Help dosing for the first time- Nuvo 40

[Jslnano]

I tested my levels on my Nuvo 40 lps tank and think that I may need to start dosing. Tank is roughly 13 months old. I use Red Sea blue bucket salt which mixes around 410 cal and 7.7 dkh. My 30 gallon volume of tank water is currently 6.7 dkh and cal 370. I did the brs calculators and it's saying to add 28 ml of alkalinity to raise to my goal of 8. And then saying to add 153 ml of calcium solution for my goal of 420. Should I need to add that much more calcium solution compared to alkalinity solution? I had the understanding that you add about the same ml of each to maintain parameters. I added 1/3 of each of those calculations tonight. Just want to check with you guys to make sure that is correct and that I don't make a big mistake. Thanks in advance~

[charlesgage]

You are fine. What is your magnesium level? What is your actual display volume? 

 

You should shoot for alk higher than 8 if you have LPS. I would slowly work your way up to the 10-11.5 range. If you magnesium level is low you will find is harder to keep cal and alk up.

[Jslnano]

Thank you for the reply!..my mag is about 1230 which is what the salt mixes at. My actual water volume is about 30 gallons after the rock, sand and equipment. I do a 5 gallon water change every 7 days..never missed once. So why does it take so much more calcium liquid than alkalinity? It takes that to raise the levels but then I should add the same to maintain once I figure out consumption? I will test again tomorrow and update. I plan to get some dosers set up. 

[Clown79]

I think that stability is more important than the actual number. Anywhere from 7-10 works, some say lower is better and some will say higher. The best is stability.

 

If your salt is mixing at 7.7 thats the goal to stick with. Maintain that.

 

If you want it higher, change salts or plan on dosing your waterchange water and then dosing the tank to maintain those numbers.

 

My tank is full of sps and lps. They are doing better now with my alk at 8 in 1 tank and 7.7 in the other than when my alk was at 10.

[Jslnano]

Do you guys dose close to the same amount of ca and alk? Or do you dose a different amount for each? 

[Clown79]

My method is testing the tank after waterchange and I dose to maintain those numbers.

 

Your mixed water can mix at 11dkh for example but when you do a waterchange, it's not that level in the dt.

 

I use 2 part esv bionic dosers and its equal parts for ca and alk so they stay balanced.

[Jslnano]

Thank you for the advice I really appreciate it. I got my alk up to 7.5 and cal to about 425. My mag is 1280 which seems fine. Now testing daily for a while to learn my tanks needs hopefully. I have been very nervous about dosing for a long time. Once I get it figured out, I think I will have earned the responsibility of trying out some sps! 

[bob115]

The reason the numbers are different is because you aren't maintaining levels with this dose, you are purposefully adding them in an unbalanced way to adjust the levels in the tank to a new ratio and level.