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I would first make sure there isn't any physical blockages in the tubing that doses the 2 part (build up of Calcium and alk in the tubing may be restricting flow). Then check to make sure the dosing pump is calibrated properly. Stop dosing kalk in your top off water (to determine your true alk/Cal demand )
Check your Mag. (Low mag causes major fluctuations in cal/alk demand. Check for white build up on your pumps (this will indicate if your alk/cal is precipitating )
Do a 30% water change with a quality salt mix (to stabilize mag/cal/alk levels
-start testing with fresh testing kits
-determine true demand of cal/alk
After all that..... you will have it under control.
@randyBRS, I am using ur 2 part solution with soda ash in addition to vinegar saturated kalk in my top off. I believe I saw in one of your other videos that after going through a jug of each of the calcium and alk supplements that you should have also gone through roughly 1 jug of the mag supplement as well, any truth to this? Also, my Kore 5th Doser has the ability to dose 144 equal times a day. Would this be beneficial to dose my soda ash like this as not to have such an alk swing from less frequent, larger doses being that your alk swings much more than your calcium. FYI, this is on a heavily stocked SPS tank. Thanks in advance!
I am using 60 ml white distilled vinegar along with 6 tsp of kalk to 5 gallons. I go through the 5 gallons in around 2 days on a 180.How much vinegar do you add to the kalk per gallon of RO/DI water? I was thinking of doing that route as well.
@randyBRS, I am using ur 2 part solution with soda ash in addition to vinegar saturated kalk in my top off. I believe I saw in one of your other videos that after going through a jug of each of the calcium and alk supplements that you should have also gone through roughly 1 jug of the mag supplement as well, any truth to this? Also, my Kore 5th Doser has the ability to dose 144 equal times a day. Would this be beneficial to dose my soda ash like this as not to have such an alk swing from less frequent, larger doses being that your alk swings much more than your calcium. FYI, this is on a heavily stocked SPS tank. Thanks in advance!
Well, I was going to call............
I've started 2-part dosing, and still haven't dosed the same amounts.
I thought I had it. I was dosing 7 ml of Calcium solution/day and 3.5 ml of Soda Ash solution/day. After 3 days my Tests were Ca - 425 ppm. KH - 9.8 My KH was holding at 8.4
To be on the safe side, my calculations are based on 160 gal, but should be 200 gal. I have had high KH in the past, and it seems it takes days for a reduction. I've added more Mag. solution than anything else
If I have small corals, with low demand, do I need to be doing this 2-part dosing, or will a Water Change be enough. I've been doing 30 gal. changes every 2 weeks.
180 gal. Tank. 40 gal. Sump
Question, I switch from the BRS two part to the BRS Kalk using a stirrer. Since doing this I can't seem to keep my Mag levels high enough consistently. I am still using the Mag mix that came with the two part and following those directions. I read that you have to use a different mix or ratio of crystals but it was not clear. What would you suggest. Thank You.
How much vinegar do you add to the kalk per gallon of RO/DI water? I was thinking of doing that route as well.
Hey Jeff, I got the best advice from Randy not to dose at all. WC every 2 weeks (30 gal.) would take care of all my coral needs. I've been fighting with this 2- part system for the last 2 months. I have a lot of frags, but with 200 gals., my KH after a WC is over 9, and after 2 weeks passes my Alkalinity is just under 7. I use more Ca solution than Soda ash, and I have never used equal amounts.Well, I'm a bit at a lose for my results. I estimate that I have about 100 gallons, with tank sump and fuge, but when I dose the suggested amount from the calc I get lower results than expected. I've been tracking my daily usage and its ~1.3-1.5 dKh a day, which seems high for my stocking level, and the Ca usage is ~10-15 ppm. Per the BRS calc I'm supposed to be dosing ~110 ml of 2 part a day which puts me at 1.1ml/gal which again seems incredible high. My tank is using a lot more than I'm expecting for my stocking level any ideas why the extra usage? Thanks for the help guys.
Tautog, what was your daily consumption rate? For some reason my tank seems to eat a lot daily, 1.3 dKh and 15 ppm Ca, especially for my tank load . I do 10 gallon w/c's every week( HW Marine) just to keep the nutrients ultra low, and help supplement trace elements.Hey Jeff, I got the best advice from Randy not to dose at all. WC every 2 weeks (30 gal.) would take care of all my coral needs. I've been fighting with this 2- part system for the last 2 months. I have a lot of frags, but with 200 gals., my KH after a WC is over 9, and after 2 weeks passes my Alkalinity is just under 7. I use more Ca solution than Soda ash, and I have never used equal amounts.
Well, I'm a bit at a lose for my results. I estimate that I have about 100 gallons, with tank sump and fuge, but when I dose the suggested amount from the calc I get lower results than expected. I've been tracking my daily usage and its ~1.3-1.5 dKh a day, which seems high for my stocking level, and the Ca usage is ~10-15 ppm. Per the BRS calc I'm supposed to be dosing ~110 ml of 2 part a day which puts me at 1.1ml/gal which again seems incredible high. My tank is using a lot more than I'm expecting for my stocking level any ideas why the extra usage? Thanks for the help guys.
Jeff, First you should check your magnesium levels. If they are below 1350 then you are probably precipitating Cal and Alk out of your tank and that is why it is dropping so fast. I had the same issue some years back. Once I got my Mag up my corals started growing really fast and they started to use up my Cal a lot faster again. But you will be able to see the growth and correct for it. Keep an eye on your Mag it is the one test I don't skip a week. It keeps the rest of my tank in check.
Hey Rudy,
I actually checked it last night, with that in mind, (Red Sea Reef Foundation Pro Test Kit) and it was 1360, I had tested it last week also and it was 1300 ( I did a large water change and did additional dosing in-between that brought it up) I dosed it up to 1380 last night.
I'm seeing pretty good growth from my frags, so that's good, but trying to get my dosing down to give them a stable environment and to make my life easier . I'm hoping that after this week I'll see a stable trend and that I can does a consistent amount, but the numbers I'm getting just don't seem to make sense to me when I compare my tank to others with much higher coral loading.