How much two-part is too much

[MO Will]

Is there a limit to how much two-part you can use? I currently seem to have a high calcium demand. Lots of coralline algae and about ten sps corals. I use about 600 mL of each part per day. I watch the Mg and try to keep it over 1400. Is there any problem adding this much two part per day (other th cost)? Adding this much has made me seriously consider a calcium reactor although the simplicity of the two part is very attractive.

Thanks

Will

[bertoni]

That's a big dose for a 58g system. It shouldn't cause any harm, though. I wouldn't worry, personally, as long as the pH remains okay.

[killagoby]

As long as the corals are using the calcium and your testing the water to keep alk, mag, and calcium in check you should be okay.

[jumpincactus]

you will love the savings going with a calc reactor. If you are dosing that much 2 part calculate what you spend a year on 2 part and then factor the cost of a calc reactor sized for your gallonage and you will be shocked at how much money you save a year.

The only cost initially is the upfront purchase and then its a matter of the small amount of electricity you use for the eheim pump for the reactor. The media last approx 6 mos at a cost of around 20.00 So thats 40.00 per year.

And just the set it and forget it with a calc reactor frees you up and enmormous amount of time you could be spending with family recreation or other husbandry for your tank.

I went with a reactor 1.5 years ago and have never regretted it.

I also stopped buying mag and alk additves and use Randy's 2 part recipes and it lowers this cost to pennies a month.

[nismo driver]

600ml seems really really high..

i have a oceanic 45g tech with a 10 gallon sump, atleast 20 assorted sps frags and a few lps frags coraline growth ect and 25 - 30ml each of two part esv b-ionic is more then sufficient and i have farily good growth especially from my montis that are decent size..

[MCsaxmaster]

If you're buying it premade, I'd look into the home-made route. It will be much cheaper in the long run.

As long as you are watching your salinity (two part leaves NaCl leftovers, raising salinity over time), the pH doesn't rise too much upon addition, and you are adding it carefully so that you aren't spiking concentration super high or causing a lot of abiotic precipitation, I see no reason there should be an upper limit per se.

That does seem like an aweful lot though. What do you have in the tank? How precisely are you making the additions?

[MO Will]

Thanks for all the replies

I have been using sodium carbonate and calcium chloride from two part solution

I mix in a 5 gallon bucket and dose with a LM3

I have had a significant decrease in abiotic precipitation since I startef monitoring magnesium levels

I have about 10 SPS; I am also surpised about the requirements!

[MCsaxmaster]

Where are you dosing? Are both parts dosed at the same time? What is the mixing like there (i.e., how long does it take to mix into the tank)? How fast is the solution dosed? How much is dosed at a time?

[MO Will]

I am dosing into my sump. I have a 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tank that I use as a sump. The two part is dosed into an open area of the sump and there is a MJ1200 aimed at this area so that the additives are quickly mixed with a large volume of water.

I have a litermeter 3 with 3 dosing channels. One is for limewater, one for part A, and one for part B. The litermeter divides the dose into 150 fractions given over the course of 24 hours so each dose is only3-4 mL.

I have tried to decrease abiotic precipitation as much as possible. I check Mg levels regularly and try to keep the levels at or above 1400. I also tend to get precipitation in the phosban reactors so I have taken to running them only for a week at a time instead of all the time.

Thanks

[MCsaxmaster]

Huh, well I'd say that all sounds very good. Are you maybe using a dilute solution then? I mean, it just seems like an aweful lot of supplement given the concentration of most commercial supplements.

[TracyZeuner]

That does seem like alot. I mean I believe you, it's just that I have a 180 reef that has 2 clams and about 10-15 lps/sps and I thought that the 256mil per day I was dosing was alot. I also buy my materials in bulk and that has saved me a ton of money.

[MO Will]

When thing I may recalibrate the pump. Maybe the pump is no longer accurate

[robsee06]

That is way too much a dose for your size tank. I think you may want to recheck your setup...something is not right with that number.

[MO Will]

That is what I thought too - just trying to figure out what the problem is

[robsee06]

Your kalkreactor should more than adequately cover the calcium demand for your tank. You should not be having any precipitate forming anywhere. If you do (or ever have) you are dosing way too much.

A modestly stocked tank of your size should only require a couple of ounces per day of 2 part (this is without a kalkreactor) not the 1/2 liter or so you are putting in.

Are you diluting the 2 part recipe when you make it?

I would stop dosing everything until you get this figured out.

[MO Will]

I get the two part from Two Part solution and follow Randy's recipe - 2.5 cups/gallon CaCl

For the kalk I don't have a reactor. I put 1.7 cups in a 40 gallon Brute and let it settle.

If I decrease the dosing amount the Ca will fall over the course of a week to <300

[bertoni]

I suspect the issue is the abiotic precipitation, but I don't know how to reduce it. You might be better off dosing into the display.

[nismo driver]

what kind of gorth have been seeing on you sps?

are they growing like weeds?

[Conesus_Kid]

I see that you're posting Mg test results. What are your Ca, Alk, and pH like?

According to Randy's two-part dosing instructions for a high demand system, (assuming you have a ~200 gallon system), you're dosing more than three times the recommended amount of two-part.

[MO Will]

My parameters are pH 8.1 - 8.3

Calcium - would like it to be 420. Last weekend it was 300. I have added more CaCl this week and it is now at 370.

Alk is about 8.0

One thing that makes me wonder about the calibration on the LM3 is that the Ca seems to go down faster than the alk

I last calibrated the LM3 in May - I will try to do it again tonight

I have several acros that grow slowly. I have recently added some montis that grow pretty fast, about an inch on each bud over 10 weeks

[MO Will]

Here's a stupid question:

How much calcium do soft corals use, if any?

I have hundreds of zooanthids - they grow like weeds

[bertoni]

Soft corals use only tiny amounts of calcium and carbonate, compared to stony corals or coralline algae.

[RokleM]

Originally posted by MO Will
I mix in a 5 gallon bucket and dose with a LM3

Just to clarify, you're not mixing the ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket and dosing right? You have 3 5 gallon buckets, correct?

If you're mixing it all in one bucket, you'll have all kinds of issues.

[MO Will]

Yes I have two 5 gallon buckets for parts A and B

I have a 44 gallon brute for the limewater

Thanks - still didn't get a chance to check calibration on LM3

[NewBostonConst]

Let us know if you figure it out. I am in almost the same situation. I have a 20 gallon with a 100 gallon sump. I mix 3 gallons at a time and it lasts a little over a month. If I lower my dosing pumps my levels go down, so I am setup right. I put in about a cup of Epsom salt every week in a half. There is some precipitation on my heaters, but not much. I also dose in the sump. All my parameters are right on, I check just about everything. (~15 things).

One other thing, my phosban also turns white in about a week.