Dosing top off and during water change?

[FishTacos]

Hi, I have had my tank for 1.5 to 2 years. Im trying to do a mixed LPS/SPS tank and have had fair success. I traditionally have stuck to my weekly 20% water changes, assuming that this would preclude the need for dosing and testing parameters. However, I have recently realized that I am low on alk and calcium. I have just started dosing with brightwell aquatics 2 part solution and am measuring alk/calcium daily for now until I get things under control.

 

My question is:

1) Should I add the 2 part buffer to my top off water, or is using RO/DI adequate.

 

2) Should I add 2 part buffer to my salt water before water changes to make sure that the alk/calcium is the same as in the tank.

 

Thanks

 

(also, if anybody has any ideas, how can my torch coral, candycanes, and acans be on the verge of dying for the past 2 months with horrible growth, while my SPS (monte cap, acopora) and clams are doing pretty. good. Im hoping that fixing alk/calcium will help but i thought the LPS would be more forgiving than SPS.

[krug1313]

What type of salt are you using? I use DD H2 ocean pro and with bi weekly water changes I don't dose anything.

[FishTacos]

What type of salt are you using? I use DD H2 ocean pro and with bi weekly water changes I don't dose anything.

I use brightwell aquatics neomarine.

[eternal]

I would not add it to the top off water.

 

Yes the new water should match what you want the levels in the tank to be.

 

I would think about checking the magnesium. I had some trouble with lps until I got the magnesium right.

[FishTacos]

will check mag

[lakshwadeep]

The reason two part solutions are separated into two parts in the first place is that they will precipitate out calcium carbonate when combined because they are too concentrated, which is likely to happen in a top off reservoir. A better alternative would be kalkwasser (a solution of calcium hydroxide) as part of an ATO since it can't be added quickly in large amounts.

 

You could be okay with adjusting the water change water as long as you test what the original levels are. There is a possibility of precipitation if you add too much. In that case, it would help to get a "reef" salt like DD H2Ocean that has increased calcium/alkalinity levels already.