Alkalinity dosing without Calcium

[Reefahholic]

In that article I detail the exact reasons and extents of deviations.

You’re saying there can be deviations. So why is it hard to consider that some reefers may see Alk at 8 and Ca climb to 570 when they’re dosing a 1:1 ratio of both.?

When total demand is very low, those minor deviations can be significant or even dominating and do not reflect coral demand. When demand is higher, the demand ratio will be close to the expected ratio

But, many reefers aren’t seeing minor deviations. They’re seeing major deviations.
Search this forum alone.

We agree that when the tank is actively growing and chemistry is dialed in that the consumption will likely be closer to what you described (1:1 ratio). I think we agree there.

The point I’m trying to make is when those conditions don’t exist…some reefers are seeing a moderate or significant increase in Ca (say 500-600’s), and a 1:1 ratio should no longer be considered or followed.

At that point the most obvious course of action would be to abandon the 1:1
dosing ratio, and dose “LESS” Ca or “STOP” dosing completely so that Ca can fall naturally back into a normal target range of about 420-430. We have seen this work well many times, and ICP-MS supports that. Reefers have been able to get the Ca level down and maintain good Alk and Ca targets this way. Many of these cases were not hobby grade testing errors.

IMO, only give the system what it’s asking for. If it’s not consuming Ca at the rate you’re dosing…why keep dosing at that same rate? I dose everything as the tank is consuming it. No problems ever. If everything is based off consumption, I don’t see how anybody can ever have a problem. My .02 cents.

 

[Lavey29]

My alk and calcium rock and roll together in total Feng shui

 

[Dom]

Water changes to maintain alk work in a low demand tank but not in a medium to high demand tank.

One suggestion is to buy the supplements now and dose them manually once a day, then see if you want a pump in the future.

I've tried manual dosing, and it lead to numbers that were all over the page. But it did get better when I began using a dosing pump.

I purchased this from BRS:

4-Head Dosing Pump

Simplicity 4-Head Dosing Pump - Accurate, Effective, and Affordable 4 Individually Programmable Pumps Compact, Space Saving Design Multiple Mounting Options Custom-label Each Pump Head The Simplicity Dosing Pump is an accurate, effective, and affordable liquid dosing solution. The four...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

It is a 4 head dosing pump, very basic function and reasonably priced at $150. And it lives up to its name "Simplicity". Very easy to use.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You’re saying there can be deviations. So why is it hard to consider that some reefers may see Alk at 8 and Ca climb to 570 when they’re dosing a 1:1 ratio of both.?

But, many reefers aren’t seeing minor deviations. They’re seeing major deviations.
Search this forum alone.

It's not impossible. I stated exactly why dozens of times. It would have happened in my tank. I do not think I ever said it was impossible. AFR and kalkwasser or pure CaCO3 in a reactor will do just that without water changes, and I warn people about it all the time. It is a long slog to get there, but it happens. At 2 dKH alk per day, calcium will rise about 1 ppm per day. In a few months, the calcium rise can become significant, especially without water changes

What is impossible, and also have said so many times, is a large daily imbalance. The 1 ppm per day is not a large daily imbalance. It is a difference of about 5%. A 5% daily imbalance is possible, especially with a poorly designed two part. A 25% daily imbalance is NOT possible unless the demand is very low (say, 0.1 dKH per day) and there are other causes of imbalance happening, such as nitrate issues.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

But, many reefers aren’t seeing minor deviations. They’re seeing major deviations.
Search this forum alone.

Sure they do, and I respond to them all the time. They happen for the nondemand issues that I have detailed many times, such as a poorly designed two part or one not even intended to be 1:1 (no reason to assume ANY two part is properly designed without checking), testing issues, mismatched dosing pumps, clogged dosing tubes, water changes with a mix not matching the tank, or when demand is very low.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IMO, only give the system what it’s asking for. If it’s not consuming Ca at the rate you’re dosing…why keep dosing at that same rate? I dose everything as the tank is consuming it. No problems ever. If everything is based off consumption, I don’t see how anybody can ever have a problem. My .02 cents.

I see lots of causes for problems, even if you do not.

1. Testing is obviously not always accurate. That is easily proven in many instances when folks claim impossible things based on their "tests". Magnesium rising 50 ppm in 2 days of no dosing, calcium dropping 40 ppm overnight with no alk change, etc. I do not have the confidence in random hobbyist use of test kits that you do.

2. In many instances folks just did not monitor calcium long enough to see the drop, and when they finally do, they end up having to dose the sum of all the daily doses they skipped for not "seeing' it. That may not be a problem, but it certainly is not a reason to avoid balanced dosing daily.

3. If the cause is water changes, I agree, dose only what appears to be needed, but a long term imbalance in dosing of many two parts will cause a long term imbalance in other ions, such as potassium since it may only be in one part or the other and will be continually forced up or down by unbalanced use of a two part. Better to fix the salt mix than continually dose the tank in an unbalanced way.

4. One of the claims to fame of a CaCO3/CO2 reactor is the set it and forget it mantra. It seems to fly in the face of mismatched demand claims, and two part users who seem to want to mismatch doses because they can, when in fact, if they did not, everything might be fine anyway.