Abandoning Kalkwasser

[TexAgReefer]

I am abandoning the use of kalkwasser. I was using it in my ATO along with 2 part to maintain Cal/Alk. However, the precipitant buildup specifically on my return pump and my ATO sensor (tunze osmolator) is causing major problems.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong and that's causing the excessive build up, I'm not sure, but at this point it's not worth it any longer!

Another interesting point. I started using JUST ro/di in my ATO (no kalk) and my Alk continued to climb. I was at roughly 1.5 tsp/g so I wasn't using over the max recommended.

Anyway. I'm done using it for now!

 

[glb]

I am abandoning the use of kalkwasser. I was using it in my ATO along with 2 part to maintain Cal/Alk. However, the precipitant buildup specifically on my return pump and my ATO sensor (tunze osmolator) is causing major problems.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong and that's causing the excessive build up, I'm not sure, but at this point it's not worth it any longer!

Another interesting point. I started using JUST ro/di in my ATO (no kalk) and my Alk continued to climb. I was at roughly 1.5 tsp/g so I wasn't using over the max recommended.

Anyway. I'm done using it for now!

I quit kalk for the same reason. It was messy and is hard on pumps.

 

[shred5]

That why i like a Kalk reactor for this.
It can make a mess in your ATO...

 

[Cell]

If you are already using 2 part, why is kalk necessary?

 

[shred5]

If you are already using 2 part, why is kalk necessary?

Depends on the situation..
Demand can be very high especially in a heavy sps tank and Kalk can not always keep up so some will also use two part. With kalk you can only dose as much as evaporation is.
Also if you have low PH Kalk can help raise the PH so some add a little kalk in addition too two part or calcium reactor.
Some people will add it in the winter when the house is closed up to help boost the PH some. I drip kalk allot in the winter in my tanks. I do not use it in a ATO because of what was stated above. It makes a mess and causes pumps to fail prematurely. Recently switched to a IceCap Kalk reactor.
Also Kalk is far cheaper and can maintain both Alk and Calcium.

 

[TexAgReefer]

If you are already using 2 part, why is kalk necessary?

2 reasons.
1) The primary reason is because it helps keep my pH elevated. I have 4 kids and 2 dogs in the house so pH runs low on its own.
2) Kalk is much cheaper than solely using 2 part. Additionally without kalk to keep pH elevated, I have to run a CO2 scrubber and the media isn’t cheap.

 

[TexAgReefer]

Depends on the situation..
Demand can be very high especially in a heavy sps tank and Kalk can not always keep up so some will also use two part. With kalk you can only dose as much as evaporation is.
Also if you have low PH Kalk can help raise the PH so some add a little kalk in addition too two part or calcium reactor.
Some people will add it in the winter when the house is closed up to help boost the PH some. I drip kalk allot in the winter in my tanks. I do not use it in a ATO because of what was stated above. It makes a mess and causes pumps to fail prematurely. Recently switched to a IceCap Kalk reactor.
Also Kalk is far cheaper and can maintain both Alk and Calcium.

Well stated.

 

[Miller535]

If you are already using 2 part, why is kalk necessary?

If demand is high enough, 2 part starts raising your salinity also. Where as kalk does not effect salinity. So Kalk lets you use less 2 part.

 

[Miller535]

I am abandoning the use of kalkwasser. I was using it in my ATO along with 2 part to maintain Cal/Alk. However, the precipitant buildup specifically on my return pump and my ATO sensor (tunze osmolator) is causing major problems.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong and that's causing the excessive build up, I'm not sure, but at this point it's not worth it any longer!

Another interesting point. I started using JUST ro/di in my ATO (no kalk) and my Alk continued to climb. I was at roughly 1.5 tsp/g so I wasn't using over the max recommended.

Anyway. I'm done using it for now!

I had a similar issue with the apex ATK. I ended up putting the top off line about a foot away from the ATK sensor, and have not had any issue since. I have heard that Kalk is hard on pumps also. But I have not been using it long enough to know. Been using it maybe 3 or 4 months.

 

[TexAgReefer]

I had a similar issue with the apex ATK. I ended up putting the top off line about a foot away from the ATK sensor, and have not had any issue since. I have heard that Kalk is hard on pumps also. But I have not been using it long enough to know. Been using it maybe 3 or 4 months.

The 5-6 month mark is where it started causing problems with my pump. My return pump has now seized up several times because of the buildup. That was my last straw and why I am now abandoning the use of kalk in my ATO.

 

[Saltyreef]

I abandoned kalk in the ATO when i switched to 2 part.
It caused my anti siphon valve to calcify which caused lot of hair pulling before i found the tiny clogged oriface. I then apologized to my ATO controller and sensor for the name calling and profanity.

And from what i recall, limewater can only be saturated so much for dosing, and your dosing line will need to be cleaned out every couple months which is a PITA itself. That alone would cause me to stray away from dosing kalk on a pump.
Baking soda and pure calcium chloride flakes arent much more expensive than kalkwasser powder if you buy them in 25kg bags.
$6 @ costco for 13.5lbs of baking soda
$15@ home depot for 10lbs of pure calcium chloride pellets. And that wasnt even the cheapest i found.

 

[Crustaceon]

I want to give people some perspective here and it may surprise them. I run a 65g total volume system and fill up a 10g reservoir with 9g of kalk solution weekly and dose via the ato. I use 7 perfectly leveled teaspoons in my mix, never remixing after the initial dissolving. My parameters are:

Dkh 8
Cal 450
Mg 1450
Sg 1.025

Now the interesting part... My 55g display is stocked with around two dozen sps frags, half of which are acros. All are encrusting and coralline algae is really taking off. Now there’s one parameter I left out that many people ignore when it comes to kalk...PH.

Mine is at 8.3 and NEVER higher.

The first time I ran kalk, I had the exact same issues as many of you here who went full-strength and gave up because you felt like kalk wasn’t keeping up. In my case and probably your’s too, precipitation was the real problem. My ph back then was around 8.45-8.5. I had issues with my pumps clogging up and having to constantly knock precipitation off of the sides of my sump. I also could never keep dkh above 6.5.

I went back to 2-part and had the exact same issue with soda ash and resolved that problem by using bicarb instead which kept ph around 8.2 and caused my dkh to skyrocket. I had to back WAY off from the 30ml per day dose of soda ash all the way down to 10ml of bicarb!....hmmmm...

I had to give kalk another shot and this time, I started out with a really weak solution of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon and slowly bumped it up to where it is now, a little under 1 teaspoon per gallon. It’s been my observation that once my tank holds a sustained ph of 8.4 or higher, it’ll start having issues maintaining alk and calcium. If I keep it under, I have no problem holding 8 dkh and actually have quite a bit of wiggle room as uptake increases. Keep in mind, i’m running my solution at less than half strength. My advice is if you’re having issues with dosing, whatever that may be, try letting your parameters, including ph fall. I restarted my dosing with kalk once my ph settled at 8. I have very little precipitation in
my sump and everything’s holding steady. I think kalk has a lot more potential than many realize, but just like anything else in this hobby, we have to go SLOW when we add things to our system. That includes gauging the needed strength of any additive solution.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

While it may still lead to local precipitation of calcium carbonate if not mixed into tank water fast enough, folks who want the same high pH boost and want a two part can make a two part out of sodium hydroxide instead of sodium carbonate.

 

[Crustaceon]

I should also add that my ato dumps directly into a powerhead that sits in my return pump chamber. I keep the water in that section extremely turbulent to ensure a quick mixing. I also keep a ph probe in there and when the topoff fills, I’ll see a ph spike to around 8.45, but it will fall back to normal within 30 seconds. Dosing into a high flow area is very important whether you’re using 2-part or kalk.

 

[TexAgReefer]

I want to give people some perspective here and it may surprise them. I run a 65g total volume system and fill up a 10g reservoir with 9g of kalk solution weekly and dose via the ato. I use 7 perfectly leveled teaspoons in my mix, never remixing after the initial dissolving. My parameters are:

Dkh 8
Cal 450
Mg 1450
Sg 1.025

Now the interesting part... My 55g display is stocked with around two dozen sps frags, half of which are acros. All are encrusting and coralline algae is really taking off. Now there’s one parameter I left out that many people ignore when it comes to kalk...PH.

Mine is at 8.3 and NEVER higher.

The first time I ran kalk, I had the exact same issues as many of you here who went full-strength and gave up because you felt like kalk wasn’t keeping up. In my case and probably your’s too, precipitation was the real problem. My ph back then was around 8.45-8.5. I had issues with my pumps clogging up and having to constantly knock precipitation off of the sides of my sump. I also could never keep dkh above 6.5.

I went back to 2-part and had the exact same issue with soda ash and resolved that problem by using bicarb instead which kept ph around 8.2 and caused my dkh to skyrocket. I had to back WAY off from the 30ml per day dose of soda ash all the way down to 10ml of bicarb!....hmmmm...

I had to give kalk another shot and this time, I started out with a really weak solution of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon and slowly bumped it up to where it is now, a little under 1 teaspoon per gallon. It’s been my observation that once my tank holds a sustained ph of 8.4 or higher, it’ll start having issues maintaining alk and calcium. If I keep it under, I have no problem holding 8 dkh and actually have quite a bit of wiggle room as uptake increases. Keep in mind, i’m running my solution at less than half strength. My advice is if you’re having issues with dosing, whatever that may be, try letting your parameters, including ph fall. I restarted my dosing with kalk once my ph settled at 8. I have very little precipitation in
my sump and everything’s holding steady. I think kalk has a lot more potential than many realize, but just like anything else in this hobby, we have to go SLOW when we add things to our system. That includes gauging the needed strength of any additive solution.

I definitely started very low, 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, and worked my way up.

I do think having a power head in the return section would help keep things moving quickly into the display.

 

[Crustaceon]

I definitely started very low, 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, and worked my way up.

I do think having a power head in the return section would help keep things moving quickly into the display.

During my first kalk attempt and later soda ash dosing, I had a jebao dc return pump
that would seize up routinely due to precipitate. It eventually broke the impeller one night and I switched it out for a quietone (loud one) pump and now check it monthly for buildup. I also added a little hydor koralia to the return pump chamber and I definitely notice a difference. For the last year, there’s been hardly any buildup and most of the precipitation is in the form of a light dusting where the ato dumps into the sump. As I understand it, we’re trying to reduce localized ph spikes caused by our additives and get them into the display so they can disperse into a lower ph body of water. A higher flow environment can make a smaller physical dimension of water act like a larger one in allowing more water to contact those additives which keeps the ph spike lower and reduces the precipitation.

 

[Pete Luna]

I used Kalk in my ATO was unstable due to evaporation being inconsistent. Now I use a Kalkstirrer and a DOS, I dose 5800mL a day through the stirrer and use 2 part to make up the difference in Alk consumption. I’m able to maintain an 8.4-8.5 Alk With no issues, tank is 180gal SPS

 

[oysterjake]

Thanks for this thread. I’m new and just had my return pump seize up. I think I’ll ditch kalk and just do 2 part dosing To maintain optimal pH

 

[Crustaceon]

I think the problem here is using it in ato. Kalk really needs to be added slowly and continually throughout the day. Ato’s add kalk in spurts so you get localized ph spikes in your sump, which causes precipitation and makes it appear like the kalk isn’t keeping up....which tricks us into adding other stuff like soda ash (bad idea) or bicarb to compensate. How do I know this? Because I added kalk via ato and had the same issues with precipitation. I got rid of that system and for a while was adding saturated kalk solution through a jebao dosing pump (one channel on a dp4) twenty four times a day. Precipitation stopped and I was easily maintaining 9dkh vs the 7dkh I was consistently getting with ato-added kalk. Had I not switched to a CalRX, I’d be running a Kamoer fx-stp and a brute can full of saturated kalkwasser.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for this thread. I’m new and just had my return pump seize up. I think I’ll ditch kalk and just do 2 part dosing rather than chasing pH

You can "chase" pH and still use a two part.

I don't care for the word chase as it is normally used derogatorily by folks who think it useless.