Two Part Dosing Product Question

[Fringe09]

I have a question regarding two part dosing products like ESV B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System.

Let's say Alkalinity is low, but Calcium is at the right ppm. In this situation, do you:

• Dose both
• Dose just Alkalinity
• Do something else

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have a question regarding two part dosing products like ESV B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System.

Let's say Alkalinity is low, but Calcium is at the right ppm. In this situation, do you:

• Dose both
• Dose just Alkalinity
• Do something else

The answer depends on how low alk is in relation to your target. Normal daily depletion of both will drop alk detectably, but the balanced calcium drop may be too small to detect in one day.

So in most routine cases, dose both equally.

But if you want to make a largish alk increase and calcium is already as high as you want or higher, then this one time, use just the all part.

 

[Fringe09]

The answer depends on how low alk is in relation to your target. Normal daily depletion of both will drop alk detectably, but the balanced calcium drop may be too small to detect in one day.

So in most routine cases, dose both equally.

But if you want to make a largish alk increase and calcium is already as high as you want or higher, then this one time, use just the all part.

Thank you Randy. My Alkalinity is 7.9 dKH and Calcium is 350 ppm. I'm thinking to dose both equally. Agree?

 

[Martin Kuhn]

So Alk is nice but Ca is a bit to low

I would recommend to
- dose Ca and Alk equally in general
- bring up Ca by additional dosing up to 420 by additional Ca dosing of 20 mg/l per day. (Only as long as you reached the 420)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you Randy. My Alkalinity is 7.9 dKH and Calcium is 350 ppm. I'm thinking to dose both equally. Agree?

What is your alkalinity goal?

 

[Fringe09]

What is your alkalinity goal?

My goal is 7.7 to 8.5. I don't think I need to dose both at the same time. I'll dose Calcium only and monitor until I reach 420-440 ppm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My goal is 7.7 to 8.5. I don't think I need to dose both at the same time. I'll dose Calcium only and monitor until I reach 420-440 ppm.

I'd boost the calcium with a one time dose. No alk part.

Then, when alkalinity declines, dose both parts equally to maintain alkalinity, and occasionally check to see if calcium is doing OK. Don't sweat 10 ppm differences in calcium. Your testing isn't more reproducible than that. Bear in mind that water changes may mess with the ratio if the salt mix doesn't match the tank.

 

[Fringe09]

I'd boost the calcium with a one time dose. No alk part.

Then, when alkalinity declines, dose both parts equally to maintain alkalinity, and occasionally check to see if calcium is doing OK. Don't sweat 10 ppm differences in calcium. Your testing isn't more reproducible than that. Bear in mind that water changes may mess with the ratio if the salt mix doesn't match the tank.

Thank you. Appreciate it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Good luck.