2-Part Dosing Question

[720 Reefer]

I have been dosing 2-part for a few months now via dosing pumps. I am currently up to 22ml per day and I have that dosing just once each day. At what point is it best to split up the dosings? Is 22ml ok to dose once a day or should i split it into two or more doses? 75 gallon mixed reef. Thanks!

 

[Silent]

Alk at night seems to be common with cal during the day.

 

[redfishbluefish]

If your pumps/controller have the option of splitting up dosing, I'd do it. That said, 22 mls is approximately 0.4 dkh (guess, not knowing what product you're using, but certainly in the ballpark), and that "swing" per day is more than acceptable.

 

[720 Reefer]

Alk at night seems to be common with cal during the day.

Ok, yeah that is what I am currently doing. Just wondering if I should does each of them twice a day and split the doses in half to keep the numbers even more stable? Or if the one dose of each a day is fine.

 

[720 Reefer]

If your pumps/controller have the option of splitting up dosing, I'd do it. That said, 22 mls is approximately 0.4 dkh (guess, not knowing what product you're using, but certainly in the ballpark), and that "swing" per day is more than acceptable.

Ok great! I am using BRS 2-part with the Jebao DP-4 dosing pump, so i do have the option to split up.

 

[pecan2phat]

Wow, I do the exact opposite and split my dosing throughout the day as much as possible. I have my Jebao dose every 2 hours, even for Alk, odd for Ca.

 

[Uncle99]

I dose ALK every hour, on the hour, CA every hour on the half hour.
My corals love the stability these small but frequent doses makes.

 

[Dal-Reef]

I dose ALK every hour, on the hour, CA every hour on the half hour.
My corals love the stability these small but frequent doses makes.

Love your approach. Dosing just 30 min apart between Alk and Cal will your get some precipitation? Are you dosing into your return section in the sump. I am dosing during the day as well but calcium at night. Beautiful tank by the way

 

[LadyTang2]

Are there advantages to dosing the Ca portion and the Alk portion at different times?

 

[Dal-Reef]

Are there advantages to dosing the Ca portion and the Alk portion at different times?

Dosing at the same time can cause the ALK and Ca some precipitation causing both to not be available for the tank.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Alk at night or first thing can help with reducing pH swings. If you don't seperate Alk and Ca dosing by atleast 30 minutes they can precipitate out but I find that unless you are doing fairly large doses in a low flow area this is a null point.

 

[rfgonzo]

I dose the same as Uncle99 in to my sump cal on the hour and, Alk on the 1/2 hour. On a 12 hour a day cycle and I never get precipitation. I've been doing it this way for at least 10 years.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Are there advantages to dosing the Ca portion and the Alk portion at different times?

The goal is to not have the concentrated clouds of each from interacting with each other before they are diluted by mixing. As soon as the first is mixed in, it is good to go. Imagine adding food coloring. As soon as the tank was all the same color, enough time has passed.