Hi all I’m going to start dosing 2 part and was just wondering are all 2 parts roughly the same . Here n Canada I find it hard to find anything good there is a lfs hear that sells nyos alk/mg/cal just wondering if it’s any good or what do ppl recommend
2 part additives
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benscorals
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I would recommend Bionic Calcium and Alkalinity 2 part. You can order it online for a lot cheaper than the lfs will have it.
chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
The most basic two parts just supplement calcium and alkalinity. Some supplement calcium, alkalinity and trace elements (like B-Ionic). Some two parts like Tropic Marin are actually three parts, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Some are designed to have higher pH boosting effects.
I personally would start with Randy's two-part recipe. For the alkalinity part, add 297 grams of baking soda to a gallon of water. Baking soda can be found at any grocery store. Use any of the many calculators out there to determine how much to dose. For calcium, order any food-grade calcium chloride dihydrate off the Internet. Add 250g to a gallon of water. Dose the same amount of the calcium solution as you do the alkalinity solution.
Magnesium can be made if you need it, but most salts have elevated magnesium these days anyway. You may not need to supplement it for a while.
If you feel like experimenting after you get comfortable using Randy's two-part, you certainly can branch out. In terms of a quick, easy and cheap supplement, it's hard to beat Randy's DIY.
I personally would start with Randy's two-part recipe. For the alkalinity part, add 297 grams of baking soda to a gallon of water. Baking soda can be found at any grocery store. Use any of the many calculators out there to determine how much to dose. For calcium, order any food-grade calcium chloride dihydrate off the Internet. Add 250g to a gallon of water. Dose the same amount of the calcium solution as you do the alkalinity solution.
Magnesium can be made if you need it, but most salts have elevated magnesium these days anyway. You may not need to supplement it for a while.
If you feel like experimenting after you get comfortable using Randy's two-part, you certainly can branch out. In terms of a quick, easy and cheap supplement, it's hard to beat Randy's DIY.
benscorals
Community Member
They come in either 1 gallon jugs or 5 gallon buckets. They are very reasonably priced. 80$ worth of alkalinity and calcium lasts me a year on my mixed reef 155 gallon tank.
blasterman
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Part A is plain old calcium chloride and part B is sodium bicarb, aka baking soda. Baking soda here in the states costs 50 cents a box for food grade at the grocery store. I can throw it in a fancy bucket and call it 'reef miracle magic made from unicorn droppings' and sell it for 1000% markup if you like. 
Chipmunk has good advice.
Chipmunk has good advice.
Part B is not Sodium Bicarbonate (aka Baking Soda). Part B is Sodium Carbonate ( aka Soda Ash). Baking Soda will adjust Alkalinity with only a slight drop in pH. Soda Ash will adjust Alkalinity and raise pH significantly. *According to BRS.
Dkeller_nc
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That's true, but the effect is temporary. There's an equilibrium between carbonate/bicarbonate in seawater that's affected by pH and the CO2 in the atmosphere surrounding the tank. Once equilibrium is attained, the pH of the tank water at a constant alkalinity is controlled solely by the percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere, regardless of whether the aquarist replaces alkalinity consumption with bicarbonate, carbonate, or hydroxide.
Having said that, equilibrium may take quite a while depending on the amount of critters/algae in the tank respiring CO2, the surface agitation, the temperature, and other factors. The "pH boost" effect of using hydroxide or carbonate to replace alkalinity may therefore be pretty minor if the tank doesn't consume much or fairly dramatic if the tank is consuming a lot of alkalinity and it's dosed nearly constantly.
Having said that, equilibrium may take quite a while depending on the amount of critters/algae in the tank respiring CO2, the surface agitation, the temperature, and other factors. The "pH boost" effect of using hydroxide or carbonate to replace alkalinity may therefore be pretty minor if the tank doesn't consume much or fairly dramatic if the tank is consuming a lot of alkalinity and it's dosed nearly constantly.
