I want to use 2 part dosing, where to start?

[bk_market]

I been reading 2 part dosing and i figure i will give it a try as my kalk aint keeping up anymore.

 

Now i look up bulkreefsupply.com but the basic package is like 60$ plus 20$ shipping which total to 80$. Im not sure for my 90g tank how long would that one last. I think that one come with 1g box of everything and some jugs.

 

My question is that is this where everyone ordering theirs? Any place local where I can get these? Please advise.

[jason the filter freak]

Also look into getting a dosing pump with 2 channels

Edited April 2, 2008 by jason the filter freak

[bk_market]

that might be expensive. i was thinking of dosing manually everyday.

 

It suck that i need to look into this 2-parts. i got calcium reactor setup running but my CO2 regulator i think is broken so i cant get it fully running.

For the last 1 month i been running my calcium reactor with media and no CO2 :(

Edited April 2, 2008 by bk_market

[vaironman]

Do you think a good CO2 regulator can fix your calcium resupply issue? If it will fix that then, talk to Dandy7200 , he carries the best C02 regulator on the market. I personally am using one that was purchased from him and can confirm to its quality. Super nice, very easy to dial the amount of CO2. My previous deluxe CO2 regulator didn't last pass 6 months in use and was pretty hard to dial for CO2 amount to go thru.

 

Very happy with Dan's regulator now.

[bk_market]

I been dosing kalk and my calcium stay at 380 and alk at 6 no matter what I do.

 

I bought an used setup of calcium reactor from a member but the regulator and bubble counter can't even turn on. Another member came over try to help me set it up but seem like it the regulator problem.

 

I am stocking my tank with tons of sps and clams so demand for calcium must be high. I either need to start doing 2part or get my calcium up running properly.

 

Hopefully the calcium running by itself with media in it will help dose calcium even though it might be a little.

[vaironman]

I would try to bring up the dkh to between 9 - 12 using kent dkh or seachem alkalinity. Eventhough calcium ideal is at 420, staying at 380 is OK to my understanding. Chances are you're using IO salt. If you regularly changes your water at 10% or more weekly, that should be fine. Can you take a pix of your tank and help everybody see your tank stockings.

 

If your CO2 regulator is broken as you suspect it to be, then there is not enough CO2 to bring up dkh and stabilize PH. I would try seachem alkalinity to bring up dkh and see if PH is stabilized, then try to bring up calcium to a higher level if you really desired. Keep good record keeping while you're measuring the water parameters as well as amount of daily dosings.

Edited April 2, 2008 by vaironman

[lancer99]

Calcium reactor + no CO2 = no calcium reactor

 

Unless you're using a salt that has highly elevated concentrations of both Ca and Alk, water changes probably won't help. And beware of buffers...a lot of them will bring down your Ca when you try to raise your alk, and vice versa.

 

The supplements from bulkreefsupply work out to about $10 per gallon, which is 4000ml. Depending on how much your tanks require, that can be quite a bargain.

 

-R

[shawns]

can you put another scoop into the stirrer??? maybe you could just get a bigger stirrer? that will make the concentration of your kalkwasser higher.

[Brian Ward]

bulkreefsupply.com is a good place to get your 2-part setup - that's where I got my setup from. Start with the two part total package (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Two-Part-Kit...oduct_info.html) the 1 gallon measurements are 1 gallon of the dry stuff - it makes probably 10 gallons of dosing liquid. It's very easy to mix up, very easy to dose and much cheaper than b-ionic or any of the commercial stuff.

[gastone]

What's your magnesium at? How much SPS and clams are we talking here? Is the tank mostly frags and slow growing clams (ie maximas and croceas), or is it mature with large colonies and fast growing clams (gigas, derasa, squammies)?

 

G.

[ErikS]

The supplements from bulkreefsupply work out to about $10 per gallon, which is 4000ml. Depending on how much your tanks require, that can be quite a bargain.

Or depending on load it can get quite expensive

 

What's your magnesium at? How much SPS and clams are we talking here? Is the tank mostly frags and slow growing clams (ie maximas and croceas), or is it mature with large colonies and fast growing clams (gigas, derasa, squammies)?

That's the $64,000 question - what's the load? If you already own a CA reactor it's likely cheaper to replace/repair the regulator than it is to startup/use two part.

 

Any ideas on which part of the regulator is broken? Symptoms?

[scott711]

I would recommend replacing the regulator.

[bk_market]

I probably will need to get a new regulator.

 

Now my CA reactor will probably supply enough calcium but how do i fix the alk problem?

 

I never check for magnesium before but i will look into it.

[ErikS]

I probably will need to get a new regulator.

 

Now my CA reactor will probably supply enough calcium but how do i fix the alk problem?

 

I never check for magnesium before but i will look into it.

Clarification? What is the current ALK "problem". Both kalk & CA reactors produce balanced additives = once the CA/ALK is in balance they won't go out of balance. And yes, MG is crucial - it allows the livestock to utilize the CA.....................and somethings like coraline consume it like candy (one reason I like CA reactors, they add MG - it's in the dissolving coral)

 

If the alk is low then you can buffer it until you get them balanced, once balanced the reactor(s) will keep it there.

 

Here's my "keep it simple" CA reactor process -

 

CA reactors are simple, there is no reason to over complicate the issue. Start with a just broken stream effluent & work from there.

 

Now -

 

1) get tank CA/Alk in balance & at desired levels

2) Test ALK

 

3) Alk high (increasing)?

a) yes, drop bubble count

b) no, do nothing

 

4) Alk low (decreasing)?

a) yes, up bubble count

b) no, do nothing

 

Test Alk every 24hrs, repeat steps 3 & 4 until stable.

 

It's much easier to just use the bubble count to match the demand from the tank - trying to keep a specific PH in the reactor or use low (drops/ml per minute) effluent rates just gives one a headache

 

During the initial setup you may want to check the PH in the unit, if the demand is such that you come close to the mush point (media dependent) then just up the effluent a bit & repeat steps 3 & 4 as usual.

 

In use example -

 

1) I have the effluent going at an un-broken stream, not real certain of the amount but maybe some 100 - 300ml per minute (could be more, doesn't really matter). Bubble count = it's making some, bloop...........bloop......bloop (no idea, maybe 13 - 15 a minute)

 

2) I measured the ALK of the tank & the effluent on Tuesday. Tank is 10, effluent it 14 (no real reason, just curious after all these threads). I like 9, so I tweaked the bubble count back a hair.

 

3) Measured the same on Wednesday, tank is 9 (what I like) & effluent is 11. I will check today, if tank is lower then bump it a hair.

 

What's the reactor ph? Don't know (I have a monitor on it but I don't use it) AND I don't care as it doesn't matter. Why check the effluent alk? No reason, just curios as I've posted this a few times lately, like the reactor PH it doesn't matter..........................the ONLY thing that matters is the tank ALK. I just change the bubble count (better = bubble amount) until I get what I want. As usual I monitor the tank's alk & adjust as needed.

 

The ONLY danger is mushing the media & if you use a higher (ish) effluent flow it's nigh on impossible...........unless you really push the unit.

Edited April 2, 2008 by ErikS

[rioreef]

Or depending on load it can get quite expensive

 

 

I bought the 5 gal Cal Chloride at $45, I will get approx forty 1-gallon mixes from that. Works out to $1.12/gal? Expensive...hardly.

 

Super-size that purchase and save big.

[ErikS]

I bought the 5 gal Cal Chloride at $45, I will get approx forty 1-gallon mixes from that. Works out to $1.12/gal? Expensive...hardly.

 

Super-size that purchase and save big.

That's 1/2 the equation, need the other part. Cheap for small/medium demands, not so much for high(er) demands.

 

At one time I calculated the cost, it would have been about $5 per month for both parts = $60/year. Not expensive, except the same for a CA reactor is about $35..............and this was with a moderate load. Near the end the demand was much higher (more like 1lb/month of CA media).

 

But really that's the beauty of this hobby we can all do what works best for each of us.

[bk_market]

so say i bought there total package which come to be 1g of each. How many 1 gallon mix can i get out of them and usually how long they will last if i have medium sps and clam stock? just approximate

 

By the way i check the site shipping is expensive

[ErikS]

so say i bought there total package which come to be 1g of each. How many 1 gallon mix can i get out of them and usually how long they will last if i have medium sps and clam stock? just approximate

 

By the way i check the site shipping is expensive

How many" See the post above mine - the big units can make several gallons. Only real way to calculate utilization is to measure/document the tank. How fast does alk & CA drop = how much you'll need to add = how long it will last. Too many factors to make generalizations, size of livestock can make a world of difference - it's more of a geometric progression.

 

Yep, diesel is expensive = heavy things cost a lot to ship.

[rioreef]

so say i bought there total package which come to be 1g of each. How many 1 gallon mix can i get out of them and usually how long they will last if i have medium sps and clam stock? just approximate

 

By the way i check the site shipping is expensive

 

 

Randy's receipe calls for 2 cups of each part. One gallon equals 16 cups. So approx 8 gallons mixed per gallon of bulk supplies. How fast you use this is dependent upons what ErikS said.

 

Bulkreefsupply sells the Soda Ash for Receipe 1 too. With this you do not have to 'bake' to drive off the CO2.

 

Buckets of chemicals are heavy, but buy in the big containers and you will not have to purchase again for awhile.

Edited April 2, 2008 by rioreef

[jamal]

to bring up your alk just use baking soda from arm & hammer. only bake the baking soda if if your ph is below 8.4. also dr. holmes farley talks about this issue extensively on reefkeeping online. if you have a high demand the 2 part will no longer be a frugal option. that being said it would be better to fix the calcium reactor since you have one and because it is easier to deal with than 2 part and you cant find a local calcium chloride of suitable purity anymore now that dowflake has changed their mixture.