seem to get below 3 regardless what I do.

[Hookup]

a) 3ppm isn't bad.. 0 is better.. but seriously, 3ppm is good

b) i'll get that post up tomorrow, after hangover and coffee.