Brs two part question

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Hey, I had a few questions about the two part dosing. So I tested my numbers and this is what I got
Alk. 6.5 dKH
Calcium 390-400 ppm
Mag. 1320

I want to get alk to 9, calcium to 420, and mag I'll probably keep it the same.

According to BRS calculator I need to add 8.6 fl oz of 2 part to raise calcium and 6.5 fl oz to raise alk. I know you don't want to raise the alk too fast so maybe raise that over a total of five days. I was wondering if it would be fine to add the calcium and alkalinity two part at the same time or would that affect the amount needed?

Also I haven't been experiencing coral growth, maybe a little bit on some montis and zoas, would this be from my low alk levels? All my other levels are ammonia-0 nitrites-0 nitrates-0 phosphate-0-.05. I also had one monti die. I didn't know that an alk of that low would cause coral to die, but how much would this affect coral growth? The alk at 6.5 has probably been like that for a month. Thanks.

-Blake

 

[wangspeed]

There's nothing wrong with 6.5 dkh. That is near natural sea water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When you say at the same time, you mean in the same day? Yes, that's fine and appropriate. Just not right at the same second so they mix together.

I doubt the alkalinity caused any corals to die, since, as mentioned, it is close to NSW levels, but most hard corals will grow faster at higher alkalinity.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ya meant the same day. So would my limited growth probably be a result of a low alk? I have a gen 3 radion at 60%.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Could be many things, including low alkalinity, slow growing corals, high (or super low) phosphate and nitrate, or other issues.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

So is 0 phosphate a bad thing? And thanks for the hel

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So is 0 phosphate a bad thing? And thanks for the hel

0.0000001 ppm phosphate will probably kill any corals that are not eating foods. 0.005 ppm may be fine. Both will show as 0 ppm on many hobby kits.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

What's the highest phosphates can be for corals? Thanks again for the help.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Corals can do very well even at 1 ppm phosphate if other conditions are right. Check this article:

Reefs Magazine - Skeptical Reefkeeping IX: Test Kits, Chasing Numbers and Phosphate

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

That's a very interesting article. I have a Red Sea test kit for phosphates, how am I supposed to test accurately? So if I keep my phosphate at .25 it should be fine?