Two part

[Justin]

So my two part and my RedSea test kit will be arriving today!! I’m going to get it mixed up and ready to start dosing tonight. Is there anything I need to know or do? I have watched videos online. I will be doing the dosing by hand. Does it need to done at the same time everyday?

 

[jcook54]

I manually dose whenever I have time and remember. Depending on the 2 part you're dosing, the Alk may increase pH a bit so I typically dose that out over a slightly longer period of time. Even with calcium I add it to the tank in a few separate doses. The main thing to keep in mind is that you want to separate the 2 different parts by a few hours or whatever amount of time is recommended in the instructions.

 

[ActiveAngel]

1) Yes, separate dosing each part by a few hours.

Also:
2) Test regularly. You should only be dosing enough to compensate for how much your corals are taking up.
3) Dose in a high flow area.
4) It doesn’t necessarily need to be at the same time, but this consistency will help. This is especially true to ensure that you don’t ever skip a dose or double dose on accident.

 

[Justin]

Ok so this RedSea test kit is kind of confusing... I think I did cal right. Tank was at 390. But how much alk do I put in the water (to start) didn’t turn that dark of a blue and when it got to a green color it was very light if I did it right it was at around a 6.5. Just hard to see. So I added 1/2 of what it said to do for cal waited a few hrs and did 1/2 of alk I’ll retest tomorrow and see if I can get it to proper lvls.

 

[Justin]

Oh one more thing I did not test for mag should I do this before I get the #’s right and add for it? Man it sucks being new

 

[ZapataInc]

Oh one more thing I did not test for mag should I do this before I get the #’s right and add for it? Man it sucks being new

It's great that you are asking questions. Everyone was new at one point and had the exact same questions. This is what ARC is about. We are here to help anyway we can. Keep asking questions...that's how you learn and grow.

 

[jcook54]

Test magnesium just to see where you are. Use that as a data point. I only test it once a month or so with the main element tests being Calcium and Alkalinity. Magnesium is taken up much more slowly but since you're in the testing zone, run it just to see where you are.

 

[Doberman13]

I am just getting into two part dosing as well. Up until now I was just doing water changes and small dosing to keep everything relatively stable. Now that my tank is full of corals I'm having to dose alk once a day but calcium just once. In the two weeks since haven't had to add any.

 

[Justin]

Readings
Cal-410
Alk-8
Mag-1400

I’ll test again tomorrow don’t want to go up on alk to fast. Readings were after I did 2nd 1/2 of first Recommended dose.

 

[civics14]

Readings
Cal-410
Alk-8
Mag-1400

I’ll test again tomorrow don’t want to go up on alk to fast. Readings were after I did 2nd 1/2 of first Recommended dose.

When I was doing 2 part dosing, I prefer to test every other day when getting my dosing regimen schedule. Then as you go, I just spaced it out further and further to only weekly.

Those #'s you got listed there looks good.