Kalkwasser Help!!

Retroreef · Dec 1, 2018

Hoping for some kalk advice from someone with experience. I want some of the benefits of adding kalk through my ato. I’m currently dosing bionic in a 100 gallon sps system. I currently dose every hour on the hour overnight from 1am to 8am.
I have some questions ?
Would I need to reduce my 2 part ?
Replace 2 part with the kalk?

Thanks Rich

sawdonkey · Dec 1, 2018

What benefits do you want? Higher PH? Kalk increases your cal and your alk (along with PH). So yes, to achieve the same cal and alk levels in your tank, you’d need to cut back or stop two part altogether. I ran my old tank that was full of SPS solely on Kalk as a means to dose alk and cal.

There’s an article somewhere by Randy Holmes Farley called “not your grandmother’s pickling lime” that covers all of the basics (and details) much better than I could. Google it.

Retroreef · Dec 1, 2018

Thanks for the info!!! Headed to google now!!

Bob Lauson · Dec 1, 2018

I have never used two part as I have been running kalk for many years and have had no issues.

sawdonkey · Dec 1, 2018

Bob Lauson said:
I have never used two part as I have been running kalk for many years and have had no issues.

Same for me.

NS Mike D · Dec 1, 2018

One thing to keep in mind from switching from dosing 2 part to kalkwasser is your dosing is now tied to evaporation rates, which may require cutting back a little on the Kalk in the ATO in the drier winters - at least in my house. It's a slight tweak, but now that I have an Apex, I know my pH which serves as an early indicator if my ALK is rising in between ALk testing.

Bob Lauson · Dec 1, 2018

Since I dose super saturated kalk solution there is never enough added to consider the evaporation rate. I don’t add the kalk in the ATO system but through an independent dosing pump.

Retroreef · Dec 1, 2018

Thanks everyone
My plan for the kalk was to raise ph some but I’m not going to chase the ph as it’s already at an acceptable range.
Everything is growing and coloring fine and it’s all sps many finicky expensive acropora and at this point I’m not going to mess with the good results I have going.
Thanks for all the info and help!!!