water change husbandry & supplemental study

[SharkLover]

Please reply to this post if possible in the following format, i want to study husbandry. I understand there are multiple thread about this. I have made the title easily to search and hope these organized thoughts help really put some good information into this thread instead of paragraphs of comments and recommendations.

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?
2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)
3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?
3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later).
4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread.

Again, this thread is to study husbandry in terms of supplemental dosing and how we complete the task.

Thanks to everyone who participates and have a happy holiday season!

-Anthony

 

[bigdog]

i change water once a month. cal alk i dose 1 hour after the other. my salt mix is in a 35 gallon drum i add my salt and mag a power head stirs it up. i do my water changes with that i allways have salt water on hand

 

[stingythingy45]

"1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?"
Maybe once

"2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)"
Anywhere from 4-6 hours.

"3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?"
Yes

"3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)

Every night

"3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later)."

I never feel any need to supplement unless I test and it's low after my water change.Then I'll dose appropriately.


"4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread."

It all goes in the sump one after the other.
Alk then calcium and bi-weekly,Mg. if that's low.

 

[SharkLover]

Thanks to those who have participated. Please continue to provide input into the thread. I'm especially interested in seeing how long people wait before supplementing mg to their RO/DI water change resevior. Then how long they wait to dose the next suppliment and the order in which they supplement.

Here's my husbandry

"1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?"
Once a week

"2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)"
24 hours

"3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?"
Yes

"3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
Not including daily supplements.
I begin dosing MG the same day after 2-6 hours of water mixing

"3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later)."

Water change supplementation takes place after the intial 24 hour period that the salt has gotten a chance to mix. i begin by dosing mg. here's where i'm devided as I haven't decided on the next course of action. I choose to dose Alk because calcium will precipitate. Alk dosing occurs after 24 hours of the mg dose, and calc dosing also occurs a few hours after on the same day.

SO in a nut shell
day 1 = water mixs
day 2= mg supplement
day 3= alk & calc supplement



"4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread."

I have a problem with the length of waiting 3 days to supplement but I also have a problem with alk and calc being supplemented in the same day. This is why I have asked for input on husbandry and chemistry talks. I believe this is a better way and I just havent found it.

-Anthony

 

[SharkLover]

Correction to the above

*I believe there is a better way and I just haven't found it.

 

[jayman10134]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?
once a month at most.

2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)
5 - 10 minutes

3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?
yes

3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
whenever i think of it, usually 1 - 2 times a week
3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later).
calcium, mg, and alk, all at the same time, the only time seperating them is the time to measure out the amounts
4. i know probably nobody would suggest doing it the way i do it, but if it works i figure why change it

 

[jbishop]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?
Every Tuesday night.

2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)
48 Hours

3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?
Not in the water change, paramaters are good from the salt mix (Coralife), but I test every water change.

I have a reactor with ARM media and dolomite (for mg)

3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
This would be 24 hours a day I guess

3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later).
N/A

4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread.
N/A

 

[Jeff.:P]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?

Every Tuesday

2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)

24 hours

3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?

3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)

I first test the display water after a WC then supplement.

3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later).

All gets dosed at the same time.

4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread.

n/a

 

[SharkLover]

Interesting results as i was not expecting to see people dosing all at the same time. Keep it coming, thanks everyone. its great input.

 

[stevenp]

1) Twice per month
2) 12-24 hours
3) Yes, mg and ca
3a) Dose both mg and ca to freshwater at the same time, then add salt after mg and ca have had a chance to dissolve (a few minutes)
4) I've found that adding ca and mg after adding salt contributes to brown deposits on the mixing vessel. These deposits are eliminated if I add ca and mg first, let dissolve, then add salt.

 

[SteveDola]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?"
every monday usually.

"2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)"
usually 12+hrs

"3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?"
not since making the change to tropic marin pro

4. NA
_______________________________
pretty standard: mix RO with salt, toss in a heater and couple of pumps. let it mix-check SG. turn off skimmer, turn off ATO, drain out 5g and replace with new into the sump. turn back on the pumps.

 

[Miller]

"1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?"
Once a month....I'm fairly lazy. The tank looks better when I change weekly, but it still does well when I forget.

"2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)"
24 hrs minimal, sometimes weeks depending on how lazy I am.

"3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?"
Yes

"3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
Not including daily supplements.
MG and CA. IO is a little low but bulk MG and CA from Bulk Reef Supply is CHEAP.

"3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later)."
MG and CA go into the mix right after the salt has dissolved.

 

[SharkLover]

4) I've found that adding ca and mg after adding salt contributes to brown deposits on the mixing vessel. These deposits are eliminated if I add ca and mg first, let dissolve, then add salt.

It's funny you mention that. I Just finished cleaning the brown deposits from my mixing vessel. I was wondering what that was all about. Great comment. keep it coming everyone.

 

[Technorch]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?
10g every Sunday and the 4th Sunday I do a 20g water change

2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)
24hrs

3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?
depends on the testing after the water change

3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
usually the day after after I do my water change I test for everything and then I see what the water needs

3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later).
I usually just need to add calc. I would wait an hour or 2 if I needed to add more stuff

4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread.

n/a

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

1. every other week
2. hour or so
3. nope
3a. n/a
3b n/a
4/ i do suppliment Vitamin C for growth.

 

[jackthestrat]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?
I do water changes 3-4x yearly, unless I believe there is something wrong.

2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)
Approximately 24 hours.

3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?
Yes, through a CA reactor. No MG dosing.

3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
24/7 to my display.

3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later).
I don't.

4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread.
No Comment

 

[jtmac]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?
25g Every week

2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)
24-48hrs

3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?
yes

3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
add C bal 1 day after water change and mg 2 days

4. Lastly (Comment part), if you separate your supplemental times because of due "Cause and effect" please feel free to explain the chemistry behind it. It will greatly increase the quality of this thread.
No comment

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

Im probably doing somthing wrong because im seeing signs of a crash, cloudy water, 3 corals compleatly RTN'd and my softies are shriveled.

 

[Liam]

1. how many times a month do you perform a water change?
- weekly 5 %

2. how long does your salt mix before water changing? (ex. 24 hours)
- several days

3. do you supplement mg/calc/alk?
-no (only via calcium reactor)

3a. If yes to above, when do you supplement? (example, After the 24 hour salt mix)
-N/A

3b. How do you separate your supplement times? (example, I supplement mg after mixing salt for 24 hours then supplement calc 2 hours later and Alk 12 hours later).
-N/A