Yes! Yet another dosing poll. For those using Randy Holmes-Farley recipes ...

[Delphinus]

If you use Randy Holmes-Farley DIY dosing recipe, do you use recipe #1 or recipe #2? What made you decide to use one over the other?

Some background: I've been using recipe #1 for some time. I based my choice to use recipe#1 simply on the say-so in RHF's article that "most people use this one."

I am considering switching to #2 only on account I find it a huge PITA to prebake the baking soda, which recipe #1 requires. I am resisting the urge to switch until I can install a larger reservoir, as I do one gallon mix at a time, which lasts me around 3 weeks, so the same volume at twice the dispensing rate means it will have to be done more often, or a much larger volume at one time (which I guess I'd be OK with, since I wouldn't have to prebake it).

[rayjay]

I forget which is which but from what you say I use the #2.
I bake three 500g boxes of baking soda at a time and this makes 5 two litre bottles of additive.
I have changed the concentration of the magnesium chloride hexa, so that I dose the mag portion each time I dose the other two, and, in the exact same proportion.
Because I have so many tanks, I would have no way to know how much magnesium to add to each tank doing it the specified way in the article.

[christyf5]

I'm not sure which recipe I use, maybe #2? I have the calcium and magnesium from chemmaster and I just use a box of baking soda to a gallon of water. I was baking the baking soda but I had precipitate forming the Matterhorn in my sump so someone suggested just using plain baking soda. My pH is a bit lower but no lower than it used to be when I was using a calcium reactor.

[Tom R]

I am using the Bulk Reef Supply recipe #2.

The new BRS web site is great it has a reef calculator with their products and recipes.

Tom R

[kien]

I use recipe #1 because as you said, Randy said to do so :-) My pH is typically at 8.3 during the day so he recommends recipe #1 for that. (recipe #2 if you have a pH of 8.4 or higher i think? ).

I don't find baking to be a big deal for me. I bake like 3 or 4 boxes of baking soda at a time, and then do like 5 gallons worth. I store it in one of those spring water bottles that you can get at superstore.

[Delphinus]

Maybe I should have linked to the article, so here: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

In short though, if you bake the baking soda first, I consider that "recipe #1". If you DON'T bake, that's "recipe #2." The only difference is the alkalinity additive and the end concentration being different thus needing to dose more of the #2 than #1 to maintain the same levels.

I didn't think it was a big deal to bake the baking soda but I find as time goes on that it's losing it's charm. I end up with a large mess on my hands to clean up afterwards, and the mixing has to be done ever so carefully, otherwise I risk the baked baking soda instantly binding into one large piece of virtually undissolvable shelf rock.

I notice a lot of comments in passing from reefers (well Ok, fishytime and Snappy are the only two I can think of for sure, but I'm sure I've heard others) who don't bother baking and therefore that means recipe #2 for them.. and I'm curious how many others as well.

I guess I'll put this out there ... I find the pH reasoning to be a little sketchy at best. I'm betting that for the most part, most people who chose recipe #2 for reasons other than pH, don't have any reason to regret their reasoning anyhow. Ie., I bet if we drill down deep enough there isn't a significant difference, you just dose a little more to compensate and that's that. Maybe it's more significant if you still dose kalk but even if you don't dose kalk it's still probably fine.

But that's something I'm hoping to find out by the responses here. I see the results do show a significant trend towards recipe #2 so I think I may indeed consider switching from #1 to #2 and seeing how I like it...


Thanks all, please continue responding with your thoughts and comments and votes

[fishytime]

I use recipe #2....my ph is low...7.6- 7.9, but I dont do recipe #1 because I feel the PH swing I get when I dose recipe #1 is more harmful then having a slightly lower stable PH....

[rayjay]

For those with low pH, and if your alkalinity readings are good, then you most likely have a problem with the air exchange at the waters surface.
Either there is not enough turbulance at the surface or, the more likely cause is too much CO2 in the household air.
To see if this is the problem, take a sample of water and check the pH.
Then, aerate the sample outdoors for about an hour or two.
Recheck the pH, and if the pH is now higher even by a little bit in that short time, then you have a CO2 problem.
This problem is common in households that are shut up for winter heating or for summer air conditioning.

[PoonTang]

I use recipe #2 because I top off with Kalk.