Dosing alk and CA simultaneously per your article

[Faulkner’s maze]

Hi Randy
So...after just reading your article on DIY alk and CA I do have a couple of questions.

For those who have not read it-
Very useful read! Here is the link

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php




Right now I am using sodium carbonate which has worked well but now is pushing the ph a little high (routinely gets to 8.41-8.45) unless I use some distilled vinegar to push it back down. So I will prob swap out the current solution as I prefer not to do..extra dosing to correct another dosing issue.

So using recipe number2 -uncooked baking soda (297 grams) to a gallon of water no problem.

However I want to confirm that
1) if using a doser I should be dosing at the same-right now I have alk going from 10 pm to 10 am and CA going from 11 to 10 pm

And the reason for this is that I thought I was suppose to keep them separate to prevent precipitation?

And if #1 is true that I should be dosing at same time then should I be keeping the dosing tubes far apart? Right now they are prob 3 inches apart.

Right now I have some bionic ca to use. So not sure if that impacts ratios-right now I am doing 40 ml a day on 90 gal of water-so close to your given daily dosing of 36 ml. Will check parameters and adjust accordingly.



And...and...for the magnesium-I do 1.25 gal AWC a day that I imagine should contend with that?

I really appreciated the article. Hopefully will cut down costs quite a bit on the calcium. Baking soda and sodium carbonate (food grade) is inexpensive but good to find a source for ca too.

Best

LB

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Brew12]

However I want to confirm that
1) if using a doser I should be dosing at the same-right now I have alk going from 10 pm to 10 am and CA going from 11 to 10 pm

And the reason for this is that I thought I was suppose to keep them separate to prevent precipitation?

I would not recommend dosing them at the same time. I have mine offset to avoid precipitation. I believe when it is said they should be dosed the same, that only means the amounts of each should be the same, not at the same time.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

I would not recommend dosing them at the same time. I have mine offset to avoid precipitation. I believe when it is said they should be dosed the same, that only means the amounts of each should be the same, not at the same time.

Yep. I’ll dose alk @ night, Ca during the day

 

[Faulkner’s maze]

Yep. I’ll dose alk @ night, Ca during the day

That’s what I thought too and my current process. But confirming with RHF.


Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The idea is not not get clouds of concentrated additive to mix together before they disperse.

Dosing at separate times eliminates this concern, as would very slow dosing to different parts of the system at the same time.

 

[Faulkner’s maze]

The idea is not not get clouds of concentrated additive to mix together before they disperse.

Dosing at separate times eliminates this concern, as would very slow dosing to different parts of the system at the same time.

Many thanks!