Kalk or 2 part

[link81]

Tank is starting to get to the point where element usage is measurable.
Wondering if i should bother with kalk, or just go right to 2 part, and not even bother.
I'm sure kalk will be fine for a while, but then i have to re-do everything where it no longer keeps up. Seems to me that going straight to 2 part makes the most sense.
All additions will be done with a measured pump. either a doser, or a BRS 1.1 pump.
Tank is a 40 breeder. fairly lightly stocked for now, but will be a mixed reef. sps/lps/soft/fish/inverts. Variety is the spice of life lol.

thoughts? kalk or 2 part?

 

[Hemmdog]

2 part. It gives you more control of alk & cal separately which is important imo. Also kalk skyrockets your pH, which I’m not a fan of. 2part does this to but not nearly to the same extent ime.
I also really don’t like how kalk dosing is usually done via the ato and relying on evaporation to be my dosing timer doesn’t really make sense. It just seems much less scientific and accurate in comparison to 2part.

 

[Ky_acc]

I agree with the above, also I just don’t like how Kalk can leave a residue in the ato container... and can hinder the reliability of some ato pumps

 

[link81]

I also really don’t like how kalk dosing is usually done via the ato and relying on evaporation to be my dosing timer doesn’t really make sense. It just seems much less scientific and accurate in comparison to 2part.

this definitely won't be happening. i have a huge difference in ATO between summer and winter.
I also am not a big fan of the "junk" that kalk leaves behind. I'm definitely leaning toward 2 part. either a diy mix, or BRS's bulk.

 

[Blutspitze]

I personally use both, and have set things so that the calcium and pH increase from the kalk in my ATO (I do 1 tsp/5 US gallons) doesn't throw off the two part. Basically, I like kalk because it's much cheaper than 2 part, but prefer the reliability of known dosing with 2 part.

 

[Crabs McJones]

2 part. It gives you more control of alk & cal separately which is important imo. Also kalk skyrockets your pH, which I’m not a fan of. 2part does this to but not nearly to the same extent ime.
I also really don’t like how kalk dosing is usually done via the ato and relying on evaporation to be my dosing timer doesn’t really make sense. It just seems much less scientific and accurate in comparison to 2part.

I 100% agree with this

 

[specwar]

I recently made the decision to go BRS 2 part - EZ Peezy!

 

[Phil85]

I dose Kalk only at night on a dedicated dosing pump, separate from ato. I do this to help elevate nighttime pH. Also not tying it to evap keeps dosing consistent year round. Also use BRS 2part to keep up levels which Kalk can’t do on its own.

 

[CNDReef]

I also use both methods but I use kalkwasser in a reactor fed by a doser not ato. I don’t know why people would use this in a ato period.

 

[link81]

I dose Kalk only at night on a dedicated dosing pump, separate from ato. I do this to help elevate nighttime pH. Also not tying it to evap keeps dosing consistent year round. Also use BRS 2part to keep up levels which Kalk can’t do on its own.

do you dose the kalk to maintain a pH level? or do you calculate out the demand and dose that much each evening/night?

 

[Phil85]

Based on an article by Randy, I dose bit more than what is considered the max acceptable single dose (based on pH rise) but spread this out throughout the night. Majority of Ca/alk comes from 2part