WMAS Discussion Forum : Kalkwasser Best Practices

Kalkwasser Best Practices : Make sure you test at the same...

Mon, 25 Jan 2016 09:16:29 +0000

Author: Krazie4Acans
Subject: 78446
Posted: January 25 2016 at 9:16am

Make sure you test at the same (or close to the same) time each day. Alk does swing and doing one test in the Morning and then dosing and doing another test the next day in the evening will not be quite as accurate. Will it get you in the ball park, yes. For SPS sometimes just being in the ball park isn't enough and you need to be inside the ball diamond.

Kalkwasser Best Practices : Can't give an exact answer...

Mon, 25 Jan 2016 04:16:17 +0000

Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 78446
Posted: January 25 2016 at 4:16am

Can't give an exact answer to that question, because it's going to be different for every system, due to the differing demand for Alk, Ca and Mg. Yes, Mg too. The following things influence the rate of demand for Alk, Ca and Mg:

- type and amount of coral

- type of sand (need for dosing Ca and Mg is less in the presence of Utah Oolitic Sand)

- amount of sand (advantages of a DSB)

- type and amount of light (sunlight = fastest growth, MH lighting = next fastest growth)

- amount of Coralline Algae

- number of Snails(shell) and other inverts (shrimp/bugs/worms have calcareous exoskeleton/spines)

- number and size of fish (bone)

- level of Alk within the range (there is a sweet spot)

Also note;

When a hobbyist first starts seeing that the demand for Alk and Ca has exceeded what Kalkwasser can deliver, manual dosing once or twice every 10 days is sufficient to bring the levels back up within range so that Kalk can continue to deliver most of the needed Alk and Ca. At this point there is no need to fret about keeping Alk and Ca at exact numbers every day. The "stability" you may have read about can be ensured by simply keeping these within range on a weekly basis. (Alk 8-12 dKH; Ca 350-500 ppm)

The demand for Mg is slower and can be satisfied by once/month additions. It's okay to raise Mg to something like ~1500 ppm and not dose again until it has dropped to ~1200 ppm.

For me, when the system requires manual dosing more often than bi-weekly, that's when automatic dosing becomes convenient. Your need may differ.

The question eventually comes up, how much to dose? The simple yet IMO most useful answer is to test, dose a little and test again the next day. Following that result, increase or decrease the amount and/or timing of the next dosing accordingly. Testing is an important key to success.

Aloha,

Mark

Edited by Mark Peterson - January 25 2016 at 5:44am

Kalkwasser Best Practices : It is a weak solution at only...

Sun, 24 Jan 2016 21:09:55 +0000

Author: Fishbot
Subject: 78446
Posted: January 24 2016 at 9:09pm

It is a weak solution at only one tablespoon. 3 would be fully saturated I think. My current set up is just frags at the moment. I don't plan on adding more until I notice Ca And Alk levels dropping. I am curious though at roughly what month mark you guys hit "peak kalkwasser" and had to bring 2 part or a reactor online.

Kalkwasser Best Practices : One tablespoon of lime in 5 gallons...

Sun, 24 Jan 2016 10:19:42 +0000

Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 78446
Posted: January 24 2016 at 10:19am

One tablespoon of lime in 5 gallons of water is not excess, in fact that makes quite a weak Kalkwasser solution.

I don't remember if I said this above, but I have done a similar thing, except I placed like 3 Cups of Kalkwasser in the 5 gal bucket with a dosing pump set to top off the ~120 gal coral farm system at night. The Kalkwasser bucket got topped off for 3 or 4 weeks, then the remaining ~1/4 cup of Calcium Hydroxide at the bottom was discarded. The remaining solids had combined with the minute impurities in the RO water to form a few black specks in the remaining CaOH2. I had so much coral and coralline growth that weekly I still had to dose ~2 liters of homemade CaCl2 Ice Melt solution and ~2 liters of Baking Soda(NaHCO3)/Soda Ash(NaCO3) solution to keep Alk and Ca up.

I know it sounds like bragging, but I'm just trying to point out that Kalkwasser top-off water just doesn't cut it when there is significant need for Alk and Ca. In my recent coral farm, which was twice as large, I decided not to bother with Kalkwasser, just do dosing.

Aloha,

Mark

Kalkwasser Best Practices : Fishbot- I get what you're...

Sun, 24 Jan 2016 09:16:42 +0000

Author: Adam Blundell
Subject: 78446
Posted: January 24 2016 at 9:16am

Fishbot- I get what you're saying about not adding any excess. For most people, running with top off, this isn't possible. Most people simply can't add enough.

But obviously if you dump it in your sump you can add excess.

Adam

Kalkwasser Best Practices : Great idea on a second ph probe...

Sat, 23 Jan 2016 17:14:41 +0000

Author: Fishbot
Subject: 78446
Posted: January 23 2016 at 5:14pm

Great idea on a second ph probe in the mixing vat. I never thought of that.

The method I currently use is a 5 gal bucket with tight lid for a resivore and a toms aqua lifter pump connected to my rkl ato controller. Each week i refill with ro water and stir in a tablespoon of kalk. Pretty easy and combined with weekly water changes (reef crystals) keeps parameters spot on. I like to be able to match the amount of kalk i add to the tanks demand and not add any excess.

Kalkwasser Best Practices : On my 210 gallonsoft coral tank...

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 12:02:02 +0000

Author: relethg
Subject: 78446
Posted: December 14 2015 at 12:02pm

On my 210 gallon soft coral tank I have a Kalk stirrer that is feed ATO water using a dosing pump. This allows me to continually feed the tank kalk. Currently the tank is being feed 2000ml of this water in 24 hours. This keeps my tank at Ca 400, Alk 8.5-9 DKH. I still have evaporation overhead that is made up using the ATO system. My PH without the kalk was running 7.7-7.9 and now is 7.9-8.1. I do corrections by dosing Mag, Ca and Alk every two weeks. Mostly mag is needed.

In the process of setting up a 120 gallon SPS tank, that I have already purchased a Ca reactor for. I may run Kalk on this tank if I have low PH.

I like the Kalk stirrer and dosing pump setup because I am in complete control of the amount of Kalk going in the tank every day. I have Apex and monitor Tank PH and stirrer PH. The stirrer PH lets me know when to add some more kalk to the stirrer.

Glenn

Kalkwasser Best Practices : Reefer86, thanks for the information....

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 07:43:44 +0000

Author: Fatman
Subject: 78446
Posted: December 14 2015 at 7:43am

Reefer86, thanks for the information.

Kalkwasser Best Practices : I use kalk in my auto top off...

Sun, 13 Dec 2015 22:54:27 +0000

Author: reefer86
Subject: 78446
Posted: December 13 2015 at 10:54pm

I use kalk in my auto top off water for my 28 gallon nanocube. I've been using it for the past year with great results. It keeps my calcium and alkalinity very stable.

Kalkwasser Best Practices : From what I read, its a difficult...

Sun, 13 Dec 2015 13:56:48 +0000

Author: phys
Subject: 78446
Posted: December 13 2015 at 1:56pm

From what I read, its a difficult process that requires a lot of patience and careful calculation/implementation but can be quite beneficial once dialed in. Normally ph doesn't need to be checked but when you're doing something that could potentially cause a large swing or low/high ph beyond what it should be, you should keep track of it so you know you're not getting into bad spots.