After considerable research I have decided to use the DIY two part Calcium and Alkalinity supplement system as outlined in this following article An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#6) . Since I live in sunny Miami I highly doubt I will be able to find the dowflake or magflake down here. I'm considering ordering my supplies from bulk reef supply ( The Total Two Part Package Bulk Reef Supply (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/p267/The-Total-Two-Part-Package/product_info.html) ) . Does anyone have any experience with them prefferably using their two part kit?

Never personally used them but have seen many positive posts about them on other sites. I have been thinking about buying bulk GFO from them.

I'm currently using their bulk GFO and GAC and am very happy with them. I know many locals who are using 2 part with great success.

Thanks for the responses guys, Im going to go ahead and order from them.

Ricky,

I have friends who buy the 2 part supplies from them and they are very satisfied.

I think at least to start off I'm going to get my supplies from them. Anyone care to gueestimate how long their kit should last me dosing my 65? T

Ricky

I use Randys two part system and to be honest with you, I love it!!! To answer your question about the usage, I make up one gallon jugs of the Ca part and the Alk part and it lasts for me about 3 weeks. I than use the mag part. I'm dosing for a mostly sps tank with some lps. I have a total water volume of around 275 gallons. I do see growth on a weekly basis on my sps. So maybe my Ca demand might be on the high side. I would order the one gallon kit and test daily my values to see exactly what the demand is. Than you can guessimate your Ca demand and plan for the future. Knowing your corals will demand more supplement as they get bigger will help when ordering in bulk.

hope this helps

Mike

Thanks Mike, that gives me a ballpark idea of how much I'll need. My system is much smaller at around 72 gallons total, and has just a few lps and softies in there.

Revamping this thread...just came across the site for Bul Reef Supply and was very interested in the GFO and GAC and was really interested in the two-part solution. I do not have any corals or fish yet, just doing a very LONG cycle until i can get my skimmer and sump plumbed in (hoping in the next 3 weeks), then will look to add a media reactor system for PO4 and carbon. Then its off to get my quarantine system up and looking at adding livestock slowly probably in the last three months of the year.

My question is with the 2-part, should I go ahead and start using it now in advance of corals and fish? I assume the calcium uptake in the system will be minimum (coraline algae growth) in the beginning, but should get the magnesium up as well to ahndle the added alkalinity and calcium.

Any experience would be fantasic!

Brian

IMO there is no need to have Ca at reef levels in order to grow coralline. Even before I had corals and ran my tank at 350 I had plenty of the stuff. You definitely should get Ca, alk and Mg up to reef levels before adding corals. Alk and Ca are inversely proportional and low Mg will make it hard to raise your Ca but I don't know of any reason why Mg at 1300 or so would be a problem with Ca at 350.

I was in the process of ordering some more 2 part additive and came across this thread. It's nice to see there are some alternatives to B-Ionic, Oceans Blend, etc out there.

I am going to order me a large set and see how things go.

They have a great reputation. Let us know what you think.

I've been using their GFO HC product. Although I like it, I'm not sure whether I will be going back to their pellet gfo or not. I can put less in, but I still have to change it out on the same schedule.
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