SeaChem Reef Complete (Reef Dosing)

[Pcollins0901]

Ok guys, I am planning ahead and wanting to get squared away with dosing regarding my 100 Gallon mixed reef tank. This tank will be a mixed softie, LPS and maybe some SPS if I want them and feel my setup can support them. For now, my tank is freshly stocked with an assortment of softie frags, plus a torch and one LPS species.

Anyways, I am eyeballing Seachem Teef complete to utilize for my Calcium, Mag, and str.

Based on what I read it's basically mixed to your typical proportions for each. I like the idea of this bc I don't wanna purchase an Auto doser at this time and I'm always fighting time and really will have a hard time dosing 4-5 supplements daily (4 week old newborn, two jobs).

So anyone used this for Cal, Mag, and Str? I know I will have to dose an additional alkalinity buffer.

Anyone out there using SeaChem Reef Complete? If not what u using with success?

 

[bribo12]

Are you testing for said parameters. In that large of a tank unless it is pretty packed with growing/large frags or colonies of lps or sps you're gonna be able to replenish these values with wcs.

 

[Pcollins0901]

That's what I thought as well. I'm using instant ocean salt. Not the reef crystals, but the regular. My calcium was 340 a few days ago. Phosphates 0, nitrate 5ppm. Haven't got my Mag test kit yet, as I'm not planning on dosing anything right now, just wanting to be prepared.

 

[bribo12]

What test kit are you using? 340 seems incredibly low even just for instant ocean salt?

 

[Pcollins0901]

API. It a new test kit, so should be ok. I will recheck it again. That reading was first time iv used it, so I might have done something wrong or counted dropped wrong.

 

[bribo12]

It's just not a very accurate test kit for anything other then ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. I'd look into getting Red Sea or salifert kits for alk, calcium and mag. Usually the API calcium kit tests low from my experience and what I've seen

 

[Pcollins0901]

Hummmmm, crap I just bought them. I will look into those others.

 

[Sniperhank]

Just do water changes on the system. Even regular instant ocean is enough to keep up with the parameters in a low populated coral tank with weekly 10%.

 

[Pcollins0901]

10-4. I will do that tomorrow and see what happens. Was planning a 25 gallon change

 

[Pcollins0901]

Just tested my KH. Reading 7 dKH that's a little low. PH yesterday midday was 8.

 

[Sniperhank]

Dosing will throw things out of whack, as ph should vary from the time of day.

 

[Pcollins0901]

Yeah, I know when I dose things are going to be crazy for awhile. Hopefully I can so it slow so organisms can acclimate. I just don't want my setup to limit what corals I want, if I fill I can have them. Iv got adequate lighting and skimmer is working great and the fug is full of chaeto, deep sand bed, and pods. Once things stabilize in about 4-6 months I should be able to keep what I want "if I have adequate parameters". Hopefully the softies will have some good growth during that time so if I run a super clean tank from what I read, they prob won't grow much more anyways. I do want a mixed tank though. I'm just trying to gather info well in advance prior to making any decisions. Thanks for the info.

 

[Sniperhank]

Outside of extremely mature SPS systems, I don't know of a reason to dose anything. I never needed to dose my reef tanks. I did and did more damage than good, back when I thought I knew better than what advice I was being given. Some food for thought.

 

[Pcollins0901]

That makes perfect sense. I was def going to take your advice. Haha I don't know much with saltwater, just learning along the way. I was just looking at ideal parameters for the specimens I have in my tank and it is currently not in them. My pH, the carbonate hardness are off. Also, the calcium and mag, which I know isn't important for what I have in the tank now. I'm not going to dose anything, but if I ever need to, I wanna know a little about it so I ain't starting from scratch. I do appreciate all the advice, please keep it coming!

 

[Sniperhank]

Calcium and Mag actually are important. They are tied together with your alk levels. As alk goes up, calc goes down...and vice versa. This is managed through your mag levels. So, when one gets screwed up the others get out of whack too.

 

[Pcollins0901]

I done a 20 gallon water change about an hour ago. I just tested some parameters:

Ca = 340
pH = 8.1
PO4 = 0
dKH = 8 = 143.2 ppm
Nitrate = 10

My nitrate test before, I realized I was comparing it to the freshwater card lol. So I was around 20 before.

The macroalgae has been in the fug about a week and is growing nicely, so should help with my nitrates before they get out of control.

So based on what iv been told here and what iv read, they are 4 scenario.

1.) The test kits are off on Ca and low as was stated earlier in thread

2.) My refractometer is off and my salinity isn't 1.024. I did calibrate it with DI water.

3.) I got a bad batch of salt

4.) everything is accurate and my Ca is just low for some reason. I have little coralline in the tank, so that's not using it up. Do have some corals and other inverts.

First I'm going to get my salinity checked for accuracy.

Also, I am using RODI water.

Just an update.