2 Parts Dosing Question

Canadianeh

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I read some articles about using 2 parts dosing to up your alk and cal levels. They say that you should never dose only 1 of the 2 parts separately, AND always do dose 2 parts equally.

Having said that, I have questions.

Let's say at the beginning of the week day #1 Monday my Alk is 7.9 dkh and Cal is 375 ppm. My TARGET is 8.5 dkh for ALK and 400 ppm for CAL.

Everyday for 6 days I will dose 7.5 ml of Alk and 7.5 ml of Cal.

On day #7 Sunday before I do my weekly WC, my test result of Alk is 8.2 dkh and Cal is 425 ppm.

As you can see that my Alk is under and Cal is over the TARGET.

My questions are:
  • For an example, If I want to increase the dose to 10 ml for each parts to bring the Alk to 8.5, and continue to dose them equally and together of the 2 parts, would my my Alk and Cal test result will continue to climb together?
  • If it is YES to my first question, then how do I bring the Cal to my target of 400 ppm?
Please help. I am confused on this part.
 

Canadianeh

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I did read it, but it does not answer (or did I miss something) my question. It says to continue to dose equally. It says "You don’t need to measure calcium levels. Once you calcium/alkalinity is balanced, just measuring alkalinity will suffice."

What "balanced" means? My target is 8.5 Alk and Cal 400 ppm. It seems that I cannot increase Alk without keep bumping up Cal number when I dose equally.
 
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Fishit

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Windsor
You do not need to dose the two parts exactly the same amount if you look the directions on two part additives it will say you may need slightly diferant amounts of each but this will be till you get your cal and alk balanced at this point you will generally end up changing the dosage to equal parts as alk and cal are generally used at the same amounts hope this helps
 

jroovers

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You do not need to dose the two parts exactly the same amount if you look the directions on two part additives it will say you may need slightly diferant amounts of each but this will be till you get your cal and alk balanced at this point you will generally end up changing the dosage to equal parts as alk and cal are generally used at the same amounts hope this helps

I'm not sure if you are talking about the mixed dry amounts, or the mixed solution, but when dosing 2-part you need to dose both your alk and ca mixtures equally - don't attempt to add 10 mls of alk, and 12 mls of Ca, per day for example - your parameters will undoubtedly get out of whack. Get your parameters in the target zone, set up the dosers, and then monitor and adjust. The reason you only need to test for alkalinity initially is because of sensitivity (i.e. total alkalinity much more sensitive to the dosed additive). As long as you test for alk, and adjust up and down with calcium in concert, you can be confident you are heading into the desired target zone.

Every once in a while once you've found your target dose, you may need to adjust your parameters are usage changes ideally with growing corals. Also, I've always found my calcium tends to drift to the low side, and occasionally needs a one-time addition of Calcium Chloride mixed in RODI to bump it back up in the target range every so often.
 

Fishit

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Dec 21, 2014
Location
Windsor
I'm not sure if you are talking about the mixed dry amounts, or the mixed solution, but when dosing 2-part you need to dose both your alk and ca mixtures equally - don't attempt to add 10 mls of alk, and 12 mls of Ca, per day for example - your parameters will undoubtedly get out of whack. Get your parameters in the target zone, set up the dosers, and then monitor and adjust. The reason you only need to test for alkalinity initially is because of sensitivity (i.e. total alkalinity much more sensitive to the dosed additive). As long as you test for alk, and adjust up and down with calcium in concert, you can be confident you are heading into the desired target zone.

Every once in a while once you've found your target dose, you may need to adjust your parameters are usage changes ideally with growing corals. Also, I've always found my calcium tends to drift to the low side, and occasionally needs a one-time addition of Calcium Chloride mixed in RODI to bump it back up in the target range every so often.
I am talking about mixed when dosing into the tank you do not need to add them in equal part you add them as your aquarium uses them in some cases there is a variation and it is common for people to have to add them in unequal amounts there is nothing wrong with this as long as it's keeping your cal and alk at the right levels if you just keep dossing cal and alk at the same rate yet your aquarium showing one high one low are you saying just keep dosing the same amounts ? Your going to do more harm then good getting one two high regardless I use brightwell reef code and they suggest specifically to dose in unequal amounts to keep your cal and alk on target if need be! so I am going to say I trust them I'm sure they know what they are talking about and I dose in unequal part never any issues as long as your parameters stay in check this is from brightwell
 

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Canadianeh

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I am talking about mixed when dosing into the tank you do not need to add them in equal part you add them as your aquarium uses them in some cases there is a variation and it is common for people to have to add them in unequal amounts there is nothing wrong with this as long as it's keeping your cal and alk at the right levels if you just keep dossing cal and alk at the same rate yet your aquarium showing one high one low are you saying just keep dosing the same amounts ? Your going to do more harm then good getting one two high regardless I use brightwell reef code and they suggest specifically to dose in unequal amounts to keep your cal and alk on target if need be! so I am going to say I trust them I'm sure they know what they are talking about and I dose in unequal part never any issues as long as your parameters stay in check this is from brightwell

Hmmm maybe for that particular product then I would recommend to follow their instructions if you are using their products.

But read here: https://joejaworski.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/the-right-way-to-use-2-part-additives/

Also, ESV do not recommend to use them separately or unequally. I am using ESV.
 

TORX

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I did read it, but it does not answer (or did I miss something) my question. It says to continue to dose equally. It says "You don’t need to measure calcium levels. Once you calcium/alkalinity is balanced, just measuring alkalinity will suffice."

What "balanced" means? My target is 8.5 Alk and Cal 400 ppm. It seems that I cannot increase Alk without keep bumping up Cal number when I dose equally.

If you read it, you would know that it answers your question. They actually have an example specific to your question titled "Real Life Scenario". As well as a specific quote "Never dose unequal parts of the two components." and "If you try it, you will just knock your tank out of balance again."

Just keep dosing equally to get alk where you want it, it will even itself out to what your tank uses and will remain balanced at that point. As alk goes up, both parts are consumed equally and converted into calcium carbonate and nothing else. Keep in mind, this discussion is about 2 part, not alk and calcium buffers. Those are 2 completely different products.
 

Canadianeh

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Sep 20, 2016
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If you read it, you would know that it answers your question. They actually have an example specific to your question titled "Real Life Scenario". As well as a specific quote "Never dose unequal parts of the two components." and "If you try it, you will just knock your tank out of balance again."

Just keep dosing equally to get alk where you want it, it will even itself out to what your tank uses and will remain balanced at that point. As alk goes up, both parts are consumed equally and converted into calcium carbonate and nothing else. Keep in mind, this discussion is about 2 part, not alk and calcium buffers. Those are 2 completely different products.

Yep I read it. I recommended @Fishit to read that article too.

ESV named their 2 part dosing system "calcium buffer system" and this can be confusing as you mentioned 2 part & alk/cal buffer is different
 

Fishit

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Dec 21, 2014
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Windsor
Yep I read it. I recommended @Fishit to read that article too.

ESV named their 2 part dosing system "calcium buffer system" and this can be confusing as you mentioned 2 part & alk/cal buffer is different
yes I have seen the article and as I see it I'm not saying anybody is wrong or right there is not much in this hobby that is wrong or right what some think is right might be wrong for others any how as I said before you may need to dose unequal parts till you get your cal and alk at proper parameters then as said yes they are used in equal amounts so you would then change to equal dose for there on in. the way I see it and worked for me was my alk was way low cal a little high when starting out so as specified from brightwell and I spoke to them direct I added alk at a higher rate then cal to keep them at the right levels till they eventually equaled out I see this as a better method just In my opinion not saying it's right or wrong but putting it in terms like the article you start with a jar of marbles 3/4 blue 1/4 white they are taken out equally every day what are you left with if you just only add them in pairs one will never get to the right amount will they unless your doing allot of water changes in my case I have over 240 gal of water it would take a bit to get them in check
 
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