What to avoid so you don't have to dose

[Gdbyrd]

I never want to get into a situation where I have to dose daily. I really want to stay with just once-twice 10% water changes weekly if that's at all possible.

Right now, with the corals I have, I have always had results in normal limits. I'm thinking about changing to a different salt, maybe reef crystals, so I will have to worry even less about it. (Currently using normal instant ocean).

I'm assuming if I have little to no sps in my tank I can accomplish this. But I'm not really sure. So far I really want to stay with LPS and softies.

 

[Rcpilot]

Good luck. My tank was perfect for 6 months, then the pH started falling and it's been low every since. Even my new frag tank has low pH. It's the bain of most reefers.

If you figure out how to keep a reef tank within normal water parameters without dosing - patent it. You'll be a zillionaire very soon!!

 

[dcantucson]

Rc it sounds like we both have the same problem. :grumble:

 

[daugherty]

i had that problem untill i added a large air pump and air stone to my sump and my ph went up. it is most likley from a high co2 in the tank not low o2 but high co2

 

[daugherty]

and as long as you stay away from sps you should be just fine with weekly or even bi weekly water changes.

 

[dcantucson]

i had that problem untill i added a large air pump and air stone to my sump and my ph went up. it is most likley from a high co2 in the tank not low o2 but high co2

That really works? Humm.......

 

[daugherty]

the extra air being pumped into the sump helps bring the co2 to the surface. my ph went from 8 all the time to 8.6 and at the low 8.0

 

[dcantucson]

I'm going to try it. Thanks.

 

[daugherty]

try it out it worked great for me

 

[Rcpilot]

I tried it. No change. Bought a dissolved oxygen kit. My tanks are between 6.5ppm - 7ppm. That's considered normal.

I think it's funny that everybody reaches for the old - "it's your co2" - explanation anytime a reefer reports low pH. Thats the easiest straw to grab and you will see the fastest results IF you do in fact have low o2 levels and high co2 levels.

But in my case, I've proven my low pH is NOT due to high levels of co2 in the water.

Like I said, you come up with a salt mix that has enough buffers and trace minerals in it - so I never have to dose again and simply do weekly water changes -- you'll be STUPID RICH in a very short time.

 

[daugherty]

start dosing kalk it will raise your ph with a small impact on alk and cal

 

[sen5241b]

Use salts mixes, like Reef Crystals, that have high levels of alk, cal & etc.