Two Part Dosing Seems High

[cmcimino]

I am currently dosing the BRS two part, and to me my dosing seems high. I have an 75 gallon mixed reef, roughly 80 gallons of water total. I dose every hour for four minutes for alkalinity, and calcium. Alkalinity and calcium are dosed 30 min apart. Each dosing pump is running at about 1.9 ml/min. This means I am dosing roughly 196 ml per day which seems crazy high for an 80 gallon system. Tank is a mixed reef, heavier on the SPS side, and I also have a clam. Does anyone else dose around 2ml/gal per day?

 

[SuncrestReef]

I'm using a Neptune Trident to control my dosing of BRS 2 part, and I'm right in line with your numbers on my Reefer XL 425 (88 gal display) with mostly SPS and a handful of LPS. I keep my alk at 8.20 dKH, cal at 420 ppm, and mag at 1350 ppm.

 

[ZoWhat]

How can you have a 75g tank and 80g total water volume?

 

[Silent]

I would imagine the rock would reduce total water volume and then account for the sump water volume. Just a guess but 70dt plus 10 sump equals 80.

 

[saltyhog]

How big are your colonies and your clam?

That does seem pretty high but possible if you have a lot of good sized colonies. Clams can consume an amazing amount of alk/ca.

Did you calibrate your dosing pumps? Both calibrated to 1.9 ml/min? Any signs of precipitation (white deposits on pumps/heaters, large clumps of sand)?

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

Depends on how big corals are and how many. I have a 90 gal tank with 35 gal. Sump... roughly water volume 85-90 I'm dosing ATI essential pro and I dose around
30ml. and two part and I have SPS dominant and some LPS . and my parameters ALK 8.6- cal 405- mag 1385.
Just make sure there no precipitation going on because that will make you use more than you need.

 

[tqpolo]

I have a similar sized mixed reef. It’s fully and more sps than lps. I’m only dosing 40ml each of the BRS 2 part.

 

[Silent]

I have heard when you get dosing that much or too much for the amount of coral you have you should cut your dosing in half and look into finding the right amount to dose your system, maybe even in half again because I believe you are over saturating your system.

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

Can you show us a picture I bet it's a really nice tank ?? Thanks

 

[cmcimino]

How big are your colonies and your clam?

That does seem pretty high but possible if you have a lot of good sized colonies. Clams can consume an amazing amount of alk/ca.

Did you calibrate your dosing pumps? Both calibrated to 1.9 ml/min? Any signs of precipitation (white deposits on pumps/heaters, large clumps of sand)?

Colonies aren't that big. I have some Montis that are large, and grow a lot, so I know they can be using quite a bit. My clam is also around 4.5". I did not really have issues until I got the clam so I am thinking that it may be the root cause of this.

I measured both BRS pumps and they both came out to be 1.9 ml/min. I tested them last week to double check since it has been about 6 months since I have been dosing.

I don't see any precipitation in my sump, but my sand has formed into one solid clump basically. I am thinking that this may be an issue as well.

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

Colonies aren't that big. I have some Montis that are large, and grow a lot, so I know they can be using quite a bit. My clam is also around 4.5". I did not really have issues until I got the clam so I am thinking that it may be the root cause of this.

I measured both BRS pumps and they both came out to be 1.9 ml/min. I tested them last week to double check since it has been about 6 months since I have been dosing.

I don't see any precipitation in my sump, but my sand has formed into one solid clump basically. I am thinking that this may be an issue as well.

Yes that's a sign of to much 2 part ALK mostly .

 

[Joedubyk]

Yup, I have colonies of SPS in a 108 and im at 40ml a day, each

 

[cmcimino]

Yup, I have colonies of SPS in a 108 and im at 40ml a day, each

Interesting. I added a CO2 scrubber to my skimmer a while back, and my pH gets up to about 8.45 at peak, and about 8.25 at a low. Do you think the higher pH could be also attributing to this?

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

What I suggest Is to stop dosing for a couple of days. Just dose recommend for volume of water. Keep an eye on levels and see it levels out. Check pumps heater for white build up.

 

[Silent]

Do you think the higher pH could be also attributing to this?

Higher pH attributing to what?

 

[cmcimino]

Higher pH attributing to what?

Usage of Alk/Cal, if even its precipitating in the sand bed.

What I suggest Is to stop dosing for a couple of days. Just dose recommend for volume of water. Keep an eye on levels and see it levels out. Check pumps heater for white build up.

I will give this a shot. I leave for a week in three days so I may give it a shot then. I don't want change things up right before I leave and come back to a dead tank.

 

[Joedubyk]

Higher pH attributing to what?

Yes higher pH will absolutely cause more consumption. I have a co2 scrubber also, but that still seems high to me

 

[DuckSlayer627]

Not sure about the BRS 2 part, but I use ESV Bionic 2 part and use about 1ml/gal of each per day in a 120gal. I dose 10ml of Calcium 12x's/day and the same for ALK but I dose the ALK when the lights are off and Calcium when the lights are on. Tanks is Acro's and a couple of clams. This keeps the levels where they need to be.

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

Usage of Alk/Cal, if even its precipitating in the sand bed.



I will give this a shot. I leave for a week in three days so I may give it a shot then. I don't want change things up right before I leave and come back to a dead tank.

The reason I say try this is because I have had this happen to me before. I was dosing 2 part it about double amount.
And I stopped for about three days. And now it's on track. Another thing ALK drops quicker it did for me.
I just dosed recommend ALK only amount til it leveled out.

 

[Silent]

You are dosing to much that is why your sand bed is turning into concrete. Your tank in a good pH range like you have it should not be needing that much dosing.