Improved Recipe #1

[OracleOCA]

Hi Randy,

I made the three part additive system based on your new article "An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part: Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System". I have a 65 gallon total volume in my reef. My numbers for Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium are all on target based on another article you wrote.

I understand that I should dose daily parts 1 and 2 (alk. and Ca); however, how often should I dose the Mg? )once a week, once a month or what? What is the average time to dose?

Another question regarding the daily dosing regimen: in my 65 gallon, I should dose 19.5ml per day of parts 1 & 2 if I have a low demand reef aquaria, correct? It just seems alot to dose everyday.

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As long as you add the specific magnesium dose over the course of using a whole gallon of each of the other parts, it doesn't much matter how you add it. All at once at the end of a gallon, or in small additions along the way. The boost in magnesium is not all that high, and can be calculated here for your size tank:

Reef chemicals calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

If the all at once is over 100 ppm magnesium boost, then you may want to split it into 3 doses along the course of adding a gallon of the other parts (at 1/3 gallon each, for example).

 

[OracleOCA]

So in summary, can I dose all three parts on a daily basis if my numbers are all at the correct levels now?

Alk = 9
Ca = 450
Mg = 1245 - this I will bump up a little

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, but the magnesium part will be very small. It is not an equal part.

 

[OracleOCA]

So what would be the percentage to parts 1 & 2? For example, if I dose ~20ml of parts 1 & 2 daily.

TIA

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The article gives the exact details:

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
from it:

"Each time you finish adding a gallon of both parts of Recipe #1, add 610 mL (2 Ã"šÃ‚½ cups) of this stock solution. "

and

"Each time you finish adding a gallon of both parts of Recipe #2, add 305 mL (1 Ã"šÃ‚¼ cups) of this stock solution

 

[OracleOCA]

I read your document and I came up with a percentage for Recipe #1. My calculations came out to be 16%. So if I dose 20ml of parts 1 & 2, I could dose 16% of that volume which would be 3.2ml of Mg daily. It would seem to be easier to dose once a week which would make my total volume of Mg 22.4ml.

For recipe #2, one would dose 8% of Mg to 100% of parts 1 & 2.

What do you think? I rather use this method than dosing 2.5 cups of Mg after the full gallon of parts 1 & 2 are emptied.

Also, for the Mg solution, there is the Calcium Sulfate precipitate, could one simply pour their dosing amount from the top instead of mixing it up (kind of like kalk water)? Would this be better in the long run?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you want to add it more frequently, that is fine. That ratio is correct.

I would use the calcium sulfate precipitate, instead of leaving it behind.

 

[OracleOCA]

Thank you so much Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Good luck.