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gregzz4
02-17-2013, 12:41 AM
Do you stir/shake your mixed Alk and Ca throughout the month ?

1eyedjyde
02-17-2013, 12:50 AM
A jug of 2 part only lasts about 20 days so I just leave it be after the initial mixing which for the alk can take a day or two of periodic mixing

Reef Pilot
02-17-2013, 12:51 AM
Yes, I shake them both after it draws down to about 1/2 way or so in my jugs. When I replenish, there is still always a small bit of residue left in the bottom. I just rinse it out with rodi and pour it into my sump, before filling up again.

You'll like auto dosing. Once you get it dialed, you can keep your Ca and Alk very consistent, which your corals should really like.

HL649
02-17-2013, 03:56 PM
I leave it. I mix it in a blender for 5 or 10 minutes so I don't really have much settling out.

marie
02-17-2013, 04:40 PM
I have had mixed stuff sitting for months without settling out, what 2 part are you guys using?

e46er
02-17-2013, 05:42 PM
A jug of 2 part only lasts about 20 days so I just leave it be after the initial mixing which for the alk can take a day or two of periodic mixing

Where is this information coming from??

I've had my mixtures sitting for 6 months with no settling. I make like 10 gal of each at a time so I don't have to do it monthly I make it in salt buckets and throw in a 600 gph power head and let it mix for a few hours

If its heresay you should make sure your right before spreading false information. If its your experience perhaps your not mixing yours enough when you make it? Perhaps your using lower grade bulk products with fillers of some kind?

Reefer Rob
02-17-2013, 07:19 PM
I think he's saying he goes through a jug of mix every 20 days, at least that's what I got from his post.

Even with good quality chemicals there is a bit of sediment in the bottom of the Ca mix. Not sure I would want that going in my tank, so never mix it in. When I switch jugs I carefully pour the left over into the new jug without the sediment.

Baldy
02-17-2013, 07:23 PM
takes me about a year to go through a 1g jug of alk and calc. i dont mix and theres never any sediment in any of them

Reef Pilot
02-17-2013, 09:09 PM
I mix 200ml of Ca and Alk into 4L milk jugs, and yes, there is a slight bit of sediment on the bottom at the end. That's why I shake it a couple times near the bottom. I use Seachem Reef Buffer and Reef Advantage Calcium.

Reefer Rob
02-17-2013, 10:25 PM
Even the best calcium chloride is going to have some impurities in it. Perhaps a medical grade would have a minimal amount, but that would be going way overboard IMO. I don't know what the sediment is in the bottom, it could be anything, but it definitely isn't calcium chloride.

Reef Pilot
02-17-2013, 10:38 PM
The Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium has other stuff in it, incl Mg and Sr, which maybe doesn't hold in mix as well. Just want to stress though, that the sediment/residue is very small, just enough that the last bit of liquid is not totally clear. And certainly not enough to be concerned about.

What I do like about this product, is that I never have to add Mg on its own. I test occasionally and it stays around 1400 - 1500, which is even on the high side.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefAdvCalcium.html

e46er
02-18-2013, 03:02 AM
I think he's saying he goes through a jug of mix every 20 days, at least that's what I got from his post.

Even with good quality chemicals there is a bit of sediment in the bottom of the Ca mix. Not sure I would want that going in my tank, so never mix it in. When I switch jugs I carefully pour the left over into the new jug without the sediment.

Oh ok I totally didn't interpret it that way but reading again I would have to agree with you my bad

1eyedjyde
02-18-2013, 07:06 AM
Its all good.

Rogue951
02-18-2013, 06:42 PM
I use BRS home mix bulk ingredients.
No sediment on the bottom of my mag/cal/alk jugs.
Although for the first week I did see separation (visible liquid density difference) inside one of them, but some shaking took care of that and hasn't come back.

christyf5
02-18-2013, 06:50 PM
No mixing, sometimes I get sediment but mostly the no mixing it because I am lazy, forgetful and my containers only hold 1 gallon which lasts just over a week for Ca and Alk (Mg lasts about 2.5-3 weeks).