Dosing Conversion Calculator
Tell us what you currently dose. We convert it into BioForge equivalents using manufacturer-published data only, with every calculation visible.
FREE · FOREVER · WORKS FOR ANY REEF, ANY BRAND
DATA SOURCES
Each conversion factor is derived from the manufacturer's official published documentation, product pages, official manuals, official calculators, or manufacturer-published dosing instructions. Source URLs and access dates are documented for each system.
Where a manufacturer does not publish enough data to calculate a defensible conversion. The brand is excluded rather than estimated. We list those exclusions openly:
These may be excellent products. We simply could not build a defensible automatic comparison from the data their manufacturers publish publicly. If you currently use one of these systems. Use the "Calculate from tank consumption" mode below, enter your measured daily alkalinity demand instead.
Each packet becomes 1 L of dosing stock. Add salts to half the water first, swirl. Then top off, that's what keeps it from caking. Two minutes. Then you're ready to dose.
THE CALCULATOR
ALK conversion only. Cross-brand CAL and MAG comparison isn't possible, manufacturer formats vary too much. BioForge calculates CAL and MAG from your tank's measured demand in
Alkalinity only, competitor brands publish ALK dosing in standardized dKH units, making direct comparison possible. Calcium and magnesium dosing instructions vary by brand and unit system, so no reliable cross-brand conversion exists. Use mode 02 to calculate CAL and MAG from your tank's measured demand instead.
Raising alkalinity more than 1–1.5 dKH/day stresses corals. 0.5 dKH/day is the safe upper limit for most tanks. For calcium and magnesium. Stay under 10–20 ppm/day.
Import your sample results
From your Reef Labs portal, click Share Results and copy the link. It looks like:
https://app.reef-labs.com/share/…
Open your share link, select all (Ctrl+A / ⌘A), copy, and paste below.
Or enter results manually. Leave any field blank if not tested.
THE BIG THREE
NUTRIENTS
ENVIRONMENT
HEAVY METALS from ICP-OES report · optional
Calculate how a planned water change will shift your parameters, and how many consecutive changes it would take to reach target values.
CURRENT PARAMETERS
NEW WATER PARAMETERS leave blank to use NSW reference values
YOUR BIOFORGE EQUIVALENT
ALK, daily dose
—
mL/day of Core+ ALK stock
ALK, packets/month
—
Core+ ALK packets/month
ALK, monthly cost
—
Core+ ALK @ $5.50/packet
CAL, daily dose
—
mL/day of Core+ CAL stock
CAL, packets/month
—
Core+ CAL packets/month
CAL, monthly cost
—
Core+ CAL @ $8.50/packet
MAG, daily dose
—
mL/day of Core+ MAG stock
MAG, packets/month
—
Core+ MAG packets/month
MAG, monthly cost
—
Core+ MAG @ $9.00/packet
These are estimates based on your inputs. Verify your actual dose with an ICP test 3–4 weeks after starting. Your tank's real demand may differ. Run a Decode after your test →
BioForge launches Summer 2026. Join the waitlist to apply this dosing schedule to your first order, and get launch-day pricing.
Join the waitlistCORRECTION PLAN
Daily correction dose
—
mL/day of Core+ ALK stock
Days to target
—
days at 0.5 dKH/day
Total stock needed
—
mL of stock for full correction
After your correction period ends. Run Tank Consumption mode to find your ongoing maintenance dose.
WATER CHEMISTRY REPORT
Want the full plan?
These gauges show where you stand. The Decode tells you exactly what to do, urgent risks first, correction order, safe dosing math, 7-day and 30-day plan.
Free with any BioForge order · Basic report always free
WATER CHANGE PROJECTION
After your water change stabilizes. Use Tank Consumption mode to dial in your ongoing dose.
Join the waitlistMETHODOLOGY
107.1 mL of soda ash solution restores 1.5 dKH in a 100-gallon tank.
Source: Bulk Reef Supply official Pharma Soda Ash instructions · accessed 2026-05-18
30 mL of Part B raises alkalinity by 2.2 dKH in 10 US gallons, direct manufacturer claim.
Source: Tropic Marin official Original Balling product page · accessed 2026-05-18
1 mL raises alkalinity by ~2.22 dKH in 1 US gallon, direct manufacturer claim.
Source: Brightwell Aquatics official Reef Code B product page · accessed 2026-05-18
1 mL raises alkalinity by ~3.1 dKH in 1 US gallon, direct manufacturer claim.
Source: Brightwell Aquatics official Alkalin8.3 product page · accessed 2026-05-18
0.1 dKH/day demand maps to 1 mL of #1 KH Complex per 100 L, derived from ATI official dosing chart.
Source: ATI Aquaristik official Essentials Mixed Reef product page · accessed 2026-05-18 · ATI's higher concentration claim (14,250 dKH/L) was set aside in favor of the conservative dosing-chart value.
V5.9 formulation · stock concentration 5,069 dKH per L · ICP-OES verified every batch.
Sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, potassium bicarbonate, and borax dissolved in 1 L RO/DI. Formulation published on /science · verified through Reef Labs ICP-OES on every production batch · archived at /archive
ALK is published in dKH, a standardized unit across brands. CAL and MAG are not: units, concentrations, and reference volumes vary too much for a reliable automatic conversion.
Some brands express calcium delivery in ppm per mL per gallon, others per liter, others only as "raise X ppm with Y mL in Z gallons" with no per-volume rate. No single conversion factor applies across brands. BioForge CAL and MAG are calculated from your tank's measured daily demand in Mode 02 instead.
1 mL of Core+ CAL stock raises calcium by 1 ppm in 10 US gallons · ICP-OES verified every batch.
BioForge internal formulation data · empirical verification through Reef Labs ICP-OES on every production batch · archived publicly at /archive
1 mL of Core+ MAG stock raises magnesium by 0.51 ppm in 10 US gallons · ICP-OES verified every batch.
BioForge internal formulation data · empirical verification through Reef Labs ICP-OES on every production batch · archived publicly at /archive