Tank dosing with 2 part

[Williamthegr88]

so I have been dosing my tank for awhile and trying to have some stability but it seems like my calcium is always high while my alkalinity is slightly low last time I tested dkh was 7.4 and calcium was 530 I’m only dosing 2.5 ml of 2 part a day any advice would be greatly appreciated thank you

 

[Havoks]

I would get alk where you want it and let calcium drop, when it gets to the right level start dosing again. Measure levels every day for a few days to see how much your tank is consuming daily.

 

[Williamthegr88]

I would get alk where you want it and let calcium drop, when it gets to the right level start dosing again. Measure levels every day for a few days to see how much your tank is consuming daily.

Well the back said I have to dose equal parts? Can I dose just the alkalinity and not the calcium?

 

[Havoks]

Yeah, you dose each one according to how much your tank needs daily. I dose 10ml of alk and 20ml of calcium daily in my tank. You have to test your parameters to find out how much your tank consumes of each one per day.

 

[Williamthegr88]

Yeah, you dose each one according to how much your tank needs daily. I dose 10ml of alk and 20ml of calcium daily in my tank. You have to test your parameters to find out how much your tank consumes of each one per day.

Ahhh I always though you had to dose equal parts I will def get on that thank you for the advice

 

[Havoks]

No problem

 

[Jackony]

So I made every mistake you can dosing 2 part. And I’ll probably eventually start dosing 2 part again on my new build when needed. Don’t worry too much about your levels and their actual numbers. Get them closer to where you would like, as mentioned by dosing extra Alk for a day or two with out dosing Ca. When they are close to where you would like dose evenly longer term. Don’t forget to test levels every now and again and don’t forget to add Mg as needed. All that said I’d use Kalkwasser to the max before doing daily dosing of 2 part; it’s easier when mixed in the ATO, less likely to over do Alk or Ca and it doesn’t precipitate out if not getting mixed in water throughly. Anyway good luck- take many people’s advice and do it better than I did.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well the back said I have to dose equal parts? Can I dose just the alkalinity and not the calcium?

What product are you using?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah, you dose each one according to how much your tank needs daily. I dose 10ml of alk and 20ml of calcium daily in my tank. You have to test your parameters to find out how much your tank consumes of each one per day.

What product are you using?

The primary way that folks get imbalanced demand like that is if you are doing water changes with a mix that does not match the tank.

Folks should not be confused on this. Your tank is not using twice as much calcium as alkalinity. There's no path for calcium consumption that does not involve an equivalent amount of alkalinity. Either the product you are using is imbalanced, or alkalinity is entering your tank some other way (top off water, products you dose, nitrate dosing, cement based artificial rock that is not fully cured leaching alkalinity,). :)

 

[Williamthegr88]

What product are you using?

The primary way that folks get imbalanced demand like that is if you are doing water changes with a mix that does not match the tank.

Folks should not be confused on this. Your tank is not using twice as much calcium as alkalinity. There's no path for calcium consumption that does not involve an equivalent amount of alkalinity. Either the product you are using is imbalanced, or alkalinity is entering your tank some other way (top off water, products you dose, nitrate dosing, cement based artificial rock that is not fully cured leaching alkalinity,). :)

Ok so to answer some questions I am using b-ionic calcium buffer. My alkalinity is not high it is a bit low my calcium is constantly running high. I dose equal parts every night 2.5 ml. I do not have artificial rock nor dose anything besides the 2 part. I do have some carbon in the sump in a bag. Last time I tested I was running 7.4 dkh and 530 calcium. Are you telling me I should not stop dosing calcium till it drops and keep dosing alk? To balance out?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok so to answer some questions I am using b-ionic calcium buffer. My alkalinity is not high it is a bit low my calcium is constantly running high. I dose equal parts every night 2.5 ml. I do not have artificial rock nor dose anything besides the 2 part. I do have some carbon in the sump in a bag. Last time I tested I was running 7.4 dkh and 530 calcium. Are you telling me I should not stop dosing calcium till it drops and keep dosing alk? To balance out?

Equal parts dosing of B-ionic to maintain alkalinity will keep calcium where it is. If it starts high due to the salt mix, it will stay high. The only way 1:1 B-ionic will result in high calcium is if there is an unusual depletion of alkalinity in the tank, such as a sulfur denitrator.

There's no perfect solution when a salt mix starts with excessive calcium, or you otherwise get there, but it probably doesn't much matter if you let the calcium part decline for a while (if you are confident in the high reading) then resume calcium part again once it drops, or just stick to 1:1 dosing and let it stay where it is. In the end, calcium between 400 and 550 ppm is generally fine and I doubt anyone can tell the difference in their tank.

 

[Williamthegr88]

Equal parts dosing of B-ionic to maintain alkalinity will keep calcium where it is. If it starts high due to the salt mix, it will stay high. The only way 1:1 B-ionic will result in high calcium is if there is an unusual depletion of alkalinity in the tank, such as a sulfur denitrator.

There's no perfect solution when a salt mix starts with excessive calcium, or you otherwise get there, but it probably doesn't much matter if you let the calcium part decline for a while (if you are confident in the high reading) then resume calcium part again once it drops, or just stick to 1:1 dosing and let it stay where it is. In the end, calcium between 400 and 550 ppm is generally fine and I doubt anyone can tell the difference in their tank.

I pretty confident in the reading I use a Hanna checker and is typically consistent in its reading. And I never tried to match the parameters in my salt mix am I supposed to?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I pretty confident in the reading I use a Hanna checker and is typically consistent in its reading. And I never tried to match the parameters in my salt mix am I supposed to?

There’s no need to, necessarily, but when you don’t, the water changes are adding alk and/or calcium (or maybe removing them) so the apparent tank consumption is not reflecting actual use in the aquarium.