Three questions to answer
| Question | If the answer is no | If the answer is yes |
|---|---|---|
| Is there measurable consumption? | Do not automate a number you have not observed | Repeat tests across a consistent interval and calculate the trend |
| Can water changes keep up? | Regular changes may be the simplest method | Compare the cost, labour and stability of a supplement plan |
| Can you monitor the result? | Fix the testing routine before adding a doser | Choose a conservative schedule with a stop rule and review date |
Signs that dosing may be premature
- The tank is new, lightly stocked or still changing week to week.
- Alkalinity and calcium readings are inside the salt mix’s intended range without a downward trend.
- You have not repeated the test with clean equipment and the same method.
- The proposed dose is based on someone else’s tank rather than your measured volume and consumption.
How to prove consumption
Test alkalinity and calcium at a consistent time, record the water-change date and avoid changing several inputs during the observation window. A fall between two comparable readings is evidence of net consumption; one odd result is a reason to repeat the test. Use the additive manufacturer’s calculator only after you have a reliable starting number.
What dosing can and cannot fix
Dosing can replace measured elements that are being consumed. It cannot correct poor salinity control, bad source water, a failed test kit, inadequate circulation or an unplanned nutrient problem. Fix the cause first when the tank is unstable.
Sources and limitations
This page deliberately avoids a universal “dose at X litres” rule. Manufacturer instructions differ in concentration and safe maximums; for example, Seachem’s Reef Fusion guidance asks users to dose by water volume and not exceed its stated daily limit. We have not tested any additive or tank system.