Two part dosing - calcium chloride

[michaelr7170]

I am just getting ready to start dosing two part to my mixed reef tank, been using kalk all along. I mixed up my first batch of calcium tonight but the mixture is still a bit cloudy a few hours later, is this normal? FYI I am using dowflake xtra calcium chloride as per a lot of DIY two part dosing articles (randy Holmes, etc.). I mixed 2.5 cups in a gallon of RODI water.

It seems normal to me as I would expect a concentrated calcium solution to be a little cloudy in appearance, but when watching videos from BRStv they indicate it should turn clear. Appreciate any feedback!

 

[Reefable]

Tagging along...I myself will b doing this maybe by the end of this month when my seachem Ca finishes. I have already started the Alk and Mg receipe since over a month...

 

[REEFCHITOWN]

yes that is normal. Let it sit for a day or so and it does turn clear. I have found if i mix it in an open container it is less cloudy.

 

[michaelr7170]

Thanks good to know!

 

[downbeach]

You may find that the "Xtra" product is somewhat stronger than the regular Dowflake Randy used in his DIY formulation. Dowflake = 77% - 80% pure, while the Dowflake Xtra = 83% - 87% pure. So, as he noted about using Peladow(90% - 93% pure), as a substitute, you would use ~ 20% less (2 cups vs 2.5 cups) when making up the solution to keep it in balance with his two part formula. In your case, using the "Xtra" I would say to use ~ 2.25 cups to keep the solution in sync with the formula.

 

[Reefable]

For the Xtra he has suggested to use 10% less than the regular Dowflake.

 

[michaelr7170]

You may find that the "Xtra" product is somewhat stronger than the regular Dowflake Randy used in his DIY formulation. Dowflake = 77% - 80% pure, while the Dowflake Xtra = 83% - 87% pure. So, as he noted about using Peladow(90% - 93% pure), as a substitute, you would use ~ 20% less (2 cups vs 2.5 cups) when making up the solution to keep it in balance with his two part formula. In your case, using the "Xtra" I would say to use ~ 2.25 cups to keep the solution in sync with the formula.

I was curious about this, thank you for pointing it out. I mixed it 2.5 cup/gallon however I can just remove a portion of it and top it up again with freshwater.

 

[michaelr7170]

For the Xtra he has suggested to use 10% less than the regular Dowflake.

I couldn't find where he talked about using the Xtra, where did you see this? Thanks

 

[Reefable]

I couldn't find where he talked about using the Xtra, where did you see this? Thanks

Hi Mike
Sorry for getting back to you so late I was offline for quite a while. Here is the link where Randy metions about Dowflake Xtra using 6-10% less than regular dow Ca Chloride

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1846470