what size dosing containers?

[monkiboy]

working with synergy reef to make some dosing containers for the build. it's about 500g system volume with what will be a 265 SPS dominant display, a 50g SPS frag tank, and the rest of the volume is filtration based.

 

if i want to allow at least two weeks between having to fill up containers, how many liters or gallons you think is necessary based on your experience with your large system and approximations?

 

thanks!

[camelcruiser]

I have the vertex 2.5 liter containers on my system which is currently about 240 gallons and fill them up about every month. The tank isn't sps dominated but I do have some pretty large pieces of sps.

[monkiboy]

thanks for the input saad. based on some larger builds i've been reading up on and researching, i was seeing around 9 liters a month (around 2.25g) on 200-300g displays with similar water volume so maybe if i my container was around 1.75 or 2g or so might do it...

[BowieReefer84]

I was going to say 2gal.

[camelcruiser]

I would say that 2 gallons would be more then enough, maybe fill them less often then you planned.

[OldReefer]

I use the 2.5 gallon container from BRS on my SPS heavy 150 gallon reef with big clams. They will go about 4 weeks. I would go at least that big for your setup. Big clams really suck up the two-part.

[ridetheducati]

Marco,

 

Let's look at the math.

 

Considering a 500g system that consumes 1 meq/L alkalinity or 2.8 dkh and 20 ppm of calcium per day.  This is a moderate to high coral load.  My system currently consumes half this amount.

 

Alk - option 1, dosing 34 oz of soda ash two part solution for maintenance, 34 x 14 days = 476 oz (4 gallons)

        option 2, doing 67 oz of sodium bicarbonate two part solution, 67 x 14 days = 938 oz (7.3 gallons)

 

Ca - option 1, dosing 35 oz of two part solution, 34 x 14 days = 476 oz (4 gallons)

        option 2, dosing 70 oz of alternate calcium two part solution per day for maintenance, 70 x 14 days = 980 oz (7.5 gallons)

[Cliff Puckstable]

You should get 50g containers for each.

 

Wouldn't a Ca reactor be more economical in a system that consumed that much? I would hate be be filling my jugs every other week. That's just another thing to be worrying about. My gallon containers last 2-3 months.

[OldReefer]

I am a big fan of two-part dosing, but I might consider going back to a Ca Reactor for a system that big.

[camelcruiser]

I feel like it will take a considerable amount of time before you get to that consumption though. I'm sure those who already chimed in have a better idea though just seems like a lot.

[ridetheducati]

I am a big fan of two-part dosing, but I might consider going back to a Ca Reactor for a system that big.

 

Personally, I recommend CaRx for SPS dominated systems at 120g and up.

[ridetheducati]

I feel like it will take a considerable amount of time before you get to that consumption though. I'm sure those who already chimed in have a better idea though just seems like a lot.

 

Depends on how quickly he ramps up the stocking.  My system took 8 months and I stocked extremely slowly (snails pace).  Also, my old system was consuming 3 dkh per day and that only took 2.5 years.  In addition, clams are calcium hogs.  I had a Derasa clam that started at the size of a quarter and 16 months later it was the size of a football. 

[camelcruiser]

I guess I'm going to have a H-E-double hockey sticks of a time with my 300 then with the two part. I don't know if he is planning on keeping clams I thought I remembered seeing somewhere he is planning on keeping large angels I may be wrong though.

[ridetheducati]

I guess I'm going to have a H-E-double hockey sticks of a time with my 300 then with the two part. I don't know if he is planning on keeping clams I thought I remembered seeing somewhere he is planning on keeping large angels I may be wrong though.

 

As described above, it will depend on rate of consumption.  Looking for a challenge, try maintaining a system that consumes 5 dkh per day with two part.

[monkiboy]

thanks for all the input folks. i know there are a lot of ways to go about this but in being shown the math, talking to a few folks tonight, i'm going to heed the general advice here and go with a calcium reactor. i haven't tinkered with one in a few years so it's back to the drawing board for me on that one and am immersing myself in videos and threads. i'll have a couple new threads posted up on questions i can't seem to find answers to that might be beneficial to those in a similar boat as myself. pretty excited that i get to buy new reef toys!

[OldReefer]

This is an interesting thread.    I ran the numbers, and I am running almost 4dkh a day.   I don't think I am that heavily stocked, but I have a couple of really large Derasas.    That must account for some of it.   Moral of the story for me, is that it is not that hard to get a tank that sucks up a lot of two-part.  

 

I have to say though I really hate the low pH you have to fight when you run a Ca Reactor.    Maybe the new recirculating reactors are better than the ones I ran 10 years ago....  

[ctenophore]

This is an interesting thread.    I ran the numbers, and I am running almost 4dkh a day.   I don't think I am that heavily stocked, but I have a couple of really large Derasas.    That must account for some of it.   Moral of the story for me, is that it is not that hard to get a tank that sucks up a lot of two-part.  

 

I have to say though I really hate the low pH you have to fight when you run a Ca Reactor.    Maybe the new recirculating reactors are better than the ones I ran 10 years ago....  

You can counter that with kalk on a dosing pump.  It's a perfect compliment to a ca reactor.  You can also add multiple chambers to the output of a ca reactor to help raise effluent pH.  That is how I am doing it now that my tank's sps population is quickly rising.

 

Also keep in mind Ca Rx & kalk are balanced additives; no need to worry about ion imbalances as with dosing huge amounts of 2 part.

[ridetheducati]

This is an interesting thread.    I ran the numbers, and I am running almost 4dkh a day.   I don't think I am that heavily stocked, but I have a couple of really large Derasas.    That must account for some of it.   Moral of the story for me, is that it is not that hard to get a tank that sucks up a lot of two-part.  

 

I have to say though I really hate the low pH you have to fight when you run a Ca Reactor.    Maybe the new recirculating reactors are better than the ones I ran 10 years ago....  

 

Everything in reefkeeping has its strengths and weaknesses, including CaRx.  There are methods available, to name a few, Kalk, CO2 scrubbers, improving surface agitation to combat low tank pH due to excessive CO2.  Most hobbyist begin to chase numbers, which is a mistake.  Low pH in a tank is only a problem when NOT using a CO2.    

 

I previously posted my old system (180g) consuming 3 dkh per day.  The CaRx was running with 120 - 130 bubbles per minute at 60 ml, which is pushing a reactor very hard.  The tank pH range was 7.8 - 8.0.  I was not concerned with the low pH because the overall system was healthy and thriving.