When dosing tank

[Tinyfish]

When dosing a tank, where should a person put the doses and how much to add at one time? I am concerned about livestock coming in direct contact with the doses. Let's say I do not have a refugium or sump.

For increasing the following:
Ph (If drastic action is required)
Calcium (I don't know all the things that would increase Alk and Ca other than buffer)
Strontium
Iodine (the safe kind)
Magnesium
Potassium

For decreasing Nitrate
How much water change can livestock (fish, coral) tolerate if for some reason there is a spike and drastic action is required

 

[corwin]

Without a sump dosing should be done as slowly as possible and in the area of greatest flow, like in front of a powerhead.

Water changes up to 50% can be done to correct catastrophic issues. I believe that water changes may be your be st option here as well since you seem to have several parameters off.

There sever good articles on the subject by Randy Holmes Farley that should be required reading for anyone keeping marine aquaria. I know that I fall back on them when in doubt.

CHEMISTRY AND THE AQUARIUM by RANDY HOLMES-FARLEY, Ph.D.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria by RANDY HOLMES-FARLEY, Ph.D.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

Another article on phosphates:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm

Corwin

 

[ReefGod]

On a 20g tank, i would seriously consider buying a 2 part b-ionic, 32oz bottle will last you half of a year. As far as dosing everything else, just get a good name brand salt and do frequent water changes a few gallons per week, and that's all you will need. I've had numerous times when I accidentally dosed directly on fish and corals, they close up a bit but as far as I can tell it doesn't do any damage.