Kalk or BRS 2-part or ??

CSL · Jan 17, 2019

I was adding Kalk @ 3tsp per 5g in my ATO water and it was keeping me very steady ALK was 8.3-8-8.5 and Cal was 340-350.
I added alot of new corals. 10 zoa frags and 3 larger leathers. My ALK and Cal started dropping so I went to 4tsp per 5g of Kalk. That took me to ALK at 8.3-8.6 and Cal 460-470.
My concern is the extra high calcium and still lower Alk.
Its a 125g tank, basement sump and 20g side refugium around 160g total water.
No SPS, mainly zoas, leathers, LPS. All corals are doing good I just want to keep the ALK steady and the Cal at 450.
Would I be better off running a doser for Alk, Cal and Mag? Or is there a way dial the Kalk in better that I am missing.

Flippers4pups · Jan 17, 2019

CSL said:
I was adding Kalk @ 3tsp per 5g in my ATO water and it was keeping me very steady ALK was 8.3-8-8.5 and Cal was 340-350.
I added alot of new corals. 10 zoa frags and 3 larger leathers. My ALK and Cal started dropping so I went to 4tsp per 5g of Kalk. That took me to ALK at 8.3-8.6 and Cal 460-470.
My concern is the extra high calcium and still lower Alk.
Its a 125g tank, basement sump and 20g side refugium around 160g total water.
No SPS, mainly zoas, leathers, LPS. All corals are doing good I just want to keep the ALK steady and the Cal at 450.
Would I be better off running a doser for Alk, Cal and Mag? Or is there a way dial the Kalk in better that I am missing.

Stop using kalkwasser as a sole means of alkalinity adjustment. This the increase of calcium. Think of kalkwasser as a stabilizer of PH and alkalinity.

Adjust your alkalinity and calcium separately until they are in that range you want. Some people supplement the use of 2 part with kalkwasser when their consumption is greater than 2 part can keep up with. Same can be said when a calcium reactor can't keep up.

I don't dose 2 part in my system. I rely on my salt mix and using kalkwasser in my ATO reservoir to keep up with demand. I will add alkalinity only when needed through sodium bicarbonate in solution using a dosing calculator. Every tank is different.