BRS 2 Part - Possible Issue?

[bulldog0407]

Hey everyone, I recently switched from Reef Fusion 2 Part to creating my own BRS 2 Part. I went the BRS route since I was running through a lot of each. Current tank is 93 Gal Cube with 40 Gallon breeder sump. Right now it has corals only, about 20 different acro frags, couple monti frags and a couple chalices.
When I was running the Reef Fusion I was using maybe 25 - 30 ml a day for the upkeep of the CA and ALK. After I switched to the BRS mixture I have definitely not been able to get my numbers back to normal and I am really seeing some color changes in the corals, not for the better.
I did the mixtures as stated on the powders using the Calcium Chloride and the Soda Ash. I am trying to regulate to 440 - 450 calcium and 9.5 - 10 Dkh for alkalinity. I switched after my last water change and I have been testing with a brand new Red Sea test kit. The results show that I cannot get the calcium above 425 and the alk is steady at 9. I just feel like I am using so much of the two part and also the BRS recommended doses and getting no where.

Anyone else using BRS 2 Part have the same problems? I like the idea of being able to buy in bulk but the number below do not support that the BRS 2 part is working as effectively as the Reef Fusion seeing as I was only using 30 ml at most with it. Please let me know if you have any advice or can think of what is driving this. BTW, MG is around 1400.

Calcium Alkalinity
Date Number ml added
3/22 430 15ml 3/22 10.5 15ml
3/23 425 20ml 3/23 9.8 20ml
3/24 415 30ml 3/24 9.5 30ml
3/25 415 45ml 3/25 9.1 40ml
3/26 415 100ml 3/26 8.9 60ml
3/27 420 120ml 3/27 8.9 75ml
3/28 425 120ml 3/28 9.0 100ml
3/29 425 180ml 3/29 9.2 100ml
3/30 425 200ml 3/30 9.1 120ml

 

[jrpark22000]

USe Bionic myself so no .02 on BRS. Bump for anyone who does and has had issues making the switch.

 

[madjoe]

Ive used only brs switch to a ca reactor now but i do know most people say u gotta dose more of the brs stuff then any premixed stuff again just whT ive heard

 

[bulldog0407]

I called BRS today since this seemed so high and they said it might be that I need to break the dosage up. If you dose all at once the water will be supersaturated and precipitate it out as it can only hold so much in suspension. I have a doser I was going to set up so I will have to try that but I was waiting to get everything leveled out first.

Maybe that is the issue.

 

[tinman]

I called BRS today since this seemed so high and they said it might be that I need to break the dosage up. If you dose all at once the water will be supersaturated and precipitate it out as it can only hold so much in suspension. I have a doser I was going to set up so I will have to try that but I was waiting to get everything leveled out first.

Maybe that is the issue.

That is indeed the problem

So you just dump all alk at once and all calcium at once ??




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[madjoe]

I called BRS today since this seemed so high and they said it might be that I need to break the dosage up. If you dose all at once the water will be supersaturated and precipitate it out as it can only hold so much in suspension. I have a doser I was going to set up so I will have to try that but I was waiting to get everything leveled out first.

Maybe that is the issue.

Oh daym didnt know u where dosing all at once i dosed 24 times a day worked great

 

[bulldog0407]

Okay so I set up my doser and did 12 times a day dosing. I upped the dosage each day and I have not seen an increase in the CA. Since dosing the CA is 410 - 415 and DKH is around 9, MG 1350.

I am completely dumbfounded by this whole process. I went and tested my salt in my water change mix and it was 430 CA and 10 DKH. Any other suggestions?

As a side note, I have been running reef tanks for the last 10 years, last 6 SPS dominate, without ever having this problem. This is my first tank of this size though.

 

[wrasse]

I run the same tank. I have an apex and I dose BRS calcium and make my own ALK. Randy 2 part.
I think the apex or any other controller is what makes the difference. I dose alk at night calcium in the day.
I just check my levels alk and calcium every once in a while, or when something looks out of wack.

 

[goatous]

I think one of the troubles with dosing Alk (Soda Ash - BRS 2 Part), which is sodium carbonate, is it can precipitate out when you add it. If it precipitates out, it isn't available to increase the alkalinity. Adding it slowly to a a turbulent area will minimize this affect and allow the sodium carbonate to remain in solution and do it's job.
I set up a dosing pump and and spread out the dosing throughout the day, as mentioned previously, and also I have it injecting directly into the return pump. By slowly injecting into the return pump, I see no visible precipitation and it appears as though all of it is remaining in solution.
I'm dosing Alk and Calcium 1:1 (equal volumes of each) and both move in parallel when I adjust dosing.

 

[madjoe]

Okay so I set up my doser and did 12 times a day dosing. I upped the dosage each day and I have not seen an increase in the CA. Since dosing the CA is 410 - 415 and DKH is around 9, MG 1350.

I am completely dumbfounded by this whole process. I went and tested my salt in my water change mix and it was 430 CA and 10 DKH. Any other suggestions?

As a side note, I have been running reef tanks for the last 10 years, last 6 SPS dominate, without ever having this problem. This is my first tank of this size though.

How r u dosing it ? On a controller? I once was bumping my reef keeper all the time yet numbers kept going down lol thats when I realized i always forgot to hit save so wasnt really bumping the time up . Smh ?*. Make sure its actually dosing 12 x a day like i said not sure how your actually dosing it. Some dosers like almost all the three head ones sometimes needs calibration or new heads as they r friction driven and wear out over time causing in acurate dosing

 

[tomek77pl]

Hey everyone, I recently switched from Reef Fusion 2 Part to creating my own BRS 2 Part. I went the BRS route since I was running through a lot of each. Current tank is 93 Gal Cube with 40 Gallon breeder sump. Right now it has corals only, about 20 different acro frags, couple monti frags and a couple chalices.
When I was running the Reef Fusion I was using maybe 25 - 30 ml a day for the upkeep of the CA and ALK. After I switched to the BRS mixture I have definitely not been able to get my numbers back to normal and I am really seeing some color changes in the corals, not for the better.
I did the mixtures as stated on the powders using the Calcium Chloride and the Soda Ash. I am trying to regulate to 440 - 450 calcium and 9.5 - 10 Dkh for alkalinity. I switched after my last water change and I have been testing with a brand new Red Sea test kit. The results show that I cannot get the calcium above 425 and the alk is steady at 9. I just feel like I am using so much of the two part and also the BRS recommended doses and getting no where.

Anyone else using BRS 2 Part have the same problems? I like the idea of being able to buy in bulk but the number below do not support that the BRS 2 part is working as effectively as the Reef Fusion seeing as I was only using 30 ml at most with it. Please let me know if you have any advice or can think of what is driving this. BTW, MG is around 1400.

Calcium Alkalinity
Date Number ml added
3/22 430 15ml 3/22 10.5 15ml
3/23 425 20ml 3/23 9.8 20ml
3/24 415 30ml 3/24 9.5 30ml
3/25 415 45ml 3/25 9.1 40ml
3/26 415 100ml 3/26 8.9 60ml
3/27 420 120ml 3/27 8.9 75ml
3/28 425 120ml 3/28 9.0 100ml
3/29 425 180ml 3/29 9.2 100ml
3/30 425 200ml 3/30 9.1 120ml

How many mL do you dose currently? I'm having trouble keeping my calcium up, Was dosing around 120ml of calcium and 50ml of alk. Calcium kept dropping and alk kept rising, from what I read is that you should be dosing around the same amount. I'm trying to see if Kalk will work in my ATO at the moment.

I'm using 2 BRS 1.1ml dosers that turn on every 60 mins on a Reef angel (second doser is on a 5 min offset).