2-Part usage?

[graham_kyle1]

Hi!
I have a 1 year old 90 gallon lightly mixed reef, mostly frags. I recently got an apex and set up automatic dosing. I'm currently dosing 15ml of bulk 2 part per day.

My alkalinity is being consistent at 9dkh, however, my calcium is going down (Now 400ppm, down 20 in 4 days). I was under the impression it would be equal consumption, is it ok to dose more calcium than alkalinity?

I recently read an article that insisted to neer dose different amounts of 2-part so I'm kinda paranoid to start dosing more calcium. Magnesium is 1320 ia Salifert.

I also haven't been doing many water changes lately as my PO4 and NO3 have been testing good (Salifert). The other day i did a 5 gallon water change (IO Reef Crystals).

Thanks for the help!

 

[mcarroll]

If the mix was a bit off, your water change could be the culprit.

I'd just have some dry calcium chloride media on hand along with a good scale to measure out your adjustment doses. It'll even out eventually.

Alkalinity consumption should actually be slightly ahead of calcium as processes other than skeleton formation use it up.

 

[graham_kyle1]

If the mix was a bit off, your water change could be the culprit.

I'd just have some dry calcium chloride media on hand along with a good scale to measure out your adjustment doses. It'll even out eventually.

Alkalinity consumption should actually be slightly ahead of calcium as processes other than skeleton formation use it up.

Thanks for the reply. Oer the summer there was an issue where the calcium got very high, I just dosed alk normally and let it come down on it's own, all 3 levels were 'ideal' when i started the auto dosing just find it odd that calcium is low....like i said i did a 5 gallon water change with IO RC but it wouldn't have taken that much out? should i bring it back too where i want it, obsere again if it goes down quicker and adjust the dosage?

 

[mcarroll]

If you didn't test your water change water, then it's possible that's the source.

If you mixed your own calcium reagents, then that's a possible source too.

Yes, I would pretty much always make any required adjustments after testing....manually. I don't usually tweak the doser right away as it's somewhat of a pain, plus I like to see a trend before I jump into making adjustments.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

And reread this one. Iv been totally second guessing myself all week on dosing.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry
then this one. it a walk through of how its done. and shows the correction.
https://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/the-right-way-to-use-2-part-additives/

if you plot your values on the chart itll give the correction, and it seems that it will also auto correct if its not to far to the left or right by simply using equal parts

 

[mcarroll]

Good articles!

One exception is that Joe is for some reason strident against using "separate" calcium and baking soda type products....says in 30 years he's never gotten those to work.

Hm. At this stage, with most of the exceptions in the first few years, driveway salt and Arm & Hammer are almost all I've ever used!

So the lesson is that even if you're Joe Jaworski's Blog*, never say never.

(I don't knock the ESV's of the world though....they are not simply driveway salt and baking soda!!! I just don't have the budget for them anymore.)

2¢

* which I like!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Good articles!

One exception is that Joe is for some reason strident against using "separate" calcium and baking soda type products....says in 30 years he's never gotten those to work.

Hm. At this stage, with most of the exceptions in the first few years, driveway salt and Arm & Hammer are almost all I've ever used!

So the lesson is that even if you're Joe Jaworski's Blog*, never say never.

(I don't knock the ESV's of the world though....they are not simply driveway salt and baking soda!!! I just don't have the budget for them anymore.)

2¢

* which I like!

agreed, I do take everything with salt, i did appreciate his idiots guide walkthrough.