Kalk water

[CaptPatrick]

I recently posted about dosing with organic carbon, and along the way with the research I came upon kalk water. From my understanding in what I've read, if you use kalk water you would never need to dose calcium or alkalinity, is this correct? I am curious to know how much and how to go about it. I've read people using it in their auto top offs but I usually add about a 1/2 gallon a day manually, in the morning and in the evening, I don't have an ato. So if I were to setup an ato and use the kalk water I feel as though it would raise my Ca and Kh to much. How do I regulate or know how much should be being added?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If it is able to meet the demand, then yes, it can be all you need. It was all i needed for 20 years.

But an SPS heavy tank will need more, and a two part in addition to, or instead of, the limewater is a fine way to go.

You cannot add a half gallon at a time because the pH will spike too high (unless your tank is huge). It needs to be added slowly, by dripping, slow dosing pump, etc.

You can adjust the dose in the top off water based on the tank alkalinity over time.

I discuss it here:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

 

[CaptPatrick]

So I am trying to figure out how I can dose my tank with vinegar for a source of carbon and kalk for calcium and alkalinity. I'm having a hard time understanding how if I use kalk water in an ato how it won't raise my Ca and Kh to high. I'm thinking in terms of a doser where it is set to a specific amount over the course of the day, and with having an ato with kalk I would be putting about a half gallon of water in everyday. So how would the Ca and Kh be regulated?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I am trying to figure out how I can dose my tank with vinegar for a source of carbon and kalk for calcium and alkalinity. I'm having a hard time understanding how if I use kalk water in an ato how it won't raise my Ca and Kh to high. I'm thinking in terms of a doser where it is set to a specific amount over the course of the day, and with having an ato with kalk I would be putting about a half gallon of water in everyday. So how would the Ca and Kh be regulated?

It will raise alk too high if you use too much, and it won't maintain alk if you use too little.

You just adjust the concentration of the lime dissolved in the top off as necessary to meet the demand.

 

[CaptPatrick]

Do you think I might just be better to use a doser for the kalk and just top off regularly then as long as I keep the same concentration of kalk I can adjust the doser to where it would be sufficient.

 

[Sabellafella]

So I am trying to figure out how I can dose my tank with vinegar for a source of carbon and kalk for calcium and alkalinity. I'm having a hard time understanding how if I use kalk water in an ato how it won't raise my Ca and Kh to high. I'm thinking in terms of a doser where it is set to a specific amount over the course of the day, and with having an ato with kalk I would be putting about a half gallon of water in everyday. So how would the Ca and Kh be regulated?

You can add vinegar to your kalkwasser mix. Test your parameters and note your drop. Then adjust the addition of kalk to your ato. Randy knows a good kalk calculator for some reason i cant seem to find.

 

[FlyinBryan]

Kalkwasser was the greatest add to my tank. Along with a large enough protein skimmer, gfo/carbon.

 

[Elementalj]

I second Randy on the suggestion of adjusting your saturation versus just adding per the mixing directions. And also have some fresh saltwater mixed and heated for a quick water change if need be.

 

[TylerMoralez]

Very informative video on dosing kalkwasser from BRS and how much to dose depending on what corals you have, etc. I highly recommend watching this short video. I never dosed kalk or even tested alk or calc in all honesty as I was a newbie until I watched this video a while ago. Check it out!

 

[Elementalj]

Very informative video on dosing kalkwasser from BRS and how much to dose depending on what corals you have, etc. I highly recommend watching this short video. I never dosed kalk or even tested alk or calc in all honesty as I was a newbie until I watched this video a while ago. Check it out!

love those guys

 

[CaptPatrick]

Thanks everyone for their help, and the video really helped.