Your 2-part dosing costs you WHAT?!?! | BRStv Investigates

[randyBRS]

Hey Reefers!

Do you have an idea of what your Calcium and Alkalinity 2-part actually costs you per month? I found the results SUPER interesting!

Today we explore a whole line-up of additive options and determine their monthly cost based on a consumption rate that was pretty popular over on THIS thread poll from @dbl !

Shout out to @Terence for the idea on this one!

 

[W1ngz]

Sorta disappointed that you covered the Aquaforest 1-2-3+ premixed liquid, but didn't talk about their mix it yourself option. I worked that out and it comes to a little less than 1/3 of the cost for majors, minors and trace.

Though I will point out that AF also doesn't really market that option well, there's no 'kit', you'd have to have watched their video to know how and which dry components and concentrated components to buy.

 

[randyBRS]

Sorta disappointed that you covered the Aquaforest 1-2-3+ premixed liquid, but didn't talk about their mix it yourself option. I worked that out and it comes to a little less than 1/3 of the cost for majors, minors and trace.

You're right, there's absolutely more out there we could've done, but for the sake of time and cost these were the most logical to us.

Ryan and I started to look at the Aquaforest dry calcium and kH Buffer, but since the Component 1, 2, 3+ have additional minor and trace elements (dry calcium states it's simply calcium chloride and I wager that kH Buffer is likely just sodium carbonate or sodium bicarb) we felt that the better choice would be the bundle pack. Also looking from a popularity standpoint for what leaves our doors, the Component 1,2,3+ is for sure the standout in the Aquaforest lineup.

 

[W1ngz]

You're right, there's absolutely more out there we could've done, but for the sake of time and cost these were the most logical to us.

Ryan and I started to look at the Aquaforest dry calcium and kH Buffer, but since the Component 1, 2, 3+ have additional minor and trace elements (dry calcium states it's simply calcium chloride and I wager that kH Buffer is likely just sodium carbonate or sodium bicarb) we felt that the better choice would be the bundle pack. Also looking from a popularity standpoint for what leaves our doors, the Component 1,2,3+ is for sure the standout in the Aquaforest lineup.

Thanks Randy
You're right, there's a few more things to add to the dry Ca, alk and Mg. AF doesn't sell a dry bundle pack though. Now that you've done all the work for me on the rest of the big lines, I sorta wish I could try out the BRS stuff, but shipping and customs fees blow away any cost savings to get it into Canada.

 

[User1]

@randyBRS Great job. Pretty solid information and should help those of us who have a single or double head dosing pump. At least I found it useful.

Thanks a lot and have a great weekend.

 

[CJS80]

Great video. Now we just need a comparison of CaRx media.

 

[Japtastic]

ATI Essentials Pro. Fairy cost effective for me.

 

[dragon99]

Why no Kalk? It's the original and still the best 1 part additive.
By my math it's only $2.51 / month making it the cheapest

$29.99/ 4lb (1814g) and using 5g per day

 

[hart24601]

Why no Kalk? It's the original and still the best 1 part additive.
By my math it's only $2.51 / month making it the cheapest

$29.99/ 4lb (1814g) and using 5g per day

Good point! And for most 100g tanks it looks like that is reasonable evaporation to expect daily.

 

[Devaji]

I would love to see the math on 2 part VS CaRx. I know there is way more up front cost in the CaRx but at what point would you break even or start to save $$?

I am loosely debating 2 part VS reactor for the new RS750 LPS tank. would think a bag of reborn or the like would last a long time in a low to moderate demanding tank? could it even be more cost effective way to supply major and minor elements to a tank than dosing 2 part??

what is everyone's thoughts?

 

[JVU]

@randyBRS
Now that you guys carry the new TM All-For-Reef powder, and it is much less expensive than the All-For-Reef liquid with the same benefit of a 1-part solution that includes Mg and trace elements, I wonder if you could let us know where it would come in in this analysis? Let me know if my assumptions and math check out with how you did your analysis-

Roughly comparing the AFR liquid vs powder using the current prices at BRS:
liquid $368.20 for 10 L
powder $68.40 for 10 L
So 5.38x less expensive

You guys estimated liquid AFR at $67.27 per month on your idealized tank, so the new power AFR would be $12.50 per month using the above cost ratio, making it one of your less expensive options, and a real stand-out on that list given all the advantages of AFR you described in the video.

Also, I’m wondering if you’d be willing to estimate the cost in this system of your BRS 2-part plus TM A-, K+, and C additives that you’ve been recommending since it also supplements trace elements. In this video you mention BRS 2-part plus C but not with the trace elements.

Thanks!

 

[Devaji]

@randyBRS
Now that you guys carry the new TM All-For-Reef powder, and it is much less expensive than the All-For-Reef liquid with the same benefit of a 1-part solution that includes Mg and trace elements, I wonder if you could let us know where it would come in in this analysis? Let me know if my assumptions and math check out with how you did your analysis-

Roughly comparing the AFR liquid vs powder using the current prices at BRS:
liquid $368.20 for 10 L
powder $68.40 for 10 L
So 5.38x less expensive

You guys estimated liquid AFR at $67.27 per month on your idealized tank, so the new power AFR would be $12.50 per month using the above cost ratio, making it one of your less expensive options, and a real stand-out on that list given all the advantages of AFR you described in the video.

Also, I’m wondering if you’d be willing to estimate the cost in this system of your BRS 2-part plus TM A-, K+, and C additives that you’ve been recommending since it also supplements trace elements. In this video you mention BRS 2-part plus C but not with the trace elements.

Thanks!

Randy- totally agree this ^ I will be setting up dosing in the next 6 months or so once my tank tells my WC will not cut it anymore. I am wondering the same or add Kalk to the mix.

 

[Joe31415]

So far nothing. Before I got my tank set up, I was under the impression that dosing (likely either 2-part or Kalk) was something that needed to be done on a daily basis on all reef tanks, period.
So, as part of gathering everything, I picked up a BRS 2 part kit. Even with 6 or 7 corals (mostly LPS) in a small 20gal QT, I think I added a little bit of either calcium or alk once or twice and I likely didn't even have to.
Even now, with everything in the DT, and the corals actively growing, plus a few fish and other inverts, my alk/cal/mag are all pretty very stable, even doing almost no water changes to keep nitrates up.