Help dosing

[Elykreefs97]

Have been dosing my tank for about a month now but all I have in my tank are some zoas and Xzenia should I keep dosing or just stop until I get my candycane coral which is my next coral of choice. Also I need some help understanding the chemistry of my tank I keep my calcium low at about 260 for now. And I still have to buy my alk. Test kit. Then my mag. Kit

 

[ccCapt]

If your test kit is showing calcium at 260, more than likely the test kit is bad or you are reading the result wrong. It's almost impossible for calcium to get that low in a typical saltwater system.
What exactly are you dosing? Number 1 rule is don't dose anything your not testing for and only dose when testing shows you are low on something.

 

[Elykreefs97]

Ok and it's the API test kit I just tested I wasn't waiting for the test to turn completely blue it's actually at 430 ppm which is good so when I test of my calcium or alk start to drop then dose?

 

[Phranque]

With those corals, I wouldn't be dosing at all.... Dosing really isn't a concern until you decide to get into SPS. And if/when you do, get better testing kits than API.... they are nowhere near sensitive enough.

 

[Elykreefs97]

I already bought the API so that's what I have to stick with for my bday in a couple months I'll get a new better test kit. Ok do no doseing. I'm getting a candycane coral in a few weeks.

 

[Elykreefs97]

So I tested my water and these are the results.
PH 8.0
Amonia-0.25
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate-0

And then my calcium was at 340 befor I dosed and then after I got a lower reading. The API test kit isn't good at all. But I don't have the money for a new one I need it to buy my RODI unit and refugium what should I do?

 

[Nosaj81]

i use api all the time you it is difficult to tell between the pink and purple of the colours as it get to be a dark pink b4 turning purple it takes a while to get used to it

 

[Elykreefs97]

It's when it turns blue but it starts to turn after like five drops and calcium can't get that low.

 

[EriksFish315]

Buy your rodi and don't worry about dosing until you get a few more corals. I have a 55g reef with lps softies and a few sps frags and haven't dosed once since setting the tank up a little over a year ago just weekly water changes of 10 gallons.

 

[Shirtlessbill]

In all reality you don't need to dose. Not yet anyway. Routine water changes with your salt mix will be plenty. In order to 'have' to dose you need a fully stocked tank with all your colonies being mature. Personally I wouldn't even start yet.

 

[tjreef]

I agree water changes are the best way to to bring everything beck to where it needs to be... the salt mix has calcium and all that in it and you to have to worry bout over dosing.

 

[Elykreefs97]

Ok thank you I was wasting my calcium. At least I got practice I do water changes weekly so it will work out.

 

[bavass]

I would worry about .25 Ammonia before Calcium

 

[Elykreefs97]

I know what should I do to lover it?

 

[tjreef]

I would suggest not doing a water change because the benificial bacteria change the ammonia into less harmful nitrites from what i understand. The best thing i would say is to get a ammonia conditioner... would like someone to back this up first because mostly what i have read and i have only had a tank for just over a year.

 

[tjreef]

Is the tank still cycleing because i have never had a problem with ammonia?

 

[bavass]

I would buy bacteria start adding it and let the ammonia go away naturally

 

[Nosaj81]

I would suggest not doing a water change because the benificial bacteria change the ammonia into less harmful nitrites from what i understand. The best thing i would say is to get a ammonia conditioner... would like someone to back this up first because mostly what i have read and i have only had a tank for just over a year.

yes the one bacteria turns ammonia in to nitrites, then another turns nitrites in to nitrates,(there is another that converts nitrates in to nitrogen gas) most systems dont have this bacteria and that why we do water changes

 

[bavass]

Fritz-Zyme 9 Saltwater Nitrifying Bacteria - AquaCave.com

 

[tjreef]

Ok just figured doing a water change would get rid of some of that bacteria and u would be hurting yourself.... In a situation where u need the ammonia to go down. I do 20% every 2 weeks but recently switched to every week becuase when i moved tank to new home i have had a diatom bloom. Every 2 days it seems like the tank is just covered but seems to be getting better.