Seachem Reef Fusion is not properly alk/calcium balanced for 1:1 dosing

[Kimberely]

Can you put this is dummy terms? Lol. All I'm trying to figure out is how much of the part one I need to dose in my 125 gallon tank to raise calcium from 380 to 420.

 

[Martin Kuhn]

Nothing easier than that

In the Screenshot attached you can also see what Randy initially posted.
Reef Fusion is not "fully Ca/Alk balanced", resulting in silgthly different doses IF trying to dose C vsAlk balanced
-> ca 6,5 fl oz (192 ml) vs Alk 7,4 fl oz (218 ml) required

.., enjoy reefing !

 

[FairbanksReefer]

This is a super old thread but I am having this exact issue. I have been manually dosing a cap or 2 a day of fusion to my fairly new Red Sea 525 and maintaining about 9 dKh alk and haven't been watching my calcium levels so I just noticed my calcium levels are at about 630-650.

Can or should I just dose the alk part since I have enough calcium in the tank until calcium gets down to correct range then start adding the other part back in. Should I dose a small amount of the calcium part still? I'm not sure what to do.

 

[jasonrusso]

Idb

This is a super old thread but I am having this exact issue. I have been manually dosing a cap or 2 a day of fusion to my fairly new Red Sea 525 and maintaining about 9 dKh alk and haven't been watching my calcium levels so I just noticed my calcium levels are at about 630-650.

Can or should I just dose the alk part since I have enough calcium in the tank until calcium gets down to correct range then start adding the other part back in. Should I dose a small amount of the calcium part still? I'm not sure what to do.

I'd just dose the alk until your tank consumes the calcium. The other trace elements in the calcium bottle are also likely elevated.

I've never dosed 1:1. I adjust based on what the tank is consuming. I also have a doser, so it's easier to dial in and adjust the dose.

 

[Reefbuds]

Been using reef fusion for a while. Definitely not 1:1, at least not in my tank. Works great tho, just dose as needed.. I test quite a bit tho. Wish it was more predictable. I can say I use the exact same amount of alk every night with confidence. Calcium is totally different, I think it depends on how much is being used by corals at the moment tho. You would think I would have to increase alk dosing if my Calc dosing is rising.

 

[jasonrusso]

Been using reef fusion for a while. Definitely not 1:1, at least not in my tank. Works great tho, just dose as needed.. I test quite a bit tho. Wish it was more predictable. I can say I use the exact same amount of alk every night with confidence. Calcium is totally different, I think it depends on how much is being used by corals at the moment tho. You would think I would have to increase alk dosing if my Calc dosing is rising.

I've seen the same thing. My alk is usually pretty consistent. It's the calcium that I am always adjusting.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Been using reef fusion for a while. Definitely not 1:1, at least not in my tank. Works great tho, just dose as needed.. I test quite a bit tho. Wish it was more predictable. I can say I use the exact same amount of alk every night with confidence. Calcium is totally different, I think it depends on how much is being used by corals at the moment tho. You would think I would have to increase alk dosing if my Calc dosing is rising.

Any product will "work" if you keep adjusting the dose. The benefit of a 1:1 two part is you should not need to.

This product has too much calcium in it. That said, random up down changes are far more likely test variation than actual calcium changes. it cannot be consumed with consuming the proportional amount of alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I've seen the same thing. My alk is usually pretty consistent. It's the calcium that I am always adjusting.

My advice is to stop doing that, and only adjust calcium if it is already too low (below 400 ppm) or too high (above 550 ppm). The exact calcium concentration is not important, and test kits are often too variable for precise control anyway.

 

[Reefbuds]

@Randy Holmes-Farley . So what you mean to say with a proper 2 part dosing system I should have to dose the exact same amount of each at a time and it should keep both alk and calcium at desired levels without raising one to far? So I dose 5ml of alk right now, in theory I should be able to dose 5ml of alk and 5ml of the Calc each night and Calc shouldn't get out of control? Is there a good 2 part system that accomplishes this?

 

[jasonrusso]

My advice is to stop doing that, and only adjust calcium if it is already too low (below 400 ppm) or too high (above 550 ppm). The exact calcium concentration is not important, and test kits are often too variable for precise control anyway.

That's what I do.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

@Randy Holmes-Farley . So what you mean to say with a proper 2 part dosing system I should have to dose the exact same amount of each at a time and it should keep both alk and calcium at desired levels without raising one to far? So I dose 5ml of alk right now, in theory I should be able to dose 5ml of alk and 5ml of the Calc each night and Calc shouldn't get out of control? Is there a good 2 part system that accomplishes this?

As far as I know, all two parts systems that claim 1:1 dosing are close to that target. All of the DIY recipes, ESV-B-ionic, BRS, Tropic Marin, etc. There are many.

Some, like Seachem Reef Fusion claim it and are wrong as they made it incorrectly.

Some do not claim it (Red Sea, which has calcium far more concentrated than 1:1 with its alk part).

It is certainly fine to not dose 1:1 for any two part additive if you determine from extended use that you need a different ratio. Most often this comes from water changes messing with alk and calcium, but there are other sources and sinks in reef tanks than calcification, and when demand is on the low end, these other factors can become quite significant.