Can I use auto water change for dosing?

[Gore15]

I have a small shallow reef of 20gl. Which means some of the dosing are at level of 0.1ml and not many dosing pump provide such accuracy. on the other hand I am planning to make my water change automated (1L per day). 

I wonder if I can dissolve all the additives into the water change bucket and let the basic dosing happen as the water is being changed during the day, if I see I need more dosing I can increase the water change from 1L to more or less. Do you think this is a reasonable solution for dosing or should I invest in accurate dosing pumps?

 

[patback]

Your water change itself will replenish a level that small.  You also can't add calcium and alkalinity at the same time.  

[Gore15]

1 hour ago, patback said:

Your water change itself will replenish a level that small.  You also can't add calcium and alkalinity at the same time.  

So you would recommend me to look into having a good AWC and ignore the dosing? The fresh 1L saltwater can keep the calcium, alk, amino acids, mg, etc well supplied?

[paulsz]

Just wondering, how much are you dosing of each (Alk,, Cal, Mg)?

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, Gore15 said:

So you would recommend me to look into having a good AWC and ignore the dosing? The fresh 1L saltwater can keep the calcium, alk, amino acids, mg, etc well supplied?

It all depends on consumption levels. Once corals start using up a lot of alk, you would need daily water changes.

 

So much easier, less expensive, less work manually dosing daily. I dose my alk and ca directly in tank, in high flow area 5 mins apart.

 

With esv bionic 2 part, if dosed manually in high flow area, you don't need to wait an hr or more to dose them.