Switching to 2 part

[rick13]

Has anyone switched from all for reef to two part? I’m having trouble trying to figure dosing. I switched because my alk was stable at 8.3 but my calcium was always high 500 to 520 by trident and confirmed with 490 to 500 with salifert. Now I’m trying BRS balling method. I tried dosing 40 ml of alk until calcium comes down and it did to 460. Then I dosed 30 ml of calcium and alk dropped to 7.8. My numbers now are all over the place and I’m getting frustrated, any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[chipchipbro]

I did the same.. But had no issues at all..
Try not to chase the exact numbers.. Alk 7.8 is totally good imo.

Only dose Alk until Calcium is where you want it..
then you'll have to dose the equal part of Alk and Ca.

Thats how I would do it.

 

[rick13]

Thanks, I know 7.8 is ok but the swing of 9.1 to 7.8 that I saw when I tried to dos calcium is what is bugging me

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know what size tank you are talking about, but a small change in calcium starting at 450 ppm is not going to change the alk demand appreciably.

 

[rick13]

Tank is only 45 gallons, my thought is to get alkalinity stable at 8.5 wait again to get calcium down to 450 then start dosing calcium at same rate as alkalinity. So over dosing or under dosing alk won’t affect calcium or to much calcium or to little won’t affect alk? I suck at chemistry but love the hobby. I’ve just read that reef tanks consume alk and calcium in equal ratios but it seems mine doesn’t witch I’m assuming that all for reef is equal parts and why my calcium was high. So maybe when I start dosing calcium again I should dos at a lower volume than alk

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Tank is only 45 gallons, my thought is to get alkalinity stable at 8.5 wait again to get calcium down to 450 then start dosing calcium at same rate as alkalinity. So over dosing or under dosing alk won’t affect calcium or to much calcium or to little won’t affect alk? I suck at chemistry but love the hobby. I’ve just read that reef tanks consume alk and calcium in equal ratios but it seems mine doesn’t witch I’m assuming that all for reef is equal parts and why my calcium was high. So maybe when I start dosing calcium again I should dos at a lower volume than alk

Alk levels impact the demand for alk and calcium substantially as alk is apparently a limiting factor for biological calcification and also impacts abiotic demand. pH has a big effect too. Small changes in the calcium level (such as 450 to 475 ppm) would not cause much change in demand.

If you are using a two part that is designed for 1:1 dosing, I'd sick to 1:1 unless calcium actually gets too high (>500 ppm, IMO) or too low (<400 ppm).

 

[rick13]

Thank you

 

[rick13]

So, went to calibrate Neptune dos and saw that I was sucking air into dos line, no wonder I was having problems. Switched to ro tubing. Should be fine now