ALK and CAL

[Moray26]

Hello everyone,

I have a 220 Gallon with a 75 Sump reef. I use ESV two part and ESV Mag for my supplements. My understanding of two part is that they are to be used together in roughly the same amounts, however I am dosing 8ml of ALK and 30ml of CAL which is frustrating as you can only buy the ESV two part together resulting in just having a ton of ALK sitting around. Any suggestions as to why this is?

Alk - 8
Calc - 450
Mag - 1350

Thank you!

 

[Moray26]

Nobody? haha

 

[EricR]

I've seen them sold separately before.
No idea if this is a reasonable price but here's one example:

ESV Calcium Only

 

[Moray26]

Thanks for this! Appreciate it. Just was looking for other peoples experience as well as to whether they dose equal amounts of alk and cal or if they have the issue I do where you're dosing more of one over the other.

 

[CHIEF_OF_THE_REEF]

I am currently dosing the BRS stuff. I do not dose equal amounts on my system. I have no experience with the ESV you are using.

 

[Reefer_kano]

I've heard both sides of the story.
That both should roughly be about the same and I've heard of numbers way off too.
I'm about 20ml difference between the 2 in my tank and ill probably will have to go another 10 or so

 

[Moray26]

Thanks for the replies! Wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong.

 

[jda]

I would not trust their instructions. Dose to meet your demand. Calcium and alk are not always used in the same ratio and some processes in the tank can deplete (or add) one and not the other.

You can easily make your own supplements out of cheap stuff from Amazon. ...likely the same chemicals that ESV uses.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/2-pa...-starter-package-bulk-reef-supply-bundle.html
This is easy and cheap. Below is the calculator for amounts needed. You can peg your parameters

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-calculator

 

[mattdg]

That is a big difference in alk/cal dose. It sounds like your Cal, might be precipitating. Have you checked your PH? You might try simply dosing according to Alk uptake for awhile, to see if things even out naturally.

 

[SliceGolfer]

Are you dosing Kalkwasser? If not, look into it. This is a low cost alternative that has many benefits. And it will cut down expenses on two part additives.

 

[mattdg]

I agree. Your dosing requirements are so minimal, Kalkwasser could go a long way to level things out.

BTW, what is in your tank right now? Post a picture. It would be helpful.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've heard both sides of the story.
That both should roughly be about the same and I've heard of numbers way off too.
I'm about 20ml difference between the 2 in my tank and ill probably will have to go another 10 or so

There’s only one true side, and possibly some confusion. lol

1. Not all two parts are designed for 1:1 dosing. Red Sea does not try, for example.

2. At least one two part that claims to be for 1:1 dosing is improperly designed to do that. Seachem Reef Fusion.

3. Corals and coralline algae deposit calcium carbonate which has a close to fixed alk to calcium ratio (2.8 dKH for each 18-20 ppm calcium). If this process dominates then equal parts dosing works very well when using an appropriate product.

4. Water changes with new salt water not matching the tank in alk or calcium can skew the demand.

5. Some minor processes add or remove alkalinity. Most of these relate to nitrate rising, falling, being dosed, or use of a sulfur denitrator.

6. Top off with tap water can add alk or calcium, or both.

7. The smaller #3 is, the more likely are numbers 4-6 to be significant, and at very low calcification rates, they can dominate with very off ratios of alk to calcium demand.