Pharma Calcium Chloride 1-Gallon Mix (Single Use) - Bulk Reef Supply

Ultra-pure Calcium Chloride for 2-part dosing in your reef tank!

Bulk Reef Supply 2-part additives are the perfect solution to replenish the intake of calcium and alkalinity coral consumes when it grows. Using only pharmaceutical based ingredients allows you to keep a cleaner reef with fewer impurities, leading to faster growth and more brilliant coloration of your coral. All BRS additives mix crystal clear and do not leave any nasty residues or brown impurities behind like other calcium and alkalinity additives. 

Each pouch is professionally weighed to make 1 gallon of calcium chloride solution that can be used to accompany any dosing method or used with other Bulk Reef Supply additives for an easy to follow system of dosing. The BRS system uses a balanced 1:1 calcium to alkalinity ratio that keeps dosing simple and doesn't require you to be a math wizard. In most cases, the amount of BRS 2 Part Calcium solution you need to dose will match the amount of BRS Alkalinity solution required. 

Mixing Instructions - BRS Calcium Liquid Solution

Fill a 1-gallon container 4/5 full of RO/DI or distilled water and then add the entire contents of 1 pouch into the container. Secure the cap on the container and shake it for about 10 seconds to help start the dissolving process. Remove the cap and fill the container the rest of the way with RO/DI or distilled water. Give the container a few more shakes and then let it sit until all the salts have dissolved before use.

Tip: If you are having issues raising your calcium, check to ensure your aquarium magnesium level is between 1200-1350ppm and that the solution is added to a high flow area of the tank.

Daily Dosing 

Step 1. Start by following the General Adjustments instructions above to adjust your aquariums calcium, along with alkalinity and magnesium to your desired levels for your dosing regime starting point.

Step 2. Wait 5 days and retest your aquariums calcium level and compare the results to your starting point levels to find the difference. The difference between the starting point and the final reading is how much calcium will need to be replaced over the course of a 5-day span of time. We recommend testing at the same time of day as calcium levels can fluctuate throughout the day.

Step 3. Go to the BRS Reef Calculator and input your new desired level and your new current level along with your total system water volume. Select the BRS Calcium Liquid Solution (New Pharma Pouch) option and then calculate. That amount will be the total solution needed for a 5-day span of time for your reef tank. To know your daily dose just divide that number by 5 (see example below).

Step 4. Replenish your calcium by adding the 5-day total to your aquarium and any other diminished levels back to your desired starting point, then wait a few hours before starting your daily dosing regime.

Step 5. Monitor and adjust daily dose as necessary. If your calcium levels are slowly rising, we suggest subtracting 10% per day until it is stable. If your calcium levels are dropping slowly we suggest raising your daily dose by 10% per day. 

Example for 100-gallon aquarium:

Calcium Level Day 1 @ 8pm - 420ppm (desired level)

Calcium Level Day 5 @ 8pm - 410ppm (current level)

5-Day Calcium Requirement - 102.3 mL 

Daily Calcium Requirement - 20.46 mL (102.3 mL / 5 days)

What is 2-Part Dosing?

As corals grow they consume calcium and alkalinity but to keep the levels steady in a reef tank requires the use of magnesium too, so it is more like 3-part dosing, to be honest. Reefers will use calcium chloride and soda ash (sodium carbonate) to maintain their reef tanks chemistry daily and add a magnesium supplement every couple weeks. Magnesium supplements are usually a blend of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate to help keep the sulfate to chloride ratio balanced in the aquarium. When starting a 2 part dosing system it is important to use a good test kit to establish a baseline. We really like using the Red Sea Reef Foundation test kit or Hanna Colorimeters for their accuracy and repeatability which leads to a much more stable reef and overall coral health. Stability is one of the keys to keeping a saltwater tank healthy over a long span of time and most reefers will set up an automated system that doses their aquariums needed additives daily removing repetitive (and forgettable) chore. There are purpose-built dosing systems like the Kamor X4, Neptune DOS, or Bubble Magus T-11 that are super easy to program and keeps everything in a compact package, but there are other options that many reefers prefer like the BRS 1.1mL dosing pumps that can be paired with a digital timer for precise and affordable dosing control.