2 Part Recipe / Big Mistake

[NewSchool04]

I hear you Sullyman loud and clear! Now to get off my arse and do something about it!

 

[junbug1970]

ut oh. i just got my two part tonight and i just dose them all at once. i dint do it little by little until all the recommended dose is used up.

hmmm

what am i expecting here now that i did that?

 

[Pufferpunk]

Depends if you just did a normal maintence dose or to raise your parameters.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9595892#post9595892 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sullyman
I don't know how you folks do it without a reactor, seems like too much work and chance for human error.
Once the reactor is set/dialed in, it's a lot more stable than the daily dosing.
Sure a reactor's going to set you back some money but how much $ do you have in livestock in your tanks? jmo

Those reactors look like too much work for me. How do you know when it is dialed in right?

 

[jdieck]

NewSchool:

An increase up to 100 ppm of Calcium or 1.0 meq/lt of alkalinity is the upper level of what I have tested usually without problems and my maximum recommended adjustment in one shot is haf those levels. The reason I recommend to limit them is not really that the Calcium or alkalinity increase will cause any issues but being unable to know which imputities may come with the supplement it is safer so as to give the system time to adjust and digest them watever they are.
At your addition of 50 ppm calcium and 0.5 meq/lt of alkalinity should have not given you any issue but unfortunately calcium chloride specially de-icer may contain more that the usual amount of ammonia from the manufacturing process. We need to keep in mind that manufacturers of de-icers do not really need to have strict quality control on such product applications.
There are sources for food grade calcium chloride anhydrous which is used for canning and pickling to cucumbers "crisp" but I found its cost is three to four times more expensive than Kent's Turbocalcium which I suspect is the same grade.

http://www.bulkfoods.com/calciumchloride.htm
http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_res...xtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=4768&N=2004+113458

 

[joroscoe]

Best of luck Pat!

 

[ataylo13]

I feel you pain. I have been struggling to keep my alk and ca at the right levels with the 2 part. 2 weeks ago my alk was at 2.0 and I have been increasing the amount each day trying to find the right amount to dose to keep me at 420 ca and 3.0 alk. I don't have a mg test kit. So who knows what my levels are at. Every time I go to a LFS I look for a mg test kit and nobody has one.

How are your corals looking today?

~Brandon

 

[pk1]

I've been using the 2 part lately instead of ESV's products to save a a little dough and have run into a bunch of problems. I can't keep my alk at NSW, and I was adding 350ml a day to a 180gl. My PH is all out of wack (7.8-7.9!), either that or my PH monitor is shot--but the 2 month old probe calibrates fine? Then, a few days after adding part 3 of the MG supplement all my blue tort's tip's burnt off along with a few other acro's, and most of my montipora's lost some tissue. I asked borneman for some advice and he is at a loss as to why the corals are loosing tissue. And to think, I have a schuran ca/rx with media and a half full CO2 bottle with the gauge sitting in my basement just waiting to be hooked up. BTW Brandon, Marine Depot has the salifert Mag kits in stock.

 

[NewSchool04]

Thanks for the info jdieck. I was thinking about that last night and came to the conclusion that it had to be the driveway heat. One thing that I didn't think to mention was this was the first time I used this batch of Prestone Driveway heat and I'm now wondering after reading your post if this batch is different than my last.

 

[BenjieC]

This is why I use a DIY Kalk reactor and a dosing pump for top of keeps me at 410 and 3.0 All I need to do is change out the kalk every 2mths. And if it's not enough to to keep up w/ your tanks demand (fine for mine) just put a fan on your sump to inc evaporation and increase your top off. Much cheaper than a Calcium reactor $100 for dosing pump used and $30 in canister and plumbing parts.

 

[NewSchool04]

I use a dosing pump 24/7 with super saturated Kalk replacing a little under 2 gallons a day and I can't keep up. I maintain at around 2.7 meq/L for Alk and 380 for Ca.

 

[junbug1970]

Just regular maintenance dose. I woke up this morning everything seemed to be fine, except i've noticed that my skimmer went bonkers. it was full to the rim this morning

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9596148#post9596148 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
Depends if you just did a normal maintence dose or to raise your parameters.

 

[junbug1970]

Hey Pat,

keeping my fingers cross, everything is doing good. polyps opened up, everything else seemed happy, except my turbo snail knocked one of the frag that i epoxy and have no clue where it went. lol

btw, i'm going to email you about car parts

 

[Racenrich]

I find it AMAZING that people use commercial grade chemicals....aka DRIVEWAY HEAT and BAKING SODA as supplements for their Multi THOUSAND DOLLAR aquariums!

Pay the extra $$ and buy Chemicals made for the HOBBY!!
There are plenty other ways to save $$$.......

Good luck...........

IMHO of course!

P.S. I've been using B-Ionic for 4 yrs now.....no issues what so ever!

 

[NewSchool04]

I can understand questioning driveway heat but baking soda? That's a perfect additive for Alkalinity and food grade to boot.

 

[pk1]

I have no problem with the use of baking soda and epsom salts, those are food grade products and are regulated much closer than even B-ionic. It's the other parts of the 2 part that I'm weary of.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I agree w/Rich, I don't think something to be thrown on your driveway can be very pure. I remember when he 1st told me that when I was asking him about additives, at the CMAS swap. Baking soda though, what's wrong w/that?

 

[JRaquatics]

I use a two part of sea chem calcium and baking soda, I have not had any problems. I have not seen the difference between using baking soda or reefbuilder, except the price tag. I picked up a bulk size bag of baking soda at sams club for less than $8. It will probably last me two years.

 

[Racenrich]

FWIW, food grade is A WHOLE lot different then Chemistry grade.

PK1.....i beg to differ on the B-ionic...Chemical manufactures have very strict standards that are to be met to be considered certain grades.

For instance...you get baking soda at the store for $2, but then again you can get Sodium Bicarbonate (formal name for baking soda) from a Chemical vendor with a cost substantially higher!
Why?
Chemical grade and food grade are very different.

No arguments here, just mentioning that for all the $$$$ we put into our tanks, why take chances with Food grade quality, when you get aquarium grade quality with no issues.
Just my 2 cents!

Cheers.

 

[JRaquatics]

Hey rich ho'w the tank? did you get your calcium reactor running yet?