Introducing an Easier Way: Reef Hacks Aquarium Calculator

Unless you majored in chemistry, monitoring and dosing reef tank nutrients can feel like taking the SAT’s after sleeping all school year. It’s confusing, complicated and if you get it wrong, the consequences are worse than summer school.

After years of studying and discussing our beloved underwater hobby, I’ve witnessed friends, hobbyists and colleagues monologue about everything from lighting issues to coral food choices.

While the challenges and rewards of reefing vary from one hobbyist to another, the topic of nutrient dosing is universally revered as a necessary frustration.

From water testing to calculating the best dosage, this required tank care process is notoriously challenging.

As the tides of reefing rose into the mainstream hobbyist universe, millions of coral admirers dove into the opportunity to create a slice of the ocean to call their own. For many first time reefers, they understand the increased care requirements of saltwater tanks when compared to freshwater aquariums, but didn’t quite grasp what this actually meant.

Reef tanks take a lot of work, but why?

Aquarium and Reef Calculator v2.0

Measuring, Monitoring, Dosing, Oh My!

Frequent water changes and configuring the perfect lighting scheme is one thing, but maintaining perfect water chemistry balance is in a league of its own.

Over the years, monitoring water chemistry has evolved from a tedious, and complicated, task to one capable of being completed automated.

Reef tank automation systems are truly miraculous, but simply aren’t for every reefer. Ultimately, this left countless reefers who desired an easier way to monitor and dose their tank little options.

That’s not okay.

Reef Hacks was established to make this beneficial, beautiful and therapeutic hobby accessible for all.

Introducing a New Era in Water Testing and Dosing.

From drawing board to your home, our Reef Aquarium Dosing Calculator is designed to streamline, automate and simplify the art of water parameter balance.

Stemming from our fascination with reef chemistry calculators, and listening to the desires of our fellow reefers, this Reef Tank Calculator is customized for the modern reefer.

So, what exactly does a Reef Aquarium Calculator do? More importantly, can it actually make a difference in the stability and vitality of large, small, new and old reef tanks?

Let’s take a deep breath, and dive into the warm waters of progress.

What is a Reef Aquarium Calculator?

Aquarium chemistry calculators, which are also known as dosing calculators, assists in monitoring the fundamental chemical elements needed for a healthy tank. These include:

• Alkalinity
• Calcium.
• Magnesium.

Seems easy enough, right? How difficult is balancing three simple elements? If you aren’t sure, I hate to break it to you, but it’s pretty difficult.

Achieving and maintaining precise chemistry balance is inherently difficult. Because standard maintenance and care requires adding or removing water and other nutrients, this delicate balance is as easily unbalanced as a toddler walking on a tightrope.

Frequent water changes, filtration media, supplementation and many other necessary tasks directly impact all three chemical elements.

This is where the Reef Chemistry Calculator comes into play.

How the Reef Chemistry Calculator Works.

It’s difficult to imagine maintaining proper dosages and chemical levels could be as easy as pushing a few buttons, but it is.

We constructed this dosing calculator to:

• Quickly perform magnesium, alkalinity and calcium calculations based upon aquarium size/setup and supplement type/supplier.
  
• Provide accurate dosages without dealing with complex automation software and difficult-to-understand formulas.

Simply because it calculates complex chemical requirements doesn’t mean it should be complicated to operate. The Reef Hacks Reef Chemistry Calculator delivers precise dosage recommendations in four steps:

• Step #1 - Enter your tank water volume using the control panel.
• Step #2 - Select your supplement/additive brand from the conclusive list.
• Step #3 - Input current Alkalinity, Calcium or Magnesium levels.
• Step #4 - Choose the desired level for the designated chemical.

In a matter of moments, the calculator displays exact dosage amounts (in ml) to achieve the desired water parameter.

Restoring Confidence and Beauty for Tanks and Reefers.

Will the Reef Chemistry Calculator solve all of your aquarium problems? Probably not, but what it does accomplish maintains a healthy and balanced ecosystem, which is the cornerstone for a vibrant reef tank.

by Yuliya Ivanova for ReefHacks.

WARNING! 

Even though the Reef Chemistry Calculator simplifies the art of refined water parameter balance, it’s not a complete automation tool. If you aren’t careful about the supplements used in your tank, you may accidentally destroy the underwater paradise you’ve worked so hard to create.

When dealing with chemical supplements, sometimes even a minor mistake can have disastrous effects. Unless you’re well-versed in how these products interact within an aquarium environment, be EXTRA cautious when dosing.

Thoroughly research brands and supplement ingredients. Some products are known to use a variety of compounds within their solution. Basically, this means while you think you’re only adding Calcium, Alkalinity and/or Magnesium, you’re unknowingly adding a myriad of unknown substances.

Powder-Based Supplement Warning;

Powdered product conversions between weight and volume are approximations. Due to the differing granular sizes among products, avoid adding the entire suggested dosage amount. After dosing your tank with slightly less than the total dosage amount, test water parameters before continuing.

Reef Hacks has made every possible effort to construct an accurate and stable Reef Chemistry Calculator, but alas, no matter how hard we may try, nothing is perfect. Therefore, we cannot assume responsibility for any problem or issue caused by the use of the calculator.