New to Two-Part

[Razzagas]

I just purchased the starter kit from www.twopartsolution.com, and was wondering how to begin dosing. I read the instructions on the website and Randy's article, but I am confused about getting the calcium and alkalinity levels up before starting a regimented dosing schedule. If I use the calculator, I can find out how much to add, but I don't know if I can add it all at once. Would it just be better to start dosing 0.5ml per gallon of tank water everyday?

Thanks for the help!

[bertoni]

It's safe to dose up to 0.7 meq/L using baking soda (unbaked) and 100 ppm of calcium per day. I'd use the calculator to get a first guess as to how much your tank needs. Note that the calculator requires a guess as to water volume, so it's best to be conservative there, and use multiple doses.

[Razzagas]

I just tested my calcium and alkalinity, and they are as follows:

Calcium= ~290
Alk= ~2.17 meq/L

The calculator on twopartsolutions.com says to add:
cal: Need: 957 ml; 32.3 fl oz; 191.4 tsp
alk: Need: 183.6 ml; 6.2 fl oz; 36.7 tsp

of Recipe 1 in order to get a calcium level of 400 and Alk of 3.25 meq/L

If these are the amounts I need to add total, how do I know how much two-part solution to add in small doses so I will not go over 100ppm and 0.7meq/L in one day?

[bertoni]

I would dose half of that amount, and see what happens. If the alkalinity supplement you're using is recipe 1, the baked baking soda, I'd probably just use some unbaked baking soda, to avoid a pH spike.

[Razzagas]

Are you saying that I should use unbaked baking soda to increase the alk instead of the Alk solution I got online from twopartsolution.com? If so, should I use half of the amount of baking soda as the calculator tells me to (22.3g)? Or since it is not baked, do I not need to worry about the pH change, and can therefore add all 22 grams at once?

Also, do I need to worry about magnesium now, or just when I have finished a complete gallon of each calc/alk solutions?

Thanks so much for your help!!

[bertoni]

I'd use half the amount suggested, because the water volume in the tank is a bit of a guess.

I monitor magnesium by testing it every few months. That might be enough for your system, as well, but every system is different.

[Razzagas]

Thank you for your help! I got the alk and calcium at the correct levels, and have started dosing the daily amounts of two part solution. I dose the alkalinity portion first, but as I add it to the tank water, it forms a precipitate. Is this normal?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The alkalinity portion does normally show a bit of cloudiness when added, as shown below:

from
What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium?
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/rhf/index.htm