surfn
I bleed orange and maroon
Ok,
So basically, the theory behind the 2-part dosing system is really easy, you are only adding pure concentrated chemicals to your tank, so you know exactly what is going into your tank.
The easy way to start this out, and most people that have been into the hobby for a while should already be past this point...is to use this calculator and every once in a while put a measured amount of baking soda or calcium chloride into your tank to keep your levels up.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
i used to use plain old baking soda you find in the grocery store. to keep my calcium up, i used the kents turbo calcium (dry kind). i would just mix up a measured amount, using that calculator, with my top off water every couple of days.
when it gets to the point you are having to add baking soda more than once every couple of days...you need to invent in a dosing pump.
if you have only a mild consumption of alk and calcium, i would recomend possibly starting out with a dosing pump and kalk mixed into your top off water. the only reason i dont like this is b/c it will require keeping a large resevoir, like a brute trashcan close by. this should maintain your alk levels and keep your top off water up, and you'll just need to use that calculator and add some calcium once a week or so.
i went straight to the 2 part dosing system, b/c you can keep very concentrated solutions in small batches that last a long time. the downside, is you'll need another dosing pump.
if you have a high demand, then you'll have to get 2 dosing pumps. the litermeter 3 comes with only 1 dosing pump, but you can buy an additional one. the litermeter is expensive, but its so worth it, you set it, and then forget basically and never have to mess with it. it needs to be recalibrated bi-annually i think, and then replace the tubing once a year.
this article explains the whole thing except the dosing pumps themselves, the theory is super easy.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
I use recipe #1. and you can buy the stuff in bulk if you have a good way of storing it, i didnt..so i just got the prepackaged portions from one of our sponsors.
http://www.twopartsolution.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=7
if you want to do this, i would first recomend getting the litermeter dosing pump. if you are like me, and on a budget, get the initial system, which comes with only one pump, and then set it up to do your alk, and get that completely stable. just use the calculator and mix up a desired amount of calcium once a week and put it in with your top off water to keep the calcium up in the mean time.
once you are comfortable with it dosing just the alk part, go ahead and buy another pump for it, and then add your calcium part.
i just filled up my 1g calcium and alk solutions yesterday, and it took 2 months to go through them! and i have a heavy sps load in my 65g system.
the only other thing, is you'll need test kits for alk, calcium, magnesium. and you'll need some extra magnesium/epsom salts from that sponsor, b/c it takes quite a bit to get your magnesium levels up initially before you start the system.
here is my set up, its by no means "neat", b/c I'll be moving this summer again, so i figure I'll wait to make it neat on the next system.
-you can see the litermeter up on top of the tank, there is a second pump right behind it.
-at the bottom, is the concentrated solutions with the tubing going into them.
-on the left, the tubing goes over the sump and hangs over the water and drips in every now and then to keep the levels stable.
let me know if you have any questions...the chemistry part may look complicated at first, but its really quite simple b/c all you need to do is test your levels, and raise the dosing in accordance with it.
my litermeter is set up to dose 0.08L/day of each part, they are supposed to be used in equal amounts to get things completely stable.
So basically, the theory behind the 2-part dosing system is really easy, you are only adding pure concentrated chemicals to your tank, so you know exactly what is going into your tank.
The easy way to start this out, and most people that have been into the hobby for a while should already be past this point...is to use this calculator and every once in a while put a measured amount of baking soda or calcium chloride into your tank to keep your levels up.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
i used to use plain old baking soda you find in the grocery store. to keep my calcium up, i used the kents turbo calcium (dry kind). i would just mix up a measured amount, using that calculator, with my top off water every couple of days.
when it gets to the point you are having to add baking soda more than once every couple of days...you need to invent in a dosing pump.
if you have only a mild consumption of alk and calcium, i would recomend possibly starting out with a dosing pump and kalk mixed into your top off water. the only reason i dont like this is b/c it will require keeping a large resevoir, like a brute trashcan close by. this should maintain your alk levels and keep your top off water up, and you'll just need to use that calculator and add some calcium once a week or so.
i went straight to the 2 part dosing system, b/c you can keep very concentrated solutions in small batches that last a long time. the downside, is you'll need another dosing pump.
if you have a high demand, then you'll have to get 2 dosing pumps. the litermeter 3 comes with only 1 dosing pump, but you can buy an additional one. the litermeter is expensive, but its so worth it, you set it, and then forget basically and never have to mess with it. it needs to be recalibrated bi-annually i think, and then replace the tubing once a year.
this article explains the whole thing except the dosing pumps themselves, the theory is super easy.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
I use recipe #1. and you can buy the stuff in bulk if you have a good way of storing it, i didnt..so i just got the prepackaged portions from one of our sponsors.
http://www.twopartsolution.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=7
if you want to do this, i would first recomend getting the litermeter dosing pump. if you are like me, and on a budget, get the initial system, which comes with only one pump, and then set it up to do your alk, and get that completely stable. just use the calculator and mix up a desired amount of calcium once a week and put it in with your top off water to keep the calcium up in the mean time.
once you are comfortable with it dosing just the alk part, go ahead and buy another pump for it, and then add your calcium part.
i just filled up my 1g calcium and alk solutions yesterday, and it took 2 months to go through them! and i have a heavy sps load in my 65g system.
the only other thing, is you'll need test kits for alk, calcium, magnesium. and you'll need some extra magnesium/epsom salts from that sponsor, b/c it takes quite a bit to get your magnesium levels up initially before you start the system.
here is my set up, its by no means "neat", b/c I'll be moving this summer again, so i figure I'll wait to make it neat on the next system.
-you can see the litermeter up on top of the tank, there is a second pump right behind it.
-at the bottom, is the concentrated solutions with the tubing going into them.
-on the left, the tubing goes over the sump and hangs over the water and drips in every now and then to keep the levels stable.
let me know if you have any questions...the chemistry part may look complicated at first, but its really quite simple b/c all you need to do is test your levels, and raise the dosing in accordance with it.
my litermeter is set up to dose 0.08L/day of each part, they are supposed to be used in equal amounts to get things completely stable.
