The Propagator Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 I have never used bulkreef's product. I use Oceanic salt. Link to comment
bdare Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 So, are any of you guys dosing two part and dosing kalk? I'm thinking of starting to dose kalk in addition to my dosing of the bulkreefsupply.com two part in my 50 gallon. Edit: Which salt mix are you guys using? There is nothing wrong with using 2 part in addition to kalk. You'll just need to keep an eye on your Ph. Depending on what the Kalk does for you you'll need to use either recipie 1 or 2. Check the chem forum over at RC. I use Reef Crystals. Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Ok so... I made up a couple 1 gallon jugs full of 2660 DKH concentrate and let her sit over night. Nice and dissolved. Looks like I never added anything to the RO/DI water actually I had to dose this morning to bring my Alk back up a little it was creeping down to 6.5 and I got a li'll SkErD ! So any who after a couple hours of adding its now at 9-9.5 DKH. SO the question of the day is................. I just dose the recommended 2 mil ( for heavy sps load) per gallon start dosage when I need to again and then check and move on from there right? Link to comment
bdare Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Hey Prop, That's what I've been doing to figure out exactly how much I'm supposed to dose. I'll test the water. The next day at the same time I'll test again. Then, using the calculator dose X amount. I kept doing this (took me 2 weeks) until I could make a dose and keep the water stable for 24 hours. I've been reading. It appears that if you are looking for bulk Calcium Chloride people who aren't buying from Bulkreefsupply are buying from http://www.tetrachemicals.com/Products/Cal...oride/Index.aqf Apparently you can call them and find a local distributor. Check out the data sheets... nothing harmful! Ben Link to comment
bdare Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 HOLY COW!!! I just called a local distributor of the Tetra CaCl. $13 for a 50lb bag!!!! Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 That a good price or a bad price? Link to comment
bdare Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Considering it's $16 plus shipping for 7lbs from bulkreefsupply... I'd say it's AWESOME!!! Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 OHH .. then HELL YEAH !! Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Well I am EXTREMELY HAPPY to report that my alkalinity has only dropped about .5 DKH after dosing with my Baking soda solution this morning ( Wednesday morning). To me this is a direct indicator at just how weak the bottled crap is we buy at the store made by Kent, Seachem etc etc etc....when use don a medium to heavy stocked system. I will be using this from now on. I suspect the same results will come from using the MAG flake, and the Tetra calcium. Looks like all my troubles will be solved rapidly and very inexpensively ! YEAH !! BIG thanks go out to Bdare !!!! Link to comment
bdare Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I suspect the same results will come from using the MAG flake, and the Tetra calcium. BIG thanks go out to Bdare !!!! Glad I could help! Just remember that Mag Flake is only half the recipie. You'll need to pick up some Epson Salts from the grocery store for the other half lf the Mag Recepie. Link to comment
Izzue Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Just a quick note... Ive noticed...2 things that affect Alk. 1) New LR...espsically cured Tongo Add additional Alk during saturation of LR 2) New RO/DI units (really zap all the alk out). Use RO/DI water conditioner before salt mix added. Ive been using Bulk Solution for over a year now...good stuff. Mag addition keeps up good if used as directed- after use of 1 gal each CA and Alk. Izzue Link to comment
dtfleming Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Just started using kalk in with my ato from bulkreef. Its keeping my alk and cal up along with dosing 2 part. So we'll see how its goes. Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Glad I could help! Just remember that Mag Flake is only half the recipie. You'll need to pick up some Epson Salts from the grocery store for the other half lf the Mag Recepie. Gotcha' The wifey already has a big ass unopened carton I am gonna steal from the closet we got from Sams last week. ( ) Link to comment
Maeda Posted April 18, 2008 Author Share Posted April 18, 2008 You're dosing dry right? I think i'm having 'wimpy' solution problems because i'm following the directions and diluting kits into gallons jugs and dosing from there. I started dosing dry dissolved in about a cup of water direct to the sump and it seems to work better. Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Its best to mix it as you need it, or only do about a gallon at a time for the Alkalinity. It will lose its potency over time they say, especially if shaken up. Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 I tell ya what fellas... Things are really taking off now and growing thick as well as tall since I have been checking this stuff so regularly now. The colors are still not quite what they were but getting there again. Still nice colorful stuff, just a hair off ya know what I mean? Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 Just a little update for you guys..... All still in the green for me. The baking soda absolutely KICKS ASS. I will never use anything else. It would be a waist of money ! Link to comment
bdare Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Just a little update for you guys..... All still in the green for me. The baking soda absolutely KICKS ASS. I will never use anything else. It would be a waist of money ! Just watch your ph and try not to raise alk by more than 1dkh in one shot. I'm sure you have a Ph probe and aren't using test kits right? Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Nope. I test for it all. I cant afford those gadgets and widgets. I can do it my self thanks Link to comment
bdare Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Nope. I test for it all. I cant afford those gadgets and widgets. I can do it my self thanks That's all good, but keep in mind that the ph tests give a good "range" but might not be accurate enough when you are dosing a lot of alk supplement. Most of them, either baked or unbaked backing soda, can have dramatic effects on ph. The reccomendation from Randy Holmes-Farley is to not change ph by more than .2 when dosing to prevent shocking the system. Link to comment
The Propagator Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Just tested real quick and my PH is at 7.5-8.0 But the lights have been off since 12am don't come on until 12pm so.... That's all good, but keep in mind that the ph tests give a good "range" but might not be accurate enough when you are dosing a lot of alk supplement. Most of them, either baked or unbaked backing soda, can have dramatic effects on ph. The reccomendation from Randy Holmes-Farley is to not change ph by more than .2 when dosing to prevent shocking the system. I trusat Randy and all but you do realise that our ph drops lower than that when the lights go out each night right? Link to comment
bdare Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 It does drop overnight, but it's a much slower drop. When you put the supplements in it's pretty darn instant Link to comment
cmador Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Well, I started dripping Kalk today in addition to using the bulkreefsupply 2-part. I lowered my doses of the 2-part in half while I'm dosing the Kalk. Curious to check my #s tonight and over the course of the week. Unfortunately, I had to hook up my phosban reactor to combat some algae that looks like cotton candy that just started showing up. On the label of the phosban it says it may screw with the alk. Link to comment
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