BRS 2-part dosing question

[christa1421]

Hi there. I’m still new and have had my 40g mixed reef tank up and running for almost 7 months. I am changing from Red Sea foundations to BRS 2-part dosing (alk, cal, and mag) and have them each mixed per instructions in their separate 1 g containers. I’ve watched the BRS video and it says to dose the same amount for calcium that you do for alkalinity. But what if my calcium levels are where they need to be? Could I just dose for the alkalinity? Why would BRS have a alkalinity calculator and a calcium calculator if the amount dosed is supposed to be the same amount? I’m confused. Current parameters:
Alk 8.5 dkH, calcium 425 ppm, phosphate 0.07, nitrate 7.8, pH 8.2, salinity 1.026, mag 1475.

 

[Mystersynyster]

I dose BRS two part as well, you can dose just Alk but in raising your Alk your Cal will more than likely drop. Slowly raise your Alk while keeping an eye on your Cal until you get it where you want it. Do multiple test over a week or two so yiu know how much Alk and Cal your tank is consuming in a week. Set dosing pumps to replenish each over a week, I find it best to dose my Alk in the morning and Cal in evening, just not at same time

 

[Wasabiroot]

The amount of calcium consumed comparatively to alkalinity in a reef system is much smaller and harder to test changes for accurately; I'd recommend testing alkalinity only right now for consumption (there's nothing wrong with testing both, but calcium doesnt translate to test results quickly. ) but they're ideally consumed in lockstep so even though it seems like you won't need to add it, your coral will consume both. You can always stop dosing calcium if it goes higher than you'd like, but most 2 parts are designed to be dosed simultaneously. It's a bit counterintuitive, but it makes sense if you dive into it.

Check out this excellent article by Randy Holmes Farley on dosing and consumption:

The "How To" Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

If that doesn't help, feel free to post in the reef chemistry section as well.

 

[Steve2020]

Hi there. I’m still new and have had my 40g mixed reef tank up and running for almost 7 months. I am changing from Red Sea foundations to BRS 2-part dosing (alk, cal, and mag) and have them each mixed per instructions in their separate 1 g containers. I’ve watched the BRS video and it says to dose the same amount for calcium that you do for alkalinity. But what if my calcium levels are where they need to be? Could I just dose for the alkalinity? Why would BRS have a alkalinity calculator and a calcium calculator if the amount dosed is supposed to be the same amount? I’m confused. Current parameters:
Alk 8.5 dkH, calcium 425 ppm, phosphate 0.07, nitrate 7.8, pH 8.2, salinity 1.026, mag 1475.

The reason for BRS having calculators for both is if you need to make corrections. Example would be your Alk is 8.5 but you want to increase your calcium to 450 because that is what your salt mix mixes at, you would input your water volume, input current reading of 425 and desired reading of 450 then add the recommended amount. Once that is done, determine your Alk consumption and dose equal parts of Alk and Calc.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi there. I’m still new and have had my 40g mixed reef tank up and running for almost 7 months. I am changing from Red Sea foundations to BRS 2-part dosing (alk, cal, and mag) and have them each mixed per instructions in their separate 1 g containers. I’ve watched the BRS video and it says to dose the same amount for calcium that you do for alkalinity. But what if my calcium levels are where they need to be? Could I just dose for the alkalinity? Why would BRS have a alkalinity calculator and a calcium calculator if the amount dosed is supposed to be the same amount? I’m confused. Current parameters:
Alk 8.5 dkH, calcium 425 ppm, phosphate 0.07, nitrate 7.8, pH 8.2, salinity 1.026, mag 1475.

Realize that if you are adding 0.5 dKH of the alk part, adding an equal volume of the calcium will only boost calcium by a bit over 3 ppm, a need or addition that you cannot detect by kit.

The beauty of a two part is you can roughly know how much calcium to add without trying to interpret tiny changes in a calcium test.

I recommend equal parts dosing unless calcium is ALREADY too high. Then adjust the calcium dosing long term if it is trending too high or too low. Don’t make daily calcium dosing changes.

FWIW, I designed the recipe BRS uses, so I’m not just speaking from a single experience.

 

[christa1421]

Thank you for the feedback. So I just tested and my alkalinity is at 8.4 dKH and calcium is at 381ppm. My goal numbers are 8.5 dKH and 420ppm for calcium. So when I’m using the BRS calculator it says I need to add 2.86 ml of the mixed soda ash solution. And when I use the calculator for the mixed calcium chloride, it says to add 159.67 ml. Am I supposed to be dosing 2.86 of each solution and not use the calcium calculator then?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you for the feedback. So I just tested and my alkalinity is at 8.4 dKH and calcium is at 381ppm. My goal numbers are 8.5 dKH and 420ppm for calcium. So when I’m using the BRS calculator it says I need to add 2.86 ml of the mixed soda ash solution. And when I use the calculator for the mixed calcium chloride, it says to add 159.67 ml. Am I supposed to be dosing 2.86 of each solution and not use the calcium calculator then?

When making one time corrections, use an appropriate dose of whatever product to make those corrections. The equal parts dosing comment applies to routine daily dosing to maintain alk (determined by calculator) and use the same amount of calcium for that routine dosing.

If you are using ESV B-ionic, use this calculator to determine doses:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[christa1421]

Thank you. 159.67 ml just seemed like a lot so I was a little nervous

 

[pecan2phat]

FWIW, I designed the recipe BRS uses, so I’m not just speaking from a single experience.

Hi Randy,
Would you happen to know the gram weight of BRS's soda ash and calcium chloride to make 1 gallon solutions? I've been using 421 grams for soda ash and 465 grams for calcium chloride and even after 4 years of dosing, I always end up having to dose 25% more calcium to achieve a balanced alkalinity and calcium level of 8.3 DKH and 420 ppm. Am wondering if my dry weight amount for the calcium chloride solution is off, thanks.

 

[SPS2020]

Hi there. I’m still new and have had my 40g mixed reef tank up and running for almost 7 months. I am changing from Red Sea foundations to BRS 2-part dosing (alk, cal, and mag) and have them each mixed per instructions in their separate 1 g containers. I’ve watched the BRS video and it says to dose the same amount for calcium that you do for alkalinity. But what if my calcium levels are where they need to be? Could I just dose for the alkalinity? Why would BRS have a alkalinity calculator and a calcium calculator if the amount dosed is supposed to be the same amount? I’m confused. Current parameters:
Alk 8.5 dkH, calcium 425 ppm, phosphate 0.07, nitrate 7.8, pH 8.2, salinity 1.026, mag 1475.

IMO, the tank is rather young to be dosing anything at this point. My experience suggests waiting at least one year before investing in any dosing equipment. YMMV

 

[wsoldier]

Hi Randy,
Would you happen to know the gram weight of BRS's soda ash and calcium chloride to make 1 gallon solutions? I've been using 421 grams for soda ash and 465 grams for calcium chloride and even after 4 years of dosing, I always end up having to dose 25% more calcium to achieve a balanced alkalinity and calcium level of 8.3 DKH and 420 ppm. Am wondering if my dry weight amount for the calcium chloride solution is off, thanks.

I've noticed this too. Did you find an answer to this?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've noticed this too. Did you find an answer to this?

FWIW, BRS uses my DIY recipe.

The proper recipe is to bake 594 grams of baking soda to produce sodium carbonate, or to start with 375 grams of anhydrous sodium carbonate.

The calcium part uses 500 grams of calcium chloride dihydrate (which is about 77-80% moisture),. if you use a calcium chloride with less moisture (e.g., anhydrous), you use less calcium chloride.

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[wsoldier]

FWIW, BRS uses my DIY recipe.

The proper recipe is to bake 594 grams of baking soda to produce sodium carbonate, or to start with 375 grams of anhydrous sodium carbonate.

The calcium part uses 500 grams of calcium chloride dihydrate (which is about 77-80% moisture),. if you use a calcium chloride with less moisture (e.g., anhydrous), you use less calcium chloride.

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Randy thanks for chiming in! I guess from an ignorant consumer of this product, I don't know why there'd be a discrepancy in moisture for BRS's soda ash package. In my particular case, this seemed to be apparent even with their 1-gallon packaged soda ash pouch and calcium chloride pouch.

I don't know if this suggests a manufacturing/packaging error on their side, but in my case this happened over the course of at least half a year and at least 2 sets of packets.

 

[pecan2phat]

So out of curiosity wsoldier, are you tinkering with the gram weight to make your gallon solutions?
(BTW, I came up with 421g & 465g from weighing numerous 1g mix packets minus the packaging)

 

[wsoldier]

So out of curiosity wsoldier, are you tinkering with the gram weight to make your gallon solutions?
(BTW, I came up with 421g & 465g from weighing numerous 1g mix packets minus the packaging)

No tinkering... the appeal of the pouches was that everything is pre-measured. It took me a while to notice that calcium was slowly drifting since I only check Ca from ICP testing every quarter. Lately I was just adding additional calcium by hand to compensate.

 

[pecan2phat]

My current daily intake of soda ash is 184ml and my calcium chloride is 232ml which is almost on point for 25% more calcium chloride.

 

[wsoldier]

My current daily intake of soda ash is 184ml and my calcium chloride is 232ml which is almost on point for 25% more calcium chloride.

Thanks for your sharing your numbers. I'm back to the 7 lbs bag for soda ash and CaCL and I'll try to adjust.

Unfortunately I also just made the mistake of buying the separate Magnesium chloride and sulfate bags and must have overdosed using the "2-part recipe" the other day. I usually buy the 2-part Mag mix 1-gal pouch in the past so I'm confused what I did wrong after what I thought was a routine Mag adjustment, but my daily dosing of Soda ash mixture is completely off and shooting my ALK and pH way higher now. <sigh>

 

[pecan2phat]

I've been using the 5g pail mixes but I did not tinker with the formula for BRS's ingredient to gallon ratio. I just make an extra gallon of calcium chloride and fill the doser container as it gets lower than the soda ash.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy thanks for chiming in! I guess from an ignorant consumer of this product, I don't know why there'd be a discrepancy in moisture for BRS's soda ash package. In my particular case, this seemed to be apparent even with their 1-gallon packaged soda ash pouch and calcium chloride pouch.

I don't know if this suggests a manufacturing/packaging error on their side, but in my case this happened over the course of at least half a year and at least 2 sets of packets.

Calcium chloride is available at many different moisture levels. It's possible they also source a sodium carbonate that has moisture in it, which is no problem.

Of course, they may also just not be doing it correctly. lol

What they haven't done is alter my recipe, as their calculator gives the same potency as my DIY that they started with years ago.

 

[KTTX]

BRS is out of Calcium Chloride.

@Randy Holmes-Farley can this be used instead?
Earthborn Elements Calcium Chloride, Wine & Cheese Making, Food Additive & Preservative (1 Gallon Bucket) https://a.co/d/9ZKHpxQ