Alkalinity is being used up, dose individually or use kalk?

[Noob]

ok, so i noticed myself and many other reefers in the forum are having alkalinity issues. i've measured mine w/ a Red Sea kit and a Hanna Checker and i can say i lose 4ppm or .24dKh daily. I've been dosing 2 part (about 12ml a day in my 55gal tank) manually to keep up. I want to either get a doser or just add kalk to my ATO (running a Tunze 3155). I have a 2.5gal ato reservoir and refill once a week. If i upgrade to a 5g ato reservoir, how do i calculate how much kalk to use to keep up w/ demand?

Thanks!

 

[Zero Nitrates]

reef calculator

 

[EW_Fish]

Dosing two part is so much better.

 

[Noob]

Thank you!

 

[-Logzor]

Kalk is the ATO is a good start for a low demand system, it's even good along with 2-part if you demand becomes high enough. You can add 1/2 tsp per gallon of RO/DI water in your top-off. If you add too much kalk to your top-off, only so much can absorb, be sure to stir it well.

 

[HumanMachine]

Have comparable system and dose around 26ML of cal and alk (B-Ionic) every day to keep my overall alk around 7.5 to 8 dkh

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Dosing two part is so much better.

Maybe, but despite coming up with the recipe for the DIY two part, I prefer to use limewater.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi Noob,

If the calculator doesn't give you what you need to figure it out, we can help.

It should come out something like 0.3% of the tank volume in saturated limewater each day.

 

[Brinkfish312]

I'm trying to figure out how much kalk we need to use also. We're pretty new to this, so I don't know how many drips/tsps/whatever per day. I have the info I need to make the container, and I have the Kalkwasser powder, but I need to know how much to use. If we set this up to drip fast enough to use as a top-off mechanism, will it be too much?
I have been told not to use this without some type of pH controller that will stop the kalk if it gets to high, can't I just test pH every day and call it good?
Sorry for so many questions, I'm still learning.

 

[EW_Fish]

Wouldn't need a controller but a ph monitor may be more help.(& cheaper)

 

[Velodog2]

I've tried using kalk but having the Ca/Alk replenishment rate tied in with the evaporation rate didn't work very well on my small tank. Also the very high pH of the kalkwasser played havoc with the tank pH stability.

 

[Brinkfish312]

It might help, hehe. My pH has been dropping the last couple weeks. It's at 7.8 right now, I really don't want it getting any lower.

 

[Brinkfish312]

Something like this?
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pinpoint-ph-monitor.html

Or this?
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/milwaukee-mc120-ph-monitor-1.html

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm trying to figure out how much kalk we need to use also. We're pretty new to this, so I don't know how many drips/tsps/whatever per day. I have the info I need to make the container, and I have the Kalkwasser powder, but I need to know how much to use. If we set this up to drip fast enough to use as a top-off mechanism, will it be too much?
I have been told not to use this without some type of pH controller that will stop the kalk if it gets to high, can't I just test pH every day and call it good?
Sorry for so many questions, I'm still learning.

Are you using a kalkwasser (limewater) reactor, or are you making up bulk limewater and dosing that?

 

[Brinkfish312]

We're not using it at all yet. I bought the mix to keep our levels stable/constant but haven't pieced it together yet. I'm too scared just to make some and add it to the tank not knowing how much of the mixture to add to the tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

OK, so for normal use you dissolve 2 level teaspoons or less to a gallon of RO/DI (at any scale you want, I make up 120 gallons at a time). Add it, stir a few minutes, and let any excess/impurities settle out. Keep it closed from the air, like in a closed trash can.

Then you add it very slowly to the tank, replacing some or all of the evaporated water. A slow pump, a doser, or an ATO pump controlled by a float switch are good choices.

The calculator linked earlier can tell you how much effect you'll get out of any given volume, but in general, 1.25% of the tank volume boost alkalinity by 1.4 dKH and calcium by 10 ppm.

This has more:
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Brinkfish312]

I actually read that not too long ago. It's just all so overwhelming. LOL
I think we just need to do it and stop worrying about it and deal with whatever comes. If we go slowly, it shouldn't be bad.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes, that sounds good.

Have you been dosing anything for alkalinity so far?

What sorts of corals in the tank?

 

[Brinkfish312]

No, BC our Alk has actually always been on the high end. As well as Mg. The calcium was ok, then started dropping for a couple weeks, I added some Red Sea Ca suppliment and it's been fine since.
We have quite a few corals, but they are all small in size right now: a trumpet, a birdsnest, an acro milli, a hammer, an Acan, 2 small grps of paly's (like 4-6 polyps each), a few shrooms, a zoa (5 polyps), a toadstool, a pavona... I think that's it. A mixture basically

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you need alk now?

If not, I wouldn't start limewater yet.