Red Sea RCP vs BRS vs ESV B-Ionic dosing breakdown

don_chuwish

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Pulling up this old but useful thread. I've been very happy with my 2 gallon ESV packages for years now, but am going to try Brightwell's Reef Code A-P and B-P because ESV is out of stock! So I've been trying to determine how much I should dose when switching. Also curious about the cost difference. So, using the OPs statement of:

ESV B-Ionic
E.S.V. B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System Part 2 (Ca): 3.1 ml will raise the Ca level of 100 liters (25 gal) by 2ppm
E.S.V. B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System Part 1 (Alk): 1.1 ml will raise the Alk level of 100 liters (25 gal) by (0.1dKH)

And given the mixing instructions of the Reef Code:
Brightwell Reef Code A-P
Dissolve 35 grams of Reef Code A-P in 8-fl. oz. of purified fresh water
= 560g/gallon
1.0 ml of the solution will increase Ca2+ in 1 gallon of water by ~10 ppm
Conversion:
0.2 ml of the solution will increase Ca2+ in 1 gallon of water by ~2 ppm
5.0 ml of the solution will increase Ca2+ in 25 gallons of water by ~2 ppm
dose 1.6x as much as ESV by volume

Brightwell Reef Code B-P
Dissolve 30 grams of REEF CŌDE B-P in 8-fl. oz. of purified fresh water
= 480g/gallon
1.0 ml of the solution will increase the alkalinity in 1 gallon of water by ~1.0 dKH
Conversion:
1.0 ml of the solution will increase the alkalinity in 25 gallon of water by ~0.04 dKH
2.5 ml of the solution will increase the alkalinity in 25 gallon of water by ~0.1 dKH
dose 2.3x as much as ESV by volume

Someone, anyone, please feel free to check my math!

Cost of Reef Code:
500g = $11.50 ($23/kg = 1 gallon) x 2 for both parts = 1 gallon for $23
1kg = $17 ($17/kg = 2 gallon) x 2 for both parts = 4 gallons for $34
4kg = $55 ($13.75/kg = 8 gallon) x 2 for both parts = 16 gallons for $110

Cost of ESV:
2 gallon package = $36
(1 gallon of each part)
8 gallon package = $90
(4 gallon of each part)

So Reef Code by volume is about half the cost of ESV, but you'll use about twice as much to get the same dose. So it's basically a wash on cost. Assuming I've done the calculations right!
 
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Pulling up this old but useful thread. I've been very happy with my 2 gallon ESV packages for years now, but am going to try Brightwell's Reef Code A-P and B-P because ESV is out of stock! So I've been trying to determine how much I should dose when switching. Also curious about the cost difference. So, using the OPs statement of:

ESV B-Ionic
E.S.V. B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System Part 2 (Ca): 3.1 ml will raise the Ca level of 100 liters (25 gal) by 2ppm
E.S.V. B-Ionic Calcium Buffer System Part 1 (Alk): 1.1 ml will raise the Alk level of 100 liters (25 gal) by (0.1dKH)

And given the mixing instructions of the Reef Code:
Brightwell Reef Code A-P
Dissolve 35 grams of Reef Code A-P in 8-fl. oz. of purified fresh water
= 560g/gallon
1.0 ml of the solution will increase Ca2+ in 1 gallon of water by ~10 ppm
Conversion:
0.2 ml of the solution will increase Ca2+ in 1 gallon of water by ~2 ppm
5.0 ml of the solution will increase Ca2+ in 25 gallons of water by ~2 ppm
dose 1.6x as much as ESV by volume

Brightwell Reef Code B-P
Dissolve 30 grams of REEF CŌDE B-P in 8-fl. oz. of purified fresh water
= 480g/gallon
1.0 ml of the solution will increase the alkalinity in 1 gallon of water by ~1.0 dKH
Conversion:
1.0 ml of the solution will increase the alkalinity in 25 gallon of water by ~0.04 dKH
2.5 ml of the solution will increase the alkalinity in 25 gallon of water by ~0.1 dKH
dose 2.3x as much as ESV by volume

Someone, anyone, please feel free to check my math!

Cost of Reef Code:
500g = $11.50 ($23/kg = 1 gallon) x 2 for both parts = 1 gallon for $23
1kg = $17 ($17/kg = 2 gallon) x 2 for both parts = 4 gallons for $34
4kg = $55 ($13.75/kg = 8 gallon) x 2 for both parts = 16 gallons for $110

Cost of ESV:
2 gallon package = $36
(1 gallon of each part)
8 gallon package = $90
(4 gallon of each part)

So Reef Code by volume is about half the cost of ESV, but you'll use about twice as much to get the same dose. So it's basically a wash on cost. Assuming I've done the calculations right!
Nice work!
 

When to mix up fish meal: When was the last time you tried a different brand of food for your reef?

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  • I rarely change the food that I feed to the tank.

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  • I never change the food that I feed to the tank.

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  • Other.

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