I can't keep up levels

mattdean · #1 04-29-2011, 01:08 AM

Well, they are not ALL SPS. About 40 or 50 are SPS - and all frags at the moment - and the rest are Zoas, LPS, Rics, Favia, Acans, etc. However, I am not placing my SPS frags right next to each other. It will fill in nicely and I will simply sell of the frags as I need to trim them. Also, it's a peninsula, so I am placing corals on both sides of the rocks, which gives them more places to grow.

It's laid out fairly nice ATM. Here's a vid to give you an idea :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I89KENiWMEw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq7CS...eature=related

spawn · #2 04-29-2011, 01:32 AM

No video, but her is a fresk FTS.

StirCrazy · #3 04-29-2011, 11:23 PM

ya I would say your going to have a fairly high consumption.

my recomendation would be to buy a Ca reactor used or new depending on what you want to spend. get the biggest co2 tank you can hide. I used a 30 lb one as it fit under my stand, fill it up and then enjoy the tank instead of testing and dosing every day.

the alternative to this is to buy a stand alone dosing pump and set that up. once you get it dialed in it is pretty nice also.

Steve

mattdean · #4 04-29-2011, 11:30 PM

I use a Profilux SA3 standalone dosing pump. I highly recommend it. Works well. I wanted a Ca reactor, but have no room for it. Be careful trying to set up auto dosing cheap. I know guys who have almost killed their beautiful tanks by trying to use aqualifters and normal light timers.

fishytime · #5 04-29-2011, 11:44 PM

I keep tellin ya about the profilux man

.......SA2 for me (mag is not added nearly as often as Ca and DKH so I did that manually).....but ya.....once you roughly know where your at, its pretty much set and forget.....and really easy to change dosing increments too......or you could do a Ca reactor...Ive never used one personally so I cant speak from experience as to how they are for adjusting and general maintenance and stuff....not as easy to hide and store reactor/Co2 bottle combo as a cable box sized dosing unit and a couple gallon reservoirs tho

oh and BTW sweet tank man.....that gonna be pure mayhem when it grows up......

spawn · #6 04-30-2011, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattdean

I use a Profilux SA3 standalone dosing pump. I highly recommend it. Works well. I wanted a Ca reactor, but have no room for it. Be careful trying to set up auto dosing cheap. I know guys who have almost killed their beautiful tanks by trying to use aqualifters and normal light timers.

That's what I have... in operation... & I'm still having to increase those dose's weekly. Every time I test which is 1-2 times weekly, I use the BRS calculator, top up & increase the dose to accommodate what has been used in the previous 24 hrs. let it go usually 3-4 days check & it'll be low. So then I'll top it up & repeat, top it up & repeat. The reason I got a doser was so that I didn't have to try to maintain by means of testing so frequently..... I can't have a reactor on this setup. I've had this online since Jan. & the daily amounts have been increased every single week with the exception of one. If that's set it & forget it, then I must be missing something because I've yet to achieve & maintain levels yet. My corals are growing & thirsty?? but this is high maintenance.

mattdean · #7 04-30-2011, 12:55 AM

What salt are you using? What are the numbers? You may be trying to make up for the lack of Ca in your salt. Or, you could just have a high demand, like me, in your tank and that's the way it is.

spawn · #8 04-30-2011, 02:34 AM

Again I test & match the in-going water to existing. Yes I agree high demand but can't help but wonder will it settle out for a while? Ultimately I guess I'm looking for people who've had a similar experience while trying to "dial in" their SA doser.

Why is sps so awesome that I had to fill my 1st tank with them, & then turn out to have this & patience as my biggest issue's so far?