Need advice on 2 part dosing

[Frogger]

I have used the BRS bulk product, the reefsupplies.ca bulk product and the J&L bulk product. I would say the Canadian products are about the same price the as each other however the BRS with the low Canadian dollar is probably about 1.5 to 2 times more expensive if you have it shipped to directly Canada, a little cheaper if you go through a mail box in Washington State (not currently an option). Washington State now charges sales tax on all items sent there making it less of a deal. I think it is about 8% on top of your order.

I would say the BRS product comes in better bags and mixes purer than the Canadian products.

Given the choice I would use the BRS product in a heart beat, but then again I am a pure water freak and have never in 30 years added tap water to my tank (5 stage RO plus 2 stage DI only for me). I ended up buying a load of the Reefsupply.ca bulk (supposed to be best quality available) during a big sale about 9 months ago. I will purchase the J&L product in a pinch.

Amazon.com now ships many products to Canada quickly. You can buy bulk additives from them a lot cheaper than anywhere else. I would not under any circumstance use products that are not at least Food grade minimum. I usually look for only 99% pure or better.

I bought a couple pounds of NaSO4 (99%pure) off amazon.com about 6 months ago. NaSO4 is used to create a more ionically balanced true 2 part mixture than using MgCl and MgSO4 mixture. Refer to Randy Holmes Farley's true 2 part mixture for recipe. NaSO4 is not readily available in Canada.

[H2o2]

This is what I use as the cost is not to bad and has all the little extras in it. It did just go up 13$ I think because of the dollar. https://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-s...ch-bucket.html

[Dash]

Originally Posted by H2o2

This is what I use as the cost is not to bad and has all the little extras in it. It did just go up 13$ I think because of the dollar. https://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-s...ch-bucket.html

Thanks - I’ll check that out as well

[Frogger]

The ESV is not a bad product. I used it for about 10 years, bought it from Reef Supplies every year when they had a sale on Boxing Day every year. The ESV is an ionically balanced 2 part meaning that they use NaSO4 instead of MgSO4 making it a true 2 part rather than a 3 part. Quality of the ingredients is likely not as good as the BRS stuff.

I switched because it was too expensive, I started going through 6 gallons of each part every year. If you make your own 2 part or 3 part it works out to be at least 5 times cheaper than the ESV and you can get it in a pinch.

As for trace elements, they are exactly that trace elements, found in your water at microscopic levels you can replenish your supply by doing regular water changes anyways. I am not sure if the ESV has trace elements in it. After using the bulk chemicals for at least 4 years my multiple lab results from ATI have never shown a low level of trace elements or any too much of any other element or substance.

[Dash]

Thanks for the input Glen.
After reading around, checking prices etc, I think BRS is still a good way to go, for me anyway. It’s a good straightforward product. I just watched a BRS video on “best” dosing products and it looks like BRS stuff came off pretty good. I am interested in trying out Tropic Marin Part C as they suggested, to add trace elements. Brightwell is also a good option and might be the way to go if borders don’t open up soon
Picking up stuff across the border worked well for me, and even with the dollar exchange, saved me a lot of $$ as well as the fact that you can’t even find some of the stuff in Canada. Hope this shutdown doesn’t go too long...or else I will have to ask for 2-part recipes!

[H2o2]

https://www.reefsupplies.ca/online-s...ch-bucket.html
It does say that it does have the major and minor trace elements and for me it has worked well and 6 gals a year for the ease and 180$ cad dollars no driving around , have the proper scale to weight the product and not sure but do the others settle out but I only have 280 gals total. What ever works for you works best. I also have to say though that my top off water come straight out of the lake