Two Part

strayvoltage

strayvoltage

New member
How many of you are dosing with any kind of Two-Part Calcium Alkalinity Additives & Supplements? If you are please post here what brand and how much you use of it, as well as where you are buying it. Also please tell me if you dose as per instructions or if you are using a different formula for the amount you use. Thanks in advance. :wave:
 
I've been dosing for a while.
I initially dose by the recommendations at BRS, then monitor my levels and adjust.
By running a controller, I just adjust the time. Drew dosers are about 1.5mL/min in the BRS tubing. I run them spaced out 5x a day to meet my needs

I've used various sources of chemicals depending on my need/location/price etc

Calcium:
calcium dihydrate from BRS
Anhydrous Calcium from Leslie's Pool Supply (Hardness Plus)

Alk:
Soda Ash from Leslies Pool Supply
Arm and Hammer baking soda
Soda Ash from BRS

Mag:
Mag Flake (de-icer)
Eposom salt from market
Magnesium Chloride from BRS
 
I do not dose because of previous over dosing, but I am looking into doing Kalkwasser from my ATO. I've been doing a lot of research and seeing if this is the best way to start to introduce some form of Ca to my system?
 
Gomer, thanks for the reply. So you do the do it yourself two part? Have you ever used the commercial two part? If so what differences if any do you see in it and the DYI two part.

The Juggernaut, how did you over dose? was it by automated addition or did you over dose by manual addition of the two part? I think you should give it another try and be more careful with the dosing and not over dose.

I have been dosing two part by hand for about three years now and never a problem with it in any way.
 
I do it myself. Way way cheaper. Chemicals are cheap and it is easy to mix.
premade stuff also works, but imo, it is very uneconomical, especially with bigger tanks. with nanos, it isn't that bad.

I have a controller and use it to run my dosing pumps. makes life easy.
 
strayvoltage said:
How many of you are dosing with any kind of Two-Part Calcium Alkalinity Additives & Supplements? If you are please post here what brand and how much you use of it, as well as where you are buying it. Also please tell me if you dose as per instructions or if you are using a different formula for the amount you use. Thanks in advance. :wave:
Click to expand...

I dose B Ionic 2 part by hand. I use their measurement system and it seems to keep my parameters right on.
 
Gomer, thanks again for the post.


xmenx2dad, thanks for the post. Do you test your Ca and Alk? If so what does it stay at by using the recommended dosage for the two part you use? KInd of funny, you guys up north reply more than the guys down here.

:wave:
 
i started using kent C buffer 2 part a month or 2 ago. i forget, i wanted mainly to keep my ph at a higher and stable level, and it worked, im about out and the guy at the salty fin mixes it for his tank i guess and will refill you bottles at half price so its more economical. im testing every 2-3 weeks, but everything is doing better now.
 
Two part

Two part

I started daily dosing about a year ago but it didn't take long to see that was too expensive. bought a kalkstirrer and dosing pump(off ebay) and monitor it with by reefkeeper to make sure it doesn't overdose. Works great, much cheaper in the long run and a lot less daily hassle. :D
 
Gomer said:
you can mix it youself at way lower than 1/2 price. All you need is a jug, RODI and measuring cups.

www.bulkreefsuppply.com
Click to expand...
+1

BRS has the chemicals that will last you a lot longer and for half the price then what I am using, Kent Tech CB 2 part alk/calcium. It raises and buffers both alk/ca at the same time. I don't dose as often as I should and have seen pretty good results when I do you use it.

Once I am done with these bottles, def going with BRS. Its cost is outstanding for alk/ca/mg and last a long time. I also need to keep up on h2o changes, that way, I don't have to dose as often.
 
I don't dose for alk or ph. I just let the tank do it on its own. But do have a fan on the tank to get the gas exchange working. but you're right Gomer, a huge bag of baking soda will last you years for both alk and ph. You need very little of it to get the alk/ph down/up. Great tip on "baking" baking soda to convert it to soda ash. :thumbsup: I almost forgot about that one.
 
I too use the baking soda and I'm using the BRS calcium and magnesium kits. On the old tank I dosed Alk with the Drew doser but did not have to dose calcium. On the new tank I have the calcium reactor but have still had to boost calcium but not Alk! Stays at 380. Still trying to dial it in to keep everything stable. I started using the kalk reactor, stirred once per day, to keep pH up so monitoring Alk and Calcium closely. I'm using Mrs Wages pickling lime.

Jay
 
Im using prestone driveway heat 2 cups in 1 gal for calcium, 2 1/2 cups of baking soda on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees in the oven for 1 hr then mixed into 1 gal, then I use brightwell aquatics mag powder (I know the 50/50 mix is cheaper but I already had a 3gal bucket of it) I add about 1 cup fo this in 1 gal.

I know some may frown on the prestone driveway heat but I have been PO4/ silicate free for two years using it.

I also dose kalkwasser via reactor, I got a 50lb bag of calcium hydroxide (mississippi lime company) for $24 at ACE hardware here in kansas city SCORE! been using it for a few years no problems.
 
I was using kalkwasser via a kalkstirrer and dosing pump but my stirrer broke so I've had to go back to 2 parting it again. I get my components from BRS for now and mix them myself. Too expensive to buy pre-mixed stuff. gotta get my kalkstirrer fixed as it's hard to remember to dose everyday and a lot less convenient
 
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