H2P Dosing Instructions
Step 1 - Determine Alkalinity consumption of the aquarium.
This can be done by testing alkalinity, then stopping all dosing and testing alkalinity again exactly 24 hours later. The difference between the alkalinity levels will be the consumption in 24 hours.
For example, if your first test reads 7.0 dKH, and your second test performed exactly 24 hours later reads 6.7 dKH, your daily consumption would be 0.3 dKH.
Step 2 - Setting the Part 1 dosing level
With the alkalinity consumption determined, the daily Part 1 volume, (Complete, pHplus or a mix of the two), can then be calculated by assuming that for every 10 mL of Part 1 solution you will increase the alkalinity of 100 litres of water by 1 dKH.
Adjusting pH at the desired alkalinity level:
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If pH is not monitored, please use Complete as the sole component of Part 1
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If pH is monitored, you can dose Complete and pHplus at different times of the day to adjust pH towards to the level you desire:
To raise pH: Increase the proportion of pHplus.
To lower pH: Decrease the proportion of pHplus.
An alternatively way to dose is to mix Complete and pHplus to any ratio or either Complete or pHplus on their own.
Step 3 - Dosing the Part 1 solution
As good practice, place the dosing containers in a stable and safe place to avoid any spills into the water, i.e. avoid placing them directly on top of the sump or tank.
Dose the solutions into a very high flow/turbulent water area or alternatively directly into the return pump. Do not submerge the dosing lines and ensure they aren’t exposed to any splashes. If you do not have a high flow area in the sump this can be achieved by placing a small pump near the exit of the dosing lines.
Ensure that after dosing Part 1 it completely dissolves. If your Part 1 solution is not quickly dispersed in high flow, it is possible that it will settle at the bottom of the sump as a white calcium carbonate “mass” and will not work as intended. This happens because localised supersaturation promotes the calcium carbonate to precipitate rather than dissolve.
It is also important to note that to reduce the likelihood of precipitation, that the levels of pH, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, PO4, etc. are kept within the recommended ranges detailed later.
This applies whether using bicarbonate, carbonate or hydroxide to increase alkalinity.
Step 4 - Setting the Part 2 dosing level
If you know your daily calcium consumption you can start dosing, based on the assumption that 10ml of Universal will increase the calcium level by 7.2 mg/L in 100 L of water.
Alternatively, if you don’t know the calcium consumption, but your tank alkalinity is within the range of 6.5-7.5 dKH and your Calcium is lower than 420 ppm, then you can start dosing equal parts of Part 1 and Universal Part 2 based on the Part 1 daily volume determined earlier - in this case make sure you test calcium frequently so that you don't overdose Universal Part 2. These volumes should be divided into as many small doses as possible and added equally throughout the day (ideally at least one dose of each part per hour).
Notes:
• Part 1 and Universal Part 2 should always be dosed at least 15 minutes apart to avoid chemical interference.
• If your tank alkalinity is above 8 dKH, stop the dosing of any alkalinity
solutions and allow the alkalinity to drop to a value between 6.5-7.5 dKH. Similarly, if your tank’s calcium is above 420 ppm, stop all calcium addition until the calcium drops to a value between 400-420 ppm.
• If your calcium is above 420 ppm you should not begin dosing Universal Part 2 until your calcium level is below the recommended value of 420 ppm. However, you can dose Part 1 to maintain alkalinity as required.
• If any of your macro elements, such as calcium or magnesium are low, then please use the individual elements available in the range to adjust them to the recommended levels as detailed in the list further on. Do not attempt to use either of the 2 parts to increase individual elements as Reef Zlements H2P dosing system was not formulated for this purpose, and doing so will result in the likely overdose of other elements.
Step 5 - Regular Testing
Test alkalinity/pH daily and calcium every 3-4 days for the first 2-3 weeks. We generally recommend continuous and consistent testing, as over the years we have noticed that the most successful reefers are those who keep a strong testing regime.
Do not allow alkalinity or calcium to increase or decrease during this time. If necessary to keep alkalinity and/or calcium stable, adjust Part 1 and/or Universal Part 2 dosing volumes independently - it is not necessary to dose equal volumes of Part 1 and Universal Part 2. Please note that the overdosing of either part can lead to low alkalinity and calcium along with high bromine, potassium, magnesium and other elements.
Test salinity weekly and ensure salinity is kept within the recommended levels that you can find below. Please note that high salinity will quickly lead to coral losses.
We recommend that you periodically check the aquarium’s water quality using our latest laboratory ICP OES DSOI analysis machine. Testing at least every four weeks when using the Reef Zlements 2 Part dosing system will give you the insight and recommendations you need to keep the aquarium in top condition.