Two Part Users - Please chime in!

[jdhuyvetter]

I make my own 2-Part with Pinch a Penny supplies. Last week I had to up my formula to keep up with growth in order to maintain kH and Ca levels. I make one gallon a week and put it in smaller water bottles that I use to dose daily.

As of last week, I am up to 1.5 cups of kH and 1.75 cups of Ca per week. 1.75 cups of Ca per week is a lot of corals......I can't frag that fast!

Anybody else experienced this?

 

[MarcWeaver]

Yes, very common. I was up to 2.4 cups per week (80mL/day) of each in a 220 SPS until I moved the tank. I was upping the dose all the time.

 

[downbeach]

I have a 180 mixed reef, predominantly SPS, and use 8 oz. a day of recipe #2, so 7 cups per week. If I used recipe #1, it might be half that much.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

even while running a (small) Ca reactor and replacing for evap with kalk I have to routinely dose 100mls part one and two.

The larger a coral grows the faster it depletes Ca and alkalinity.

Every time a new coral is added the depletion rate increases.

Large Tridacna suck up Ca/alk like there's no tomorrow.

If you're not careful you can (literally) become a victim of your own success as depletion rates keep increasing. Calcium and alkalinity levels are ALWAYS in flux in a reef aquarium.

 

[worm5406]

WOW... That is high dosage. What happens if you just leave it at that level instead of increasing it? The growth will slow down right?

 

[sfsuphysics]

Advice... go with more soft corals

 

[Humu Humu]

I have a 125 with sps. I dose Kaukwasser for 5 minutes at a time, 4 times a day. Plus I add one cup of Alkalinity and one cup of Ca daily, using Randy's 2 part recipe.