2 Part Dosing

[ASIN28]

I’ve been doing a lot of research what do you guys use? I’ve read great reviews on ESV, Red Sea, but leaning more towards the BRS 2 part dosing kit. Gonna be dosing without a doser for a while. Anybody have good experience with the BRS 2 part? Thanks

 

[Ron Reefman]

I use to use BRS and it worked just fine. But then I switched to Dowflake, soda ash and Mag Flake and use Randy Holmes-Farley's formula. It works just as well and costs way less. I've been using these for almost 10 years now and I've had no issues.

The tricky part was finding Dow and Mag Flake (snow & ice melt) in Southern Florida!

 

[ASIN28]

Who has a good experience with BRS 2 part dosing? Also when I dose 2 part do I have to dose both Alk AND calcium every time, or do I go based on my consumption of each?

 

[blasterman]

I use grocery store baking soda and food grade calcium chloride.

The BRS kits are fine for beginners as long as you use the dry stuff. I still insist anybody who buys liquid two parts needs to keep the recipe for ice cubes in their wallet.

 

[sfin52]

Who has a good experience with BRS 2 part dosing? Also when I dose 2 part do I have to dose both Alk AND calcium every time, or do I go based on my consumption of each?

Yes two part is ment to be dosed equal of each. I started using brs to part. Easy to mix easy to use.
I love it because it premeasured.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I designed the BRS recipe, and it works fine and lots of people use it. Use the magnesium part as directed, not based on testing.

ESV is a more complete mix, if cost is not a primary concern.

 

[ASIN28]

Yes two part is ment to be dosed equal of each. I started using brs to part. Easy to mix easy to use.
I love it because it premeasured.

Sorry I’m new to the dosing aspect, I’m just confused on, for example say my calcium dropped but my Alk is exactly where I want it. Why would I just dose the calcium, rather than dose both and spike my Alk? Does dosing one have a negative affect on the other?

 

[X-37B]

Their are many article here that I would suggest reading to get a better understanding of why both are dosed at the same rate.
BRS 2 part works well as many friends run it.
I dose esv in my frag system as it takes a minute or two in the morning by hand and I dont have to mix anything.
I was dosing 50ml of esv 2 part every morning in my 120 before going to a carx.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry I’m new to the dosing aspect, I’m just confused on, for example say my calcium dropped but my Alk is exactly where I want it. Why would I just dose the calcium, rather than dose both and spike my Alk? Does dosing one have a negative affect on the other?

That will not happen routinely due to consumption (calcium cannot be consumed without alk being consumed), but making corrections with just one part is perfectly fine.

 

[Macbalacano]

That will not happen routinely due to consumption (calcium cannot be consumed without alk being consumed), but making corrections with just one part is perfectly fine.

Randy, I've been wondering the exact same thing as I just started dosing 2 months ago. Can I consistently dose Calcium lower than Alkalinity long term? If yes, how much less calcium can one dose relative to alkalinity?

I notice that my tank is consuming alk much faster than Calc.

 

[sfin52]

Randy, I've been wondering the exact same thing as I just started dosing 2 months ago. Can I consistently dose Calcium lower than Alkalinity long term? If yes, how much less calcium can one dose relative to alkalinity?

I notice that my tank is consuming alk much faster than Calc.

1.0 drop alk should have a corresponding drop of 20 calcium. If I remember what I was reading

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, I've been wondering the exact same thing as I just started dosing 2 months ago. Can I consistently dose Calcium lower than Alkalinity long term? If yes, how much less calcium can one dose relative to alkalinity?

I notice that my tank is consuming alk much faster than Calc.

Many salt mixes have excess calcium, requiring imbalanced dosing. Alkalinity can also be depleted in ways other than calcification, such as rising nitrate.

So there is no inherent reason one must dose equally, and further, not all two parts are designed for 1:1 dosing, even some that claim to be (such as Seachem Reef Fusion).

Any two part that is designed for 1:1 dosing should be started at 1:1 dosing based on alkalinity measurement.

Then, over a period of weeks, the calcium can be adjusted up or down as needed. Not daily. There is way too much short term noise in calcium testing to rely on short periods to determine the calcium doses for maintenance.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

1.0 drop alk should have a corresponding drop of 20 calcium. If I remember what I was reading

A drop of 1 dKH corresponds to a drop of about 6-7 ppm calcium.

Pure calcium carbonate deposition uses 1 meq/l (2.8 dKH) of alkalinity for each 20 ppm of calcium.

In seawater, some magnesium and strontium get into calcium carbonate in place of calcium, so the observed ratio is more like 18-20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alk.

 

[Macbalacano]

Many salt mixes have excess calcium, requiring imbalanced dosing. Alkalinity can also be depleted in ways other than calcification, such as rising nitrate.

So there is no inherent reason one must dose equally, and further, not all two parts are designed for 1:1 dosing, even some that claim to be (such as Seachem Reef Fusion).

Any two part that is designed for 1:1 dosing should be started at 1:1 dosing based on alkalinity measurement.

Then, over a period of weeks, the calcium can be adjusted up or down as needed. Not daily. There is way too much short term noise in calcium testing to rely on short periods to determine the calcium doses for maintenance.

Super helpful Randy, thanks I really appreciate it! I'm going to read more of your articles in the forum later tonight, but just one more question - at what level do you see Calcium causing problems from being too high?

 

[sfin52]

A drop of 1 dKH corresponds to a drop of about 6-7 ppm calcium.

Pure calcium carbonate deposition uses 1 meq/l (2.8 dKH) of alkalinity for each 20 ppm of calcium.

In seawater, some magnesium and strontium get into calcium carbonate in place of calcium, so the observed ratio is more like 18-20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alk.

Thanks for the correction. Leaning something new every day.

 

[FLReefer101]

I use grocery store baking soda and food grade calcium chloride.

The BRS kits are fine for beginners as long as you use the dry stuff. I still insist anybody who buys liquid two parts needs to keep the recipe for ice cubes in their wallet.

Guess I’m making ice cubes.

 

[ASIN28]

Yes two part is ment to be dosed equal of each. I started using brs to part. Easy to mix easy to use.
I love it because it premeasured.

How did you go about getting proper water volume of the tank prior to dosing?

 

[dmy535]

I’ve been doing a lot of research what do you guys use? I’ve read great reviews on ESV, Red Sea, but leaning more towards the BRS 2 part dosing kit. Gonna be dosing without a doser for a while. Anybody have good experience with the BRS 2 part? Thanks

What product did you decide on?