Questions reef keepers
actually ask.

BioForge Core+ is a dry-to-mix reef chemistry system for alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Each product comes as a pre-measured powder packet. You add RO/DI water, shake for 60 seconds, and you have a liter of dosing stock.

The format is different from liquid 2-part. You're not buying a bottle of water with chemistry dissolved in it. You're buying the chemistry alone, in exact daily-dose packets, and mixing it yourself. The result is the same liquid stock you'd dose — minus the shipping weight, expiration risk, and plastic waste of pre-mixed bottles.

The Starter Kit includes everything you need to start dosing on day one:

3× Core+ powder packets (ALK, CAL, MAG — one of each) 3× reusable 1L HDPE mixing/dosing bottles (color-coded) 1× 1L graduated beaker 1× precision dosing adapter (barb fitting for ATO/doser lines) Setup guide + QR batch verification

After the kit, you subscribe to whichever chemistry your tank uses. Most tanks need ALK every 20–35 days and CAL every 30–45 days. MAG is slower — most tanks dose it less frequently.

The Starter Kit is built around 1L stock bottles. One packet makes 1L. You mix a new batch when the bottle runs low. It's the right format for most tanks under 150 gallons.

The 4L Bulk System uses 4-liter containers and larger packet formats. It's designed for high-demand tanks — SPS-heavy systems over 150 gallons, systems with multiple tanks, or reefers who dose more than 100 mL/day of any chemistry. Fewer mix sessions, lower cost per dose.

Not sure which is right for you? The calculator tells you your daily dose and stock duration based on your tank size and demand.

Yes. Once mixed, the stock solution behaves identically to any liquid 2-part chemistry. The dosing adapter fits standard barb fittings used by Neptune DOS, GHL Doser, Kamoer, and similar units. The bottles have a standard 28mm neck if you prefer your own tubing setup.

The stock is clear and low-viscosity after mixing — no clogging, no residue. If you're running a gravity-fed drip system, the stock works without modification.

You can. The chemistry doesn't care what container it lives in as long as it's food-grade or HDPE.

The included bottles exist for a specific reason: the dosing adapter creates a sealed, air-excluded draw point. Standard 2-part bottles left open or loosely capped absorb CO₂ and can change pH slightly over time, especially ALK solutions. The sealed system keeps the stock stable for the full duration of the packet.

If you have your own HDPE bottles and a sealed draw system you trust, use them.

No. Standard soda ash 2-part (sodium carbonate in water) works, but every dose adds sodium and carbonate. Over time — especially if you're dosing heavily and doing infrequent water changes — sodium accumulates because nothing removes it except dilution.

BioForge Core+ ALK is a multi-component formulation. The V5.9 formula includes sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, potassium bicarbonate, and borax. This is closer to the Balling approach — it doses alkalinity while also contributing potassium and boron, and it does so at a sodium-to-alkalinity ratio that drifts more slowly from natural seawater ratios.

Full formulation rationale is on the Science page.

At the standard 1 packet per 1L RO/DI ratio:

Core+ ALK stock: 5,069 dKH per liter Core+ CAL stock: 1 ppm Ca per mL per 10 US gal Core+ MAG stock: 0.51 ppm Mg per mL per 10 US gal

These values are derived from the V5.9 formulation and verified independently on every batch via ICP-OES at Reef Labs, Inc. If a batch deviates, the report reflects it and the batch is flagged. The calculator uses these exact constants to compute your daily dose.

Yes, intentionally. The Core+ ALK formulation includes potassium bicarbonate and borax. This means every ALK dose contributes potassium and boron at ratios that approximate natural seawater chemistry.

Most tanks are potassium-depleted relative to natural seawater, and most 2-part systems don't address this. BioForge doesn't require a separate potassium supplement if you're dosing ALK at typical rates.

If you're running a Triton-style system or supplementing potassium separately, account for this contribution. Your ICP results will tell you where you stand.

Yes, with one important note: never mix kalkwasser and BioForge stock directly. Kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) reacts with alkalinity solutions to precipitate calcium carbonate. This is true for all 2-part chemistry, not just BioForge.

The standard approach: dose kalkwasser via your ATO and BioForge via a separate doser on a different schedule. Keep the two solutions physically separated in the sump. This is standard practice for hybrid kalk/2-part systems.

If kalkwasser is handling most of your calcium and alkalinity demand, you may only need BioForge to supplement what kalk can't keep up with — typically ALK in high-demand SPS tanks.

Dry powder is more stable than pre-mixed liquid before you mix it. Alkalinity solutions in particular can shift pH over time as they absorb CO₂ from air. A sealed powder packet has an indefinite shelf life at room temperature. Pre-mixed liquid ALK has a practical shelf life of 6–12 months once opened.

Once you mix BioForge stock, its stability is the same as any other liquid 2-part. Use within 30–45 days. Keep it sealed between doses. The included bottle adapter is designed to minimize air exposure.

Use the BioForge calculator. It works two ways:

If you're switching from another brand: enter your current daily dose in mL and your tank size. The calculator converts that into BioForge mL per day using published manufacturer data for your current brand.

If you know your tank's demand: enter your daily alkalinity drop in dKH, plus your calcium and magnesium demand in ppm/day. The calculator outputs exact mL/day for each chemistry and tells you how long one packet lasts.

If you don't know your tank's demand yet, start with the profile defaults (mixed reef or SPS) and test alkalinity after 3–4 days to calibrate.

1. Measure 1L of RO/DI water into the beaker 2. Pour roughly 500 mL into the mixing bottle 3. Open the packet and add the full contents while swirling 4. Add the remaining 500 mL to reach the 1L fill line 5. Cap tightly and shake for 60 seconds 6. Let sit 5 minutes until completely clear before dosing

Adding salts to half the water first prevents caking at the bottom. The full 60-second shake ensures complete dissolution. The stock is ready when it's clear — if you see cloudiness, shake again and wait.

The mixing guide on the calculator page has a step-by-step animation if you want to see each stage.

RO/DI only. Tap water introduces chloramines, silicates, phosphates, and other contaminants that can react with the chemistry or accumulate in your tank. The stock concentration calculations assume pure water. Using anything other than RO/DI will alter the effective concentration unpredictably.

If your RO/DI unit produces water with TDS above 5–10 ppm, check your membrane and DI resin before mixing chemistry with it.

It depends on your tank's consumption rate and how long you missed.

One day missed: negligible for most tanks. Resume your normal dose the next day. Don't double-dose to compensate.

Several days missed: test alkalinity before resuming. If alkalinity has dropped significantly, use the Correction mode in the calculator. It builds you a day-by-day schedule to bring alkalinity back up safely — typically 0.5 dKH per day — without swinging parameters and stressing corals.

Not directly into the same mixing line simultaneously, and not into low-flow areas of the sump. Alkalinity and calcium solutions react when they contact each other at high concentration — this is true for all 2-part chemistry.

Best practice: dose each chemistry at separate times (at least 30 minutes apart), or into high-flow areas of the sump where rapid dilution prevents local concentration spikes. Most dosers handle this automatically with staggered schedules.

It depends entirely on your tank's demand and size. The calculator gives you an exact number, but rough ranges:

Mixed reef, 100 gal: ALK ~26 days · CAL ~12 days · MAG ~25 days SPS-heavy, 100 gal: ALK ~8 days · CAL ~4 days · MAG ~10 days Mixed reef, 50 gal: ALK ~52 days · CAL ~25 days · MAG ~51 days

High-demand SPS tanks may go through CAL fastest. Most tanks go through ALK more predictably. MAG is typically the slowest. Run the calculator with your actual parameters for accurate numbers.

The Switching mode on the calculator converts your current daily dose directly into BioForge mL per day. It supports BRS Pharma 2-Part, Tropic Marin Balling, Brightwell Reef Code, Brightwell Alkalin8.3, and ATI Essentials.

General approach:

1. Note your current daily dose in mL for each component 2. Run the calculator — it gives you BioForge mL/day 3. Set your doser to the new volume 4. Test alkalinity after 3–4 days and adjust if needed

Don't change anything else in your tank at the same time. Isolate the switch so if something moves, you know why.

Parameters shouldn't move noticeably if the calculator conversion is accurate. The goal of the switch is to deliver the same alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium your tank was already receiving — just from a different source.

Test alkalinity 3–4 days after switching to confirm the dose is right. Some tanks consume slightly more or less than the calculator predicts based on coral load changes, light intensity, and temperature. Fine-tune from there.

Don't try to correct a deficit and switch at the same time. If your parameters are off before switching, use the Correction mode to stabilize first.

Yes. Many tanks outgrow what kalkwasser alone can maintain — particularly SPS-heavy systems where alkalinity demand exceeds what kalk can supply at safe concentrations. BioForge works as a supplement on a separate doser line.

In this case, calculate only the gap: how much alkalinity and calcium your kalk isn't covering, and dose BioForge to make up the difference. Test frequently for the first two weeks to calibrate the combined approach.

Use the Tank Consumption mode instead of the Switching mode. Rather than converting from a competitor's formula, you enter your tank's actual alkalinity demand in dKH/day — which you can measure directly by testing alkalinity before and after a known interval without dosing.

This is actually more accurate than the brand conversion, because it's based on your specific tank's consumption rather than a manufacturer average. If you don't know your demand yet, one week of testing without dosing (or with a known fixed dose) will give you the number.

Email hello@bioforgesystems.com with your current brand and dose and we'll help you convert it manually.

ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry) is the laboratory standard for measuring elemental composition in solution. It identifies and quantifies every element present, including heavy metals at parts-per-billion concentrations.

Every BioForge production batch is sent to Reef Labs, Inc. for independent ICP-OES analysis before it ships. The test confirms:

— Target elements present at correct concentrations — Heavy metals (arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium) below detection limits — No unexpected contaminants from raw material batches — Batch matches the published V5.9 formulation

The full report for every batch is published in the Batch Archive. You don't have to take our word for it — you can read the actual lab document.

Every packet has a QR code and a lot number printed on the packaging. Scan the QR code or search the lot number directly in the Batch Archive. The archive shows:

— Manufacture date — Formula version — ICP-OES report (full document) — Batch status: accepted / pending / flagged

If your batch is pending, the test hasn't returned yet. If it's flagged, you'll see the reason and what action was taken. We publish the work, not just the results that look good.

It doesn't ship. If a batch returns an ICP result that deviates from the target formulation or shows any heavy metal above threshold, the entire batch is pulled and destroyed. The report is still published in the archive with the failure noted.

If you received a batch that was later flagged — which would only happen if a defect appeared post-shipment — we will contact you directly and replace it.

Because reef keepers are putting this chemistry into living systems. You should be able to verify what you're dosing. A private verification process is just a claim. A public one is evidence.

It also creates accountability. If the ICP reports are public, there's no selective publishing of only good results. Every batch gets posted, good or otherwise.

Nothing is wrong with the chemistry. The calculator uses typical demand values for your tank profile — your actual tank may consume more. This happens when:

— Coral load is higher than the profile default — SPS colonies have grown significantly since you last calibrated — Light intensity increased recently (more photosynthesis = more calcification) — Temperature increased (same effect) — You added more coral

Measure your actual dKH drop over 24–48 hours without dosing. Use that number as your demand input in the calculator. Recalculate your daily dose and adjust your doser.

This is normal calibration, not a product problem. Alkalinity demand varies by tank and changes as your system grows.

Cloudiness immediately after mixing is normal — it clears within 5–10 minutes as everything fully dissolves. Shake again and let it sit before dosing.

If the solution remains cloudy after 15 minutes, the most likely cause is that not enough water was used, or the water wasn't RO/DI (tap water minerals can cause precipitation). Try remixing with a fresh packet and confirmed RO/DI water.

If the problem persists, contact hello@bioforgesystems.com with your lot number. We'll check the batch report and troubleshoot with you.

First, test alkalinity immediately. The most common cause of switching-related stress is a parameter swing — either the new dose is higher than needed and alkalinity spiked, or something else changed at the same time as the switch.

Check first: current dKH vs. target Check second: dKH change over the last 24 hours Check third: did you change anything else (lights, flow, feeding)?

If alkalinity is stable and within range, the switch itself is not the cause. Coral stress from chemistry switches without parameter movement is extremely uncommon.

If alkalinity moved significantly, reduce your dose and use the Correction mode to bring it back slowly.

Yes, but precision dosing matters more on small systems. At nano scale, a 1 mL error in daily dose has a proportionally larger impact on parameters than in a 100-gallon tank.

The calculator will tell you your daily dose. For nano tanks, that number is often 1–5 mL/day. You'll need a doser accurate to 0.5 mL increments. Most quality peristaltic dosers (Neptune DOS, GHL, Kamoer X1) are accurate to this level.

Manual dosing with a syringe works at nano scale. Measure carefully and dose at the same time each day for consistent results.

Email hello@bioforgesystems.com with your lot number, tank size, current parameters, and a description of the issue. Include your Hanna or ICP results if you have them — it speeds up the diagnosis significantly.

For batch-specific concerns: qc@bioforgesystems.com.

We're a small operation and we answer everything ourselves. You'll hear from the founder directly.