dKH

[NanCrab]

My coral growth reached the tipping point and I’ve had to start supplementing nutrients because water changes weren’t keeping up with demand. My dKH has stabilized at 10 and for the well-being of my corals and inverts I would like to keep it stable. I know the “normal” range is 8 - 12 but I also know there is a sweet spot.
Ive got the ATI Essentials pro down to 5ml per hour, each component on alternating hours.
What say ye experts?

 

[gainesvillereef]

What is your tank size?

 

[NanCrab]

125 with 40g sump

 

[gainesvillereef]

Based on their calculator that would be a reasonable initial dose for heavy sps and with clams and undiluted.

 

[NanCrab]

Their calculator gave me an initial dose of 140ml/24 hrs. I started there and have been dropping it every other day. My dKH started out at 7.6, Calcium 260, Mg was low but I’d have to go back and look at the actual number. We did do a substantial water change though and stupid me I didn’t recheck parameters before I started it. So the 5ml is actually only 1.25ml due to pump calibration being 100ml=175ml. I have to add 75% to the calculated volume for my pumps to deliver prescribed amount. Sorry if that’s confusing. So I’m actually right now dosing 33ml/day now.

 

[Fishtile Exotics]

I keep mine at 9.3. This gives me a faster growth rate with my sps and also gives be a buffer if it goes down a bit. When dosing alk you have to dose calcium. Its best to dose one during the day and the other at night. that way you don't mix the two.

 

[NanCrab]

I keep mine at 9.3. This gives me a faster growth rate with my sps and also gives be a buffer if it goes down a bit. When dosing alk you have to dose calcium. Its best to dose one during the day and the other at night. that way you don't mix the two.

Hi Fishtile (sorry don’t know your actual name) Are you familiar with ATI Essentials Pro? It is like a multivitamin multi mineral supplement, not simply a “2 part”. I’m just trying to keep it stable right now. We are inexperience. Have had the tank up and running about 9 months. Everything was testing within range and stable then I had surgery and missed some testing but sps were dying left and right. When I was well enough I retested and all my numbers were in the toilet. I’m wondering if when I added the clam, that died within weeks, depleted a lot of the nutrients and we just didn’t know enough to keep on top of it. We have several different, confusing issues going on right now that we’re trying to sort out.