Kalkwasser Kamoer x1 dosing pump

[jackfish520]

Hi I'm curious if I could start dosing kalk using my x1 pump to dose at the max interval of 12 times per day? I know the preferred method is a slow drip or a 24 hour slow dose but the maximum interval for my pump is 12. Is this advisable if I started slowly? TIA

 

[olonmv]

Are you already on a dosing schedule?

 

[jackfish520]

Are you already on a dosing schedule?

Hey thanks for the reply - I'm currently dosing all for reef 12 times a day for a daily total of 3.5ml. Calcium and alk params on the higher end.

 

[olonmv]

Hey thanks for the reply - I'm currently dosing all for reef 12 times a day for a daily total of 3.5ml. Calcium and alk params on the higher end.

I dose the same product at a lower amount. I was gonna suggest A4R since it takes care of a lot of parameters including some trace elements. I have no experience with kalk other than buying some and then deciding not use it. Dosing cal,mag,alk including trace elements all in 1 seemed like a better fit for me.

 

[jackfish520]

I dose the same product at a lower amount. I was gonna suggest A4R since it takes care of a lot of parameters including some trace elements. I have no experience with kalk other than buying some and then deciding not use it. Dosing cal,mag,alk including trace elements seemed like a better fit for me.

I'm going down the kalkwasser rabbit hole and it seems to be the better solution for ca and alk dosing needs. I'm learning that ph is such a huge determinant in coral growth and ph is actually on a logarithmic scale so a ph of 7 is actually 10 times more acidic than a ph of 8. I'm currently around 7.8 which is much lower than natural seawater (avg 8.1). Doesnt seem like a big difference, but from what people are saying, low ph is a major issue and reason for minimal coral growth. This video explains it much better than I can:

 

[Garf]

Hi I'm curious if I could start dosing kalk using my x1 pump to dose at the max interval of 12 times per day? I know the preferred method is a slow drip or a 24 hour slow dose but the maximum interval for my pump is 12. Is this advisable if I started slowly? TIA

Yes, I use one @ 1300 mls a day. The original santoprene tubing lasted 2 years.

 

[X-37B]

If you want to go that route use the Kamoer FX-XTP pump.
You can set it to drip 24/7.
I use one on my carx and will never go back to the manual drip method.
My systems run 7.8-8.2 with no issues. Just keep it stable.
In my 45 I dose esv 2 part at 20ml of 1&2 2× a day.
Morning add the alk is 7. Add 20ml 1&2 and alk is now 8.
12hrs later alk is 7. Dose 20ml 1&2 and its 8. So my system consumes 2 alk per day.

You can also put it in your ato.
I do not use it anymore and my sytems ph is just what it is.
I used co2 absorbing media before and did not see any reason to continue with the expense.

 

[olonmv]

I'm going down the kalkwasser rabbit hole and it seems to be the better solution for ca and alk dosing needs. I'm learning that ph is such a huge determinant in coral growth and ph is actually on a logarithmic scale so a ph of 7 is actually 10 times more acidic than a ph of 8. I'm currently around 7.8 which is much lower than natural seawater (avg 8.1). Doesnt seem like a big difference, but from what people are saying, low ph is a major issue and reason for minimal coral growth. This video explains it much better than I can:

Pretty informative as far as how to use kalk. He does mention that 2 part is sometimes needed to supplement the kalk. My question is. Why not just bring in fresh air from outside into your display to raise PH since you’re already on a 2 part? Opening a door or window raises ph.

 

[jackfish520]

Pretty informative as far as how to use kalk. He does mention that 2 part is sometimes needed to supplement the kalk. My question is. Why not just bring in fresh air from outside into your display to raise PH since you’re already on a 2 part? Opening a door or window raises ph.

I've heard mixed things about doing that. Personally, I don't want to leave a window open all day (due to bugs and temp swings making my room cold or hot) and it really doesnt improve ph all that much from what I've heard. Maybe some have had more positive improvements in ph. Never tried it, so not entirely sure on the effectiveness.

 

[olonmv]

I've heard mixed things about doing that. Personally, I don't want to leave a window open all day (due to bugs and temp swings making my room cold or hot) and it really doesnt improve ph all that much from what I've heard. Maybe some have had more positive improvements in ph. Never tried it, so not entirely sure on the effectiveness.

I live in a house with a bunch of mouth breathers (7 of us total including the dog) our doors get opened and closed frequently. Haven’t tested PH since forever but it was usually in the 8 range when I did. Generally, when people suggest leaving a door or window open it’s not an all day thing , I can only assume frequent opening and closing of door works as a good gas exchange for the house.

 

[Gatorpa]

Hi I'm curious if I could start dosing kalk using my x1 pump to dose at the max interval of 12 times per day? I know the preferred method is a slow drip or a 24 hour slow dose but the maximum interval for my pump is 12. Is this advisable if I started slowly? TIA

I use that pump exactly for that. I dose at night and into the morning to fight the pH sink due to lights being off.
I don’t get big jumps when it doses. See chart below.
You can see the small(0.02) bump when it doses.
For reference I dose 2000ml over 10 doses starting at 0005

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I go the beyond and control the dose rate based on tank pH. That way when it starts to drop is speeds up and when it rises it slows down.

All I do is set a desired target pH and then just make sure the kalk reactor maintains a pH of saturated calcium hydroxide.

I designed my own kalk controller to address all the short falls found when disung kalkwasser to maintain pH.

DIY Kalk Controller

For about the last 4 months, I've been tinkering with a controller that will adjust the effluent through a kalk reactor based on input from a pH probe inside the tank. It all started as a conversation about pH being the parameter that we need to be focusing on instead of DKH. At the time I...

www.reef2reef.com

Here's by pH graph

 

[X-37B]

I've heard mixed things about doing that. Personally, I don't want to leave a window open all day (due to bugs and temp swings making my room cold or hot) and it really doesnt improve ph all that much from what I've heard. Maybe some have had more positive improvements in ph. Never tried it, so not entirely sure on the effectiveness.

Yea just try it for yoirself. My ph is 7.9 right now.
I opened a window and within 15 minutes its 8.3.

 

[jackfish520]

I use that pump exactly for that. I dose at night and into the morning to fight the pH sink due to lights being off.
I don’t get big jumps when it doses. See chart below.
You can see the small(0.02) bump when it doses.
For reference I dose 2000ml over 10 doses starting at 0005

Great info thank you. Do you also supplement at all w 2 part or trace elements? Kalk is only ca and alk right? I have a 20 gal so will need to figure out how much I should start out dosing to match close to my current levels.

 

[jackfish520]

Yea just try it for yoirself. My ph is 7.9 right now.
I opened a window and within 15 minutes its 8.3.

wow yeah thats a big difference haha

 

[jackfish520]

I go the beyond and control the dose rate based on tank pH. That way when it starts to drop is speeds up and when it rises it slows down.

All I do is set a desired target pH and then just make sure the kalk reactor maintains a pH of saturated calcium hydroxide.

I designed my own kalk controller to address all the short falls found when disung kalkwasser to maintain pH.

DIY Kalk Controller

For about the last 4 months, I've been tinkering with a controller that will adjust the effluent through a kalk reactor based on input from a pH probe inside the tank. It all started as a conversation about pH being the parameter that we need to be focusing on instead of DKH. At the time I...

www.reef2reef.com

Here's by pH graph

If I had an apex I would definitely try to mimic your process. Seems like a fool proof way to keep levels stable.

 

[Gatorpa]

Great info thank you. Do you also supplement at all w 2 part or trace elements? Kalk is only ca and alk right? I have a 20 gal so will need to figure out how much I should start out dosing to match close to my current levels.

Even though I’m using a pretty good amount of kalkwasser I still use seachem 2 part Ca and Alk as well.
I dose the Alk at the peak of the photoperiod to keep up with consumption. But I have a pretty stocked tank.

You’ll just need to see what your specific consumption is.

 

[Gatorpa]

Yea just try it for yoirself. My ph is 7.9 right now.
I opened a window and within 15 minutes its 8.3.

What size tank?

 

[Jonreefer]

i use my X1 to dose kalk 12 time a day. I am dosing 90ml on my 21g tank that only has 10 smaller frags but i only mixed my solution to 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. It has been holding me perfect for a while now at 8.3dkh and calcium is 450
I was hoping it would help raise PH but even dosing that much my ph doesnt move even .1point at all from the kalk and the amount I dose. My PH runs the same course from day to night from when I was using all for reef to kalk.

 

[X-37B]

What size tank?

80+30. Around 120 total.