dosing lenghts

[gcsupt]

Question to those using BRS for alk. and calc. How long are you running your dosing pumps and on what size tank? I run mine for 18 min. on a 85 gallon system and still have trouble keeping levels up. Going to increase times but just wondering what others are doing?

[Reef Bass]

Don't worry about how long the pumps run. Be concerned with the values observed when testing. My calcium pump runs for over an hour 4 times a day (yes, over 4 hours a day) to keep the caclium over 400 on my 150g total water system with lots of sps. My Idaho Grape Monti cap is 18" across.

Oh, and welcome to Reef Central!

[barjam]

I run mine 6 times a day with 5 of those times being ~20 minutes and 1 time being 45ish. I use the more concentrated version of Randy's recipe. My dosers are the 1.5ml variety.

I have a 90 gallon sps tank. I don't use kalk.

[gcsupt]

Thanks for the reply and the welcome. I had tested over the weekend and was suprised at how low my levels were. Checked pumps and they are running fine. I guess I under estimated how much of these elements corals can use up even with frequent H2o changes.

[Reef Bass]

I guess I under estimated how much of these elements corals can use up even with frequent H2o changes.

Every new polyp requires a supporting mostly calcium skeleton beneath it. That calcium has to come from somewhere.

[DLANDINO]

I have been having much trouble over the past 6-8 months in maintaining alk and ca with Bulk Reef. So much so that i switched back to ESV yesterday in an attempt to correct some major ongoing chem swings.

[t4zalews]

my alk runs at 1.5 hours...my calc runs at 3-4 hours... 65g tank, keeps my alk at 9, and my calc at 430

[barjam]

I have been having much trouble over the past 6-8 months in maintaining alk and ca with Bulk Reef. So much so that i switched back to ESV yesterday in an attempt to correct some major ongoing chem swings.

The brand wouldn't matter here would it? It is all the same stuff.

[DLANDINO]

The brand wouldn't matter here would it? It is all the same stuff.

I thought the same but..... Anyway, my experience with the alk par of BRS was that no matter how slowly I dosed it, it would cloud and precipitate instantly. My guess is that the system is not able to absorb the precipitated alk and hence the corals can't uptake as much as then need. Low dkh, poor growth STN issues etc. Just one reefers opinion though. I am sure that there are plenty of folks using BRS brand 2 part without concern.

[barjam]

I thought the same but..... Anyway, my experience with the alk par of BRS was that no matter how slowly I dosed it, it would cloud and precipitate instantly. My guess is that the system is not able to absorb the precipitated alk and hence the corals can't uptake as much as then need. Low dkh, poor growth STN issues etc. Just one reefers opinion though. I am sure that there are plenty of folks using BRS brand 2 part without concern.

If it is precipitating like that then it is probably washing soda and your ph high (perhaps not too high, just low). It does this in my tank but it goes back into solution immediately. Does yours actually fall to the ground? As a test you could mix up some diy 2 part alkalinity using baking soda. This will have a lower ph and shouldn't cloud up and precipitate. Note that the total alkalinity change isn't immediate with baking soda due to co2.

Randy has an excellent write up about it around here somewhere.

On a side note I used to try for a dkh of 10/11 back when that was fashionable and never could consistently stay there. My tank wants to be at 7/8dkh - 400-450 cal so I just quit trying for higher values.

[DLANDINO]

Hi, yes, it precipitates and creates a "snow storm" for a while but never fully reverts back to a solution. It settles on rock and coral etc. I found that injecting it into a power head was better but not great. My guess is that even though I was injecting the alk and it seemed better it in fact was not. Anyway, I don't want to hijack this thread but thanks so much for your input. I appreciate it !

If it is precipitating like that then it is probably washing soda and your ph high (perhaps not too high, just low). It does this in my tank but it goes back into solution immediately. Does yours actually fall to the ground? As a test you could mix up some diy 2 part alkalinity using baking soda. This will have a lower ph and shouldn't cloud up and precipitate. Note that the total alkalinity change isn't immediate with baking soda due to co2.

Randy has an excellent write up about it around here somewhere.

On a side note I used to try for a dkh of 10/11 back when that was fashionable and never could consistently stay there. My tank wants to be at 7/8dkh - 400-450 cal so I just quit trying for higher values.

[HowieB]

I have both my BRS dosers set at 30 minutes 4 times a day. Total of 120 minutes a day for approximately 132ml total per day. I started at 15 minutes every 6 hours and raised it weekly until I got to where I am. It maintains it at 440 for calcium and 10dkh for alk. My total system is about 120 - 130 gallons.