How much BRS 2 pt is "normal". Low alk/ca

[PowermanKW]

My alk/ca slid a little low. Was using more. Decided to go to BRS 2 pt. about a month ago. I used a total volume calculator to find actual water volume. Dosed for about a week to get my numbers right. Started daily dosing and it took a dive. Been trying to catch up every since.

So... got my Alk to 4.5 meq/l, Ca to 450, Mg to 1300.

total system volume is 110g I mainly have softies and a couple of LPS. Had some decent coraline, but even that declined.

Started at 60 ml. Then went to 100ml. Now I'm at 150 ml for the last 3-4 days. Alk is 4.5 meq/l, ca is 400, Mg is at 1350. (just added some)

Seems like 150 ml is a lot for me but I don't know.

2 small frog spawn. 1 small candy cane. Galaxy 4"?, zoos, brain, pipe organ. GSP that are not open as much anymore. Not a lot.

what do you think?

[qfrisco]

Certainly sounds like a lot. I dose 70ml of BRS 2-part daily for my 90g + 20g sump/fuge, and I have mostly SPS.

Is it possible that the test results are messed up somehow? It seems your Calcium is dropping awfully fast in just 3-4 days. That's a 50 ppm drop and you're already dosing some 2-part.

[Reefer08]

That does seem like a lot of two part in my opinion. Are you adding it seperately? Make sure you add the alkalinity part slowly into your tank. Do you have a lot of sps in your tank?

[BigJay]

I had the same problem, here's what I did.

1. Figure out what the daily requirements are to dose. I.E. if your alk stays steady with 60 ML per day, dose that. Do this every morning. I wouldn't mess with this dose because it can lead to calcium carbonate precipitation on your equipment. It gets everywhere and it takes forever to clean up.

2. Use the reef calculator to figure out the one-time adjustment needed to boost calcium and alkalinity based on your volume. For big tanks, you'll discover that it's a crapload (i.e. 3-4 cups for 20 ppm calcium). Add this in safe portions during the evening, so that your PH doesn't skyrocket.

Everything you need is here:
Calculator: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

[PowermanKW]

Thanks guys. If I wasn't clear enough I started my 2 pt. on March 17th.

I have a 90g and a 60g sump/fuge. Total sys volume is 110g as per the calculator here.

I used the BRS calculator to see what I needed to bring things up. Got them up, used the BRS starting numbers to figure out daily does. Starting does was not enough and I have been raising every since.

I add both at the same time, but separate and slowly. I use the dripper BRS through in. I am getting dosing pumps soon.

I was at 100 ml for 3-4 days, nor I went to 150 for the last 4 days. The numbers I gave were tested this morning with Seachem kits.

So I realize this is a bit of trial and error to get it dialed in, and there are no set numbers. Going by BRS guidelines, it just seems like I am adding a lot with little change. I original figured initial doses for 3 days. It took a week to bring my numbers up. I have no SPS. Just a candy cane and a 4 inch galaxzy for LPS. Rest are softies.

[qfrisco]

I guess it's possible that adding both components at the same time, even though separately, is still causing them to precipitate. Not sure if that's what's causing an issue. I use dosing pumps now, but before I did, I would dump one component, wait a minute, then dump the next component.

Outside of that, a faulty test kit is the only thing I can think of.

[PowermanKW]

I made a snow storm when I first got the tank. I asked BRS if I had to wait between supplements, they said no. I does not seem like it is precipitating.

Speaking of dosing pumps, I'm getting two of Drew's. When do you time your pumps to dose? Time of day.

[qfrisco]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14820648#post14820648 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PowermanKW
I made a snow storm when I first got the tank. I asked BRS if I had to wait between supplements, they said no. I does not seem like it is precipitating.

Speaking of dosing pumps, I'm getting two of Drew's. When do you time your pumps to dose? Time of day.

I use the Drew's as well. I spread my Alk component out during the nights to help even out the pH drop when the lights go out. I need to dose 70ml which equates to 57 minutes of dosing. I do 5 minutes every hour for 11 hours after my lights go out (7 minutes that last hour). I then dose my Calcium in one 57 minute block at 2pm. I was lucky enough to have both pumps dose at the same rate.

I have the pumps on my AquaController 3 which makes it easy to spread the doses like that.

[PowermanKW]

Thanks. The Brown Santa is bringing me my AC Jr. tomorrow, and I'm ordering the pumps next week. I figured I could spread the Alk. out over a few doses. Thanks.