another 2 part question

[diemaker]

Hi Guys I'm new to 2 part dosing I'm starting with the B-ionic 2 part.
I will add i'm using a trident and was dosing nyos cal and mag. my numbers are not were I want them to start with.
I have turned off the trident dosing and just use it right now for monitoring parameters till i can sail them in.

ALK 7.57
cal 515
mag 1321

Everything that I have been reading says to dose equal parts and increase or decrease according to ALK levels and the calcium will eventually come back into line.
I will add i haven't dosed cal in a week or so and the number remains the same so I believe that dosing both will pull them in line.

So if I aim for a 9.25 DKH what level would my cal end up at? is there a chart that shows if ALK is at a certain level then cal would be X? is this something I really even need to be concerned about?


Also how many people use a salt mix that is pretty much the numbers they want to run I never paid much attention before to the different levels of salt mixes but did some research and was shocked at the wide ranges out there I use RC. i do normally change 60gal every 2 weeks in my system which is about 600 gal total and i'm wonder if over a given amount a time I will be fighting my parameters because of the salt mix.


thanks

 

[LIreefguy]

There is no set number for alk and calcium
it’s not like if your alk is 9.2 your calcium will be 475

each coral and other stuff in your tank will consume alk and calcium at slightly different ratio

also 10 precent water change really won’t do much in high demand tank to affect alk and calcium that much

 

[diemaker]

There is no set number for alk and calcium
it’s not like if your alk is 9.2 your calcium will be 475

each coral and other stuff in your tank will consume alk and calcium at slightly different ratio

also 10 precent water change really won’t do much in high demand tank to affect alk and calcium that much

So with a 2 part can you actually set your calcium level or you get what you get with your target alk level ?

 

[LIreefguy]

Some people play with it
they dose differently of each to get target levels of each

my advice is dont chase calcium

just dose to keep alk stable and the rest will work itself out

your alk Is ok at 7.8. I would just dose an amount and have it slowly go up

I wouldn’t look to raise it quickly to 9.3

especially if things are ok in your tank

 

[diemaker]

Ok I really don’t want to chase cal. I was planning on bringing my alk up over a month right now I need to get things running and stable with the 2 part

 

[Reefahholic]

I try to dose and currently am dosing equal parts of each. I dose ESV and things are tracking alone nicely. One element is not out-running the other and if it was..it would have to go either way high or way low for me to correct it. As long as their in the acceptable range I don’t change the dose. I have manually dosed more Calcium just to bump it up higher, but that’s rare. If my Alkalinity is low due to demand, I bump it up and also bump up the Calcium equally.

 

[Reefahholic]

Ok I really don’t want to chase cal. I was planning on bringing my alk up over a month right now I need to get things running and stable with the 2 part

Yeah, I just try to increase by 0.2 - 0.3 dKH daily. You’ll find the balance. Just be patient.

 

[blasterman]

Some people play with it
they dose differently of each to get target levels of each

my advice is dont chase calcium

just dose to keep alk stable and the rest will work itself out

your alk Is ok at 7.8. I would just dose an amount and have it slowly go up

I wouldn’t look to raise it quickly to 9.3

especially if things are ok in your tank

This X 1000.

Two part mixes assume you have a mature, stable tank with a heavy load of SPS. If you have a younger tank, or have a lot of softies or faster growing GSP or LPS alk and calcium will not be consumed at the ratio two parts are designed for. It's why I'm such a hater of two parts.

Also, if you have a 600gal tank and don't have a massive amount of SPS calcium will only be depleted at a trickle. So, trying to use a two part to correct alk depletion is like trying to nail jell-o to a wall. That's why your calcium keeps going up but alk is staying in range.

Think of reef crystals as salt mix with extra part a & b built in. If you're dosing part A&B reef crystals will likely screw you up. Focus on alk first, water changes second, and adjust dosing to compensate for the first two.

 

[LIreefguy]

I also have a really big tank and wuth dosing 2 part equally my calcium got up to 550

so will I think it’s best to not play with it too much. Especially since your new at it

in this hobby nothing is black and white

 

[diemaker]

Ok all goodninf

I also have a really big tank and wuth dosing 2 part equally my calcium got up to 550

so will I think it’s best to not play with it too much. Especially since your new at it

in this hobby nothing is black and white

I hear you I’m not new in the hobby just 2 part and in a few months I will bringing a cal reactor on line

 

[diemaker]

Ok all goodninf

I hear you I’m not new in the hobby just 2 part and in a few months I will bringing a cal reactor on line

Quick update I have been using both in equal parts at first my cal stayed at the same number for a week or so and was a little scary to increase the dosing with the Alk. But then I seen the cal numbers dropping back down and I know after 3 weeks or so have a balanced tank. Thanks for the advice guys