Favorite 2 Part

[Jeremy K.A.]

Hey everyone, I was curious what your favorite 2 part is? I currently use Seachems Reef Fusion 1 and 2
. What do you use and why do you like it?

 

[CNDReef]

Randy’s 2 part because it’s cheap and has worked for me for over a decade

 

[Tumey]

I’ve used ESV B-ionic for close to 15 years. I purchased a complete running setup that was using this & saw no reason to change. I’ve had stable success with this 2 part. LPS dominant tank

 

[sundog101]

BRS

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hey everyone, I was curious what your favorite 2 part is? I currently use Seachems Reef Fusion 1 and 2
. What do you use and why do you like it?

FWIW, that two part is not perfectly balanced for 1:1 dosing. I don’t know why they did that, but don’t assume exactly 1:1 the way you can with other two part systems.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’ve used ESV B-ionic for close to 15 years. I purchased a complete running setup that was using this & saw no reason to change. I’ve had stable success with this 2 part. LPS dominant tank

If I were to pick a commercial two part over a DIY, I’d elect B-ionic since I trust ESV to design it properly.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I use BRS.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I've been using Randy's Two Part (same as BRS), for ten years. I don't think it cost me more than $10 a year using this DIY recipe. However, when I use up the last bit of this, I'm considering the NEW Two part, which is truly a two part....found HERE.

 

[palmer]

If not DIY then B-ionic. most coraline I ever had was with B-ionic

 

[cracker]

Iv'e used Ocean's Blend for some time because it's readily available . I don't know if it's quality or not. Any OP's?

 

[Jeremy K.A.]

If I were to pick a commercial two part over a DIY, I’d elect B-ionic since I trust ESV to design it properly.

I've been debating switching to B-ionic, in your opinion do you think doing so would cause any issues in the tank? Also with DIY like BRS etc can you manually dose it?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I've been debating switching to B-ionic, in your opinion do you think doing so would cause any issues in the tank? Also with DIY like BRS etc can you manually dose it?

You'll need a bit more of the B-ionic, and even more of my DIY (BRS), but aside from a dosing volume difference, there should be no downside to going to B-ionic. My DIY is cheaper, but is less complete than B-ionic. Still, many people it just fine.

Manual dosing of any of these depends on the amount needed (in, say, dKH per day) and how often you may be willing to manually add it,.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

@Mr. Randy Holmes-Farley what’s your take on adding balling trace elements to brs 2part.

Got some of the ATI 3 part when the brs that I have is finish I will give it a try.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

@Mr. Randy Holmes-Farley what’s your take on adding balling trace elements to brs 2part.

Got some of the ATI 3 part when the brs that I have is finish I will give it a try.

Depends on what you mean by Balling trace elements.

A perfect two part and a perfect Balling system add exactly the same things to the water. The difference is just that a two part fits all the extras into the two parts, and Balling puts them into their "sodium chloride-free salt".

Folks seems confused by what Balling is and seem to think it adds things a good two part (like B-ionic) doesn't add. Perhaps that part from seeing it get added and it looks different, or perhaps the Balling marketing has been successful in sowing this confusion.

Neither method is designed to maintain all trace elements. They are designed to keep the method itself from reducing all the elements other than calcium and "alkalinity" (that is, to prevent the rise in salinity from the sodium and chloride added with sodium carbonate and calcium chloride from depressing everything else when the salinity is returned to normal)

But, if there is some other sort of trace additive mix that you are referring that is used along with Balling that is not the "sodium chloride-free salt mix", then it is likely fine to also use with a two part. What exactly it is will determine if it could be put into the two part, but some additives cannot be added to a two part.

 

[MaiReef]

Anyone use Brightwell Aquatics Part A and B? I just started that as my Kalk just isn't enough anymore. It is fairly inexpensive, but is it good enough or should I switch to B-IONIC?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Anyone use Brightwell Aquatics Part A and B? I just started that as my Kalk just isn't enough anymore. It is fairly inexpensive, but is it good enough or should I switch to B-IONIC?

Do you mean Reef Code A and B?

It is likely a fine product to use, although I've not seen all that many comments from users to say if it is better or worse than most other two parts.

Over the years, I've learned to take Brightwell claims with a grain of salt since they have often been weirdly incorrect.

In this case, they also have a weirdly incorrect claim:

http://brightwellaquatics.com/products/reefcodeat.php

"When used in equal amounts with Reef Cōde B, the calcium and carbonates being added are in the same ratio found in natural seawater. "

If that were literally true it would be a horrible product, but it is likely just being written by someone who isn't a clear writer, or who doesn't understand the product. That claim literally says it adds 420 ppm calcium for each 7 dKH of alkalinity.

A good two part provides 18-20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alkalinity.

Fortunately, the description ultimately says elsewhere (half on one page and half on another) that it adds about 20 ppm calcium for each 2.8 dKH of alkalinity.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

This is what I’m speaking of it’s three bottles one get added to alk and the other two to cal they are all liquids.

 

[zachxlutz]

I've been using Randy's Two Part (same as BRS), for ten years. I don't think it cost me more than $10 a year using this DIY recipe. However, when I use up the last bit of this, I'm considering the NEW Two part, which is truly a two part....found HERE.

I've switched over to that and I'm seeing good results so far. You can read about it and follow along in my thread (linked below) if anyone is interested.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This is what I’m speaking of it’s three bottles one get added to alk and the other two to cal they are all liquids.

That whole method, described here:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/fauna-marin-ultra-balling-light-trace-1-color-grow-elements.html

sounds like you are just making a two/three part, and I can't be sure what (if anything) they add that isn't already in B-ionic.

If you still want to use it (possibly risking overdosing some things), the part they put in the alk part there can like go in the alk part of B-ionic, and the part they put into the calcium part can likely be put into the calcium part of B-ionic.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Thank you for the reply. Just starting back up the tank so I’m going through some ideas to see what route I will take.
Once again thank you. You’ve always been a big help I value your input and knowledge as I do many others on this great reef.

Onelove.