Kalkwasser Dosing in Nano

[Zoajohn]

I have an SPS dominant Fluval Evo 13.5, and I want to have stable params for optimal growth.

I use Red Sea coral pro salt, and with 2g weekly water change, my params appear to sit at 1.026 salinity, 7.8dkh, and 420ppm CA. I test alk with a Hanna checker, and calcium with a salifert kit.

I’ve been monitoring alk and calcium over the past few days and have the below data:

4/12 - 7:25PM - 7.0dkh / 390ppm ca
4/13 - noon - after 2g wc - 7.8dkh -420ppm ca
4/14 - noon - 7.8dkh - 420ppm ca
4/15 - 8am - 7.7dkh

For reference, the last water change before 4/12 was 4/7, so 5 days prior.

Didn’t have time to test calcium this morning but don’t anticipate that much of a difference. Does it seem odd that my alk hasn’t dropped that much given the amount of sps in the tank? I have 10 sps frags, a Wall hammer, two zoa frags, and a few rics.

I will continue to test daily over the next week to dial in the consumption, but if it truly is this low, I imagine the amount of kalk required would be small?

 

[KorD]

I never have dosed any of my nano tanks. The water changes make up for what is being used from the water table.
If you do dose.. be sure it is minimal and then work your way to the desired level. I would hate for you to nuke a tank

 

[Zoajohn]

I never have dosed any of my nano tanks. The water changes make up for what is being used from the water table.
If you do dose.. be sure it is minimal and then work your way to the desired level. I would hate for you to nuke a tank

I feel like dosing is inevitable in an SPS dominant nano at some point. Especially once the frags get to a decent size. Perhaps this is why the alk and ca uptake is so low, they just aren’t that big yet

 

[MrObscura]

My nano quickly reached a point where water changes couldn't keep up. I dosed kalk for a while which did a pretty good job with about 1/2tsp per gallon of ato water. But then I decided to get a single Channel doser and try All For Reef.

Well, that was a mistake. I can't get things dialed in with the all for reef at all.

I think it's due to the fact that organisms within the tank actually have to metabolize the Alk before it avaliable to corals and the rate isn't consistent, so sometimes a large dose results in Alk dropping, other times a smaller dose will spike it.

I might even lose a couple acros due to it. I just ordered a second doser and some 2 part so I can switch to that.

 

[KorD]

I feel like dosing is inevitable in an SPS dominant nano at some point. Especially once the frags get to a decent size. Perhaps this is why the alk and ca uptake is so low, they just aren’t that big yet

Perhaps when they all start growing their demands could need a dose and calcium reactor of some sort.. but if they are just little frags a few inches tall I would not worry about it..
On a day off test your water every hour.. watch to see if there is a fluctuation in all the levels.. there should be. But there should not be a huge swing.
To me dosing is minimizing that swing when it is going to hit hard.
Just increase the water change from 10% to 15%.

 

[MrObscura]

A cal reactor on a nano?

Anyway, most tanks with even a few stonies will quickly start to lose more than 1 dkh a week. And waterchanges aren't enough then.

 

[cain720]

I use kalkwasser on my 40g, and from my experience it's easiest to find the right solution strength by trial and error.

With how low your demand is, I'd suggest starting with 1/4 teaspoon/ gallon of top-off water and adjust it from there. Also, once you start dosing, it might be smart to change to a salt mix that more closely matches your parameters.

 

[Zoajohn]

I use kalkwasser on my 40g, and from my experience it's easiest to find the right solution strength by trial and error.

With how low your demand is, I'd suggest starting with 1/4 teaspoon/ gallon of top-off water and adjust it from there. Also, once you start dosing, it might be smart to change to a salt mix that more closely matches your parameters.

I have considered the possibility of having to switch salt mixes since coral pro has a much higher alk target. Could I get away with a small dose of kalk to maintain 8-8.5dkh until I use up the rest of my coral pro salt? Probably would switch to normal red sea blue label

 

[MrObscura]

I switched from pro to blue bucket for that very reason. I just mixed the 2 to bring down the Alk until I used up what I had left of the pro.

 

[Zoajohn]

I switched from pro to blue bucket for that very reason. I just mixed the 2 to bring down the Alk until I used up what I had left of the pro.

At a 1-1 ratio of each, do you get 1.025sg, 10dkh, and 430 ca?

 

[cain720]

I have considered the possibility of having to switch salt mixes since coral pro has a much higher alk target. Could I get away with a small dose of kalk to maintain 8-8.5dkh until I use up the rest of my coral pro salt? Probably would switch to normal red sea blue label

you probably could, but you'll want to test alkalinity often to make sure your levels aren't rising over your target. A Hanna alkalinity checker is a kalkwasser user's best friend especially when trying to zero in on your correct kalk/top-off solution strength.

Be mindful that your water changes with coral pro will elevate your alk/Ca, so if kalkwasser keeps your alk at 8.5, a water change could raise it into the 9's. This is why getting a salt mix that matches your parameters is better because you don't need to consider water changes when figuring out your dosing.

 

[MrObscura]

At a 1-1 ratio of each, do you get 1.025sg, 10dkh, and 430 ca?

At 1.026 I got about 9.5 or so dkh. This allowed me to do waterchanges without effecting the tanks Alk(about 8.5) much at all.

 

[Zoajohn]

At 1.026 I got about 9.5 or so dkh. This allowed me to do waterchanges without effecting the tanks Alk(about 8.5) much at all.

I got the blue bucket salt in and did a 2g 1-1 ratio water change yesterday. One thing that just hit me as odd is why my alk was at ~8dkh when using coral pro. Shouldn’t it be up around 12? Based on my Hanna readings, my corals consume .1dkh per day, but after doing my usual water changes with RSCP, it would usually be at 8. Is my tester off?

 

[MrObscura]

Yea, that's weird. I'd definitly get a second opinion on your Alk reading.

 

[Zoajohn]

Yea, that's weird. I'd definitly get a second opinion on your Alk reading.

Calcium was at 420 after water changes too via a salifert test kit, which also seems off. Seems unlikely that both separate tests would be wrong but idk

 

[Zoajohn]

Yea, that's weird. I'd definitly get a second opinion on your Alk reading.

Just discovered I’ve been mixing coral pro incorrectly this whole time. I’ve been mixing with heater and powerhead off the bat, when they say to mix by hand at room temp or lower water until fully dissolved, then heat. I’ve probably been precipitating out much of the CA/ALK