I've got my buffer number. How do I continue?

[Tom Toro]

My numbers are finally where I want them. I was dosing only alk (randy's 2 part recipe) until my alk was at 9.9dkh and my calcium numbers came down from way over 500 to 450. I'd like to keep it right here.

Mag is a little high cause of the Tech M I'm dosing, trying to rid myself of bryopsis. 1500

So do I:

1. dose the identical amount of my 2 part system starting today ?

Or

2. Stop dosing today, measure in 24 hours, see how much drop on each part and use that number to dose daily, even if it's 200 for alk and 10 for Ca? Seems like I'm always adding Alk and waiting for Ca to catch up.

Thanks for any help,
Tom

[Tom@HaslettMI]

Hands down #2 (http://www.captivereefs.com/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=2) . I almost never dose equal parts of alk and Ca. Always more alk... some days no Ca at all.

Tom

[BeakerBob]

Tom@HaslettMI has it right. I usually dose 2x Alk and 1X Ca for my tank.......yours may differ based on coral demand. Are you topping off with Kalk? Kalk will maintain your ratios, but will not correct any imbalances.

[Tom Toro]

Thanks for the replies, Folks! That makes good sense!

I'm not using kalk for replacement water.




Tom@HaslettMI has it right. I usually dose 2x Alk and 1X Ca for my tank.......yours may differ based on coral demand. Are you topping off with Kalk? Kalk will maintain your ratios, but will not correct any imbalances.


Hands down #2 (http://www.captivereefs.com/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=2) . I almost never dose equal parts of alk and Ca. Always more alk... some days no Ca at all.

Tom

[slapshot]

2 for sure. A tip if your making your own... Go to Kroger and invest 15 bucks in a digital food scale. The key to dosing is everything has to be exactly the same every time. If not you will be very frustrated.