2 part dosing

[MikeJT]

On a YouTube video from FishOfHex, he strongly recommended that when dosing Alk & Calcium it should be in equal amounts. Is this a best practice?

 

[BadPanda]

I'm a newbie when it comes to dosing but I don't think its right. Ex. Alk 8.0 and cal 400 and want to increase cal to 460. I believe you would add more cal dosage and maitain alk dosage to increase cal. Once you reach your target numbers maintain dosage to keep the numbers where you want it. I currently dose 2.5 mL twice a week for my Nuvo 20 with water weekly change to maintain my alk and cal. I could also be wrong. I'm pretty sure someone with more knowledge will provide a better elaboration.

 

[Larry L]

Most two-part calcium and alk supplements are designed so that dosing equal amounts will maintain the balance of ions in your system. You're basically adding calcium chloride (the calcium part) plus sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate (the alk part), so the calcium and the carbonate become available to your coral in the same ratio that they normally uptake from the water to build their skeletons, and the sodium and chloride just end up as salt.

Like @BadPanda said there might be times when you need to raise either calcium or alk relative to the other, but once you reach target levels you should dose in equal amounts (assuming the supplements you are using were designed as a two-part system). There's a good article here by @Randy Holmes-Farley about getting calcium and alkalinity in line with each other (I think it's still a valid URL but for some reason seems not to be working right now):

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

On a YouTube video from FishOfHex, he strongly recommended that when dosing Alk & Calcium it should be in equal amounts. Is this a best practice?

Are you finding some off ratio works better?

 

[Rst]

Are you finding some off ratio works better?

Thanks Randy, your 2002 article on solving Alk & Ca problems should be really helpful to a lot of us here. I am really grateful to you & another member for bringing this article to our attention.

One thing that isn’t really clear to me is, do I discontinue my use of B-Ionic 2 part while I follow your article’s advise to help bring my tank back into balance? My tank has always been firmly in zone 4 (Alk 7.5-8 and Ca 550-600). I also have been using Seachem’s (orange box) salt for years and wonder if this might be part of my balancing problem.

 

[Rst]

Most two-part calcium and alk supplements are designed so that dosing equal amounts will maintain the balance of ions in your system. You're basically adding calcium chloride (the calcium part) plus sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate (the alk part), so the calcium and the carbonate become available to your coral in the same ratio that they normally uptake from the water to build their skeletons, and the sodium and chloride just end up as salt.

Like @BadPanda said there might be times when you need to raise either calcium or alk relative to the other, but once you reach target levels you should dose in equal amounts (assuming the supplements you are using were designed as a two-part system). There's a good article here by @Randy Holmes-Farley about getting calcium and alkalinity in line with each other (I think it's still a valid URL but for some reason seems not to be working right now):

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

Sorry my post 20 minutes ago should have been in response to Larry L post

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Randy, your 2002 article on solving Alk & Ca problems should be really helpful to a lot of us here. I am really grateful to you & another member for bringing this article to our attention.

One thing that isn’t really clear to me is, do I discontinue my use of B-Ionic 2 part while I follow your article’s advise to help bring my tank back into balance? My tank has always been firmly in zone 4 (Alk 7.5-8 and Ca 550-600). I also have been using Seachem’s (orange box) salt for years and wonder if this might be part of my balancing problem.

Thanks.

If you want, you can use just the alk part while the calcium declines. Or you can use a DIY alk supplement during this time, such as baking soda.

 

[Rst]

Thanks.

If you want, you can use just the alk part while the calcium declines. Or you can use a DIY alk supplement during this time, such as baking soda.

Thanks Randy. My question to you about the possible Alk/Ca balancing effects of the salt I am using, I should have written “Instant Ocean” reef crystals. Do you think this salt may well contributed to my balance problem. Sorry about my salt name error, maybe I was having a senior moment

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Randy. My question to you about the possible Alk/Ca balancing effects of the salt I am using, I should have written “Instant Ocean” reef crystals. Do you think this salt may well contributed to my balance problem. Sorry about my salt name error, maybe I was having a senior moment

Reef Crystals (when properly formulated, at least) is not the cause of high calcium relative to alk. It actually is quite a high alk mix.

 

[Potatohead]

I don't want to speak for Randy but I do believe he has mentioned a few times that altering the amounts to stay within your desired parameters is fine. If you do regular water changes your balance won't go out of whack anyway.

 

[Rst]

Reef Crystals (when properly formulated, at least) is not the cause of high calcium relative to alk. It actually is quite a high alk mix.

Appreciate your input. Thanks

 

[Super Fly]

Alk & Calc interact with each other, when Alk goes up Calc goes down vice versa. In other words they work in balance, which is why Fishohex said they should be added in equal parts. here's a good article explaining 2-part dosing, how to get your tank balanced and maintaining that balance. https://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/the-right-way-to-use-2-part-additives/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't want to speak for Randy but I do believe he has mentioned a few times that altering the amounts to stay within your desired parameters is fine. If you do regular water changes your balance won't go out of whack anyway.

That's correct. Deviation from 1:1 typically wouldn't be necessary (or at least not routinely significant) if the two part were perfect and if water changes with a mix not matching the tank did not mess with ratios of alk and calcium. Water changes are the biggest factor messing with demand ratios.

There are a few situations where the demand is skewed by processes that use or produce alk and have no effect on calcium. One is a sulfur denitrator (lowers alk) and another is nitrate dosing (adds a small amount of alk).

 

[MikeJT]

Are you finding some off ratio works better?

Not really, I've been dosing now for little more than a year and stability hasn't been good. Maybe that is the reason.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Not really, I've been dosing now for little more than a year and stability hasn't been good. Maybe that is the reason.

What do you mean stability hasn’t been good?

The recommended way to use a two part is to use both parts equally to maintain alk, and then, longer term, make minor adjustments to the calcium dose as needed.

 

[MikeJT]

Not knowing that you should be dosing equal parts, I'm guessing that I was adjusting one and moving the other. Trying to find a balance in the proper zone for each but ending up chasing each other.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The real beauty of a two part is that it greatly reduces the roller coaster of alk and calcium levels when dosed steadily to match alk demand.