Can Kalkwasser solve my low calcium, low alkalinity?

[Scott Ulrich]

Hi all,

My calcium is 370 ppm, pH is 8.0 and dkh is 6.7. I have some kalkwasser being delivered today, that should help all of those readings, correct?

Ammonium, nitrite and nitrate all 0. Phosphate about 0.1.

Corals are hammer, candy cane, some various mushrooms, corky fingers and gorgonians. In a 40 gallon.

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No. The best it can do is raise calcium by 20 ppm for each 2.8 dKH of alk. To substantially raise calcium this way will push alk too high. Use calcium chloride for calcium boosts.

 

[Scott Ulrich]

No. The best it can do is raise calcium by 20 ppm for each 2.8 dKH of alk. To substantially raise calcium this way will push alk too high. Use calcium chloride for calcium boosts.

Thanks, I will do that! Is it okay to add both the kalkwasser and calcium chloride to my ato water so that it is increased gradually?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks, I will do that! Is it okay to add both the kalkwasser and calcium chloride to my ato water so that it is increased gradually?

no, you cannot combine them. Just manually add the calcium chloride.

 

[BeejReef]

It will "help" all those readings. It's just that your calcium is too low at the moment. I'd think you could get started with the Kalk in your ATO and correct up the calcium when it arrives.

Ideally, you would adjust both your calc and alk to their desired range with two-part style additives and then maintain those levels with Kalk. If you're going to use kalk alone (with Randy's suggested calc bump) be sure to do it real gradually... probably at least over 3-4 days.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I've gone to dripping limewater to stabilize alkalinity at around 8 dKH. While that is working, I still have to dose calcium chloride to maintain 420 ppm calcium.