Now that I am using RO/DI, will I need to dose more?

[vlangel]

Hi folks, I have been doing marine tanks since the late 90s and have never used RO/DI water. I just got it straight from the tap, added IO and was good to go. However last year I tied a dedicated seahorse tank into my existing tank via the sump. I knew seahorses added a large bioload to a system so I upgraded my HOB prizm skimmer with a SCA 302. I am still fighting some algae and I decided that it is my phosphate heavy tap water so I am using a 5 stage RO/DI. My corals are LPS and softies, a clam and some calcareous macro algaes. My big WCs (close to 50% a week) were keeping my corals happy without dosing CA, alk or Magnesium. Do you think I will still be ok or will the RO/DI strip a lot of that out of the water? If so do you think changing to a reef salt will make up the difference?

[Begow]

Hi folks, I have been doing marine tanks since the late 90s and have never used RO/DI water. I just got it straight from the tap, added IO and was good to go. However last year I tied a dedicated seahorse tank into my existing tank via the sump. I knew seahorses added a large bioload to a system so I upgraded my HOB prizm skimmer with a SCA 302. I am still fighting some algae and I decided that it is my phosphate heavy tap water so I am using a 5 stage RO/DI. My corals are LPS and softies, a clam and some calcareous macro algaes. My big WCs (close to 50% a week) were keeping my corals happy without dosing CA, alk or Magnesium. Do you think I will still be ok or will the RO/DI strip a lot of that out of the water? If so do you think changing to a reef salt will make up the difference?

 

I'm pretty sure the salt is where most of your minerals come from. I don't dose, although I have a very small tank! Water changes weekly are enough for me

[vlangel]

I'm pretty sure the salt is where most of your minerals come from. I don't dose, although I have a very small tank! Water changes weekly are enough for me

 

That would be great because I do big water changes even though my system is 65 gallons. I do 10 gallons 3Xs a week. Seahorses need very clean water from a bacterial standpoint.

[Begow]

That would be great because I do big water changes even though my system is 65 gallons. I do 10 gallons 3Xs a week. Seahorses need very clean water from a bacterial standpoint.

 

Yeah I would think you're fine then. Unless you have a HEAVY SPS load, then I wouldn't consider dosing.

[piano15]

You shouldn't need to dose anything if you are doing weekly or bi weekly water changes. The elements you need in your tank will be replenished with the water changes from the marine salt.

 

I wouldn't dose anything you aren't testing for. Are you testing calcium, alk, and magnesium?

 

The only time I would suggest dosing is when something is being depleted from the system, so if you were to notice on a regular basis your calcium was dropping then I would look into your options to correct the depletion

 

Most reefers use RO/DI or distilled water and most of those I know dosing, have SPS dominant tanks. I have never dosed my tanks, just 10-15% weekly water changes.

 

Sometimes keeping things simple is the best option

[vlangel]

Yeah I would think you're fine then. Unless you have a HEAVY SPS load, then I wouldn't consider dosing.

 

Thanks. No I have very few sps for that reason.

You shouldn't need to dose anything if you are doing weekly or bi weekly water changes. The elements you need in your tank will be replenished with the water changes from the marine salt.

 

I wouldn't dose anything you aren't testing for. Are you testing calcium, alk, and magnesium?

 

The only time I would suggest dosing is when something is being depleted from the system, so if you were to notice on a regular basis your calcium was dropping then I would look into your options to correct the depletion

 

Most reefers use RO/DI or distilled water and most of those I know dosing, have SPS dominant tanks. I have never dosed my tanks, just 10-15% weekly water changes.

 

Sometimes keeping things simple is the best option

I have avoided sps for that reason, I hate testing although I have kits for all those. I do have a clam although it's a crocea which are slower growing than other clams so it probably uses less CA. Thanks for the info, I will just keep doing my big WCs then.

[piano15]

Do you do 50% on both tanks or just the seahorse tank?

 

That's quite the water change, I've only ever heard of doing 50% when there is a problem in the tank.

[vlangel]

Do you do 50% on both tanks or just the seahorse tank?

 

That's quite the water change, I've only ever heard of doing 50% when there is a problem in the tank.

My tanks share the same sump so both tanks get the WC. Seahorses are susceptible to bacterial infections and tests kits don't show that. The only way to combat bacterial infections is due diligence. They also get gas bubble disease and it's thought to come from too many dissolved organics in the water column. A good protein skimmer helps with that but again big water changes is a sure thing. I used to worry that my beneficial bacteria would suffer but my tanks have lots of big dense rock with tons of life on it plus the reef has a DSB. Lastly I use Seachem Stability with every WC.

[bioload]

If I were to test for one thing (besides temp and salinity) on a regular basis after cycling a tank it would be alkalinity. IME older reef tanks, say over a few years old, have trouble maintaining stable alkalinity without supplements even with regular water changes and few if any sps.

[vlangel]

If I were to test for one thing (besides temp and salinity) on a regular basis after cycling a tank it would be alkalinity. IME older reef tanks, say over a few years old, have trouble maintaining stable alkalinity without supplements even with regular water changes and few if any sps.

Yes I always check salinity with every WC too. Temperature with seahorses is controlled with a digital controller in the chiller which is a necessary piece of equipment for me. The tanks stay below 74. You can help with alkalinity and PH if you change out some sand periodically and replace with a fine grain sand on the top layer.