Kalkwasser question

Johnny bass07 · Sep 29, 2019

I started adding kalkwasser to my ato a week ago because my ph wouldn't get over 8 and would get lower at night and my alkalinity would stay around 7. Now my ph stays at 8.25-8.3 and alkalinity is 9.8. The problem is my calcium is 505. I am using 1 teaspoon per gallon of top water. Should I lower it to 1/2 teaspoon per gallon? And if a do a water change will it make it go even higher? I'm using reef crystals.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 29, 2019

The calcium is ok. My concern is if the alk is still rising. Watch it closely. You may need to reduce the amount delivered.

Johnny bass07 · Sep 29, 2019

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
The calcium is ok. My concern is if the alk is still rising. Watch it closely. You may need to reduce the amount delivered.

It's on a tunze osmolator ato. I can't slow the evaporation down. Maybe lower the amount of kalkwasser per gallon?

Johnny bass07 · Sep 29, 2019

It did rise from 9 to 9.8 in the last 2 days.

SneakyTortuga · Sep 29, 2019

Johnny bass07 said:
It did rise from 9 to 9.8 in the last 2 days.

I would take it down to 1/4 teaspoon per gallon and if your all continues rising i would stop using kalk all together and use another method for raising ph.

Question: what method are you currently using to keep your alk and cal level? 2 part? If so maybe try lowering the amount of 2 part you are dosing per day

REEFIN RIOS · Sep 29, 2019

My dad @prios01 and I use 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons. Our stats both are ca-480, alk 8.6, and mag is about 1450. He was dosing brightwell but after a few weeks of kalkwasser he has stopped 2 part . Also what’s your bioload corals wise? Like sps? Lps? A lot of sps?

Johnny bass07 · Sep 29, 2019

REEFIN RIOS said:
My dad @prios01 and I use 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons. Our stats both are ca-480, alk 8.6, and mag is about 1450. He was dosing brightwell but after a few weeks of kalkwasser he has stopped 2 part . Also what’s your bioload corals wise? Like sps? Lps? A lot of sps?
[/QUOTE
I don't have many corals. I bought the tank already established and it didn't have but a couple of zoanthids. It wasn't taken care of very well. It's a reefer 250. I've had it for around 6 weeks now and got it going pretty good. I added a refugium and chaeto. I added a pink passion sps, large cap,gsp and some zoanthids. Everything looks good. I have noticed the pink passion basing out in the short period of time since the alk went up. But a very small bio load. Anxious to start loading it with sps but I want everything stable as it can be before I start

BeejReef · Sep 30, 2019

People often like to use kalk to help bump up their ph. You have to keep in mind though that it is primarily an alkalinity and calcium dosing system. A water change will move your tank towards your fresh salt mix's parameters.

The easiest way is a separate reservoir, IMHO. Let your osmillator handle the water level with unaltered rodi and use a dosin pump to dose a set volume of saturated kalkwasser. This allows you to use a reef calculator and adjust, not a slave to irregular evaporation.

the alternative is a set of computations (spreadsheet typically) to give you the precise mixture of kalk to rodi you would need to meet an observed demand. have to know your reservoir's capacity, tank volume, and average evaporation.

Johnny bass07 · Sep 30, 2019

BeejReef said:
People often like to use kalk to help bump up their ph. You have to keep in mind though that it is primarily an alkalinity and calcium dosing system. A water change will move your tank towards your fresh salt mix's parameters.

The easiest way is a separate reservoir, IMHO. Let your osmillator handle the water level with unaltered rodi and use a dosin pump to dose a set volume of saturated kalkwasser. This allows you to use a reef calculator and adjust, not a slave to irregular evaporation.

the alternative is a set of computations (spreadsheet typically) to give you the precise mixture of kalk to rodi you would need to meet an observed demand. have to know your reservoir's capacity, tank volume, and average evaporation.

Good point. Do you have any recommendations on a good dosing pump for kalkwasser?

BeejReef · Sep 30, 2019

I'm afraid I can't give a recommendation. I was right where you are not more than two months ago. Kalk in the ato reservoir was working great for me all winter/spring at about 3/4 tspn per gallon. Then it got warmer and my cooling fan kicked on, increased evap and alk. Then the air conditioners came upstairs... evap dropped, alk dropped. Finally tired of the struggle.

I'm using the kamoer x1, mainly bc of the price point and out-of-box ability to program without an aquarium controller. Like I say though, I can't recommend bc only two month's use.

Montiman · Sep 30, 2019

I use a Milwaukee dosing pump connected to my Apex. it is a bit loud but affordable and has been going strong for nearly 5 years.

PS I have gone through 3 BRS dosers in the same time.

Johnny bass07 · Sep 30, 2019

Montiman said:
I use a Milwaukee dosing pump connected to my Apex. it is a bit loud but affordable and has been going strong for nearly 5 years.

PS I have gone through 3 BRS dosers in the same time.

Thanks I will check it out. I'm running an apex also. I appreciate the help.

REEFIN RIOS · Sep 30, 2019

BeejReef said:
I'm afraid I can't give a recommendation. I was right where you are not more than two months ago. Kalk in the ato reservoir was working great for me all winter/spring at about 3/4 tspn per gallon. Then it got warmer and my cooling fan kicked on, increased evap and alk. Then the air conditioners came upstairs... evap dropped, alk dropped. Finally tired of the struggle.

I'm using the kamoer x1, mainly bc of the price point and out-of-box ability to program without an aquarium controller. Like I say though, I can't recommend bc only two month's use.

how often do you dose? are you dosing continuous? or do u have a set schedule?

BeejReef · Sep 30, 2019

I'm limited by my dosing pump to 12x a day, or every two hours. I don't have apex or triton/trident (whatever the auto-tester is) so, I don't get hourly dkh readings. For the time being, I'm dosing 9 times a day, once every two hours starting at 6a.m., ending at 10p.m. If I had a better doser, I'd probably do on the hour, 8a.m.-10p.m., but have solid readings so far, despite my limitations.

Johnny bass07 · Sep 30, 2019

Montiman said:
I use a Milwaukee dosing pump connected to my Apex. it is a bit loud but affordable and has been going strong for nearly 5 years.

PS I have gone through 3 BRS dosers in the same time.

Which model Milwaukee are you using?

Montiman · Sep 30, 2019

Johnny bass07 said:
Which model Milwaukee are you using?

I use the MP810 it sells for about $90

REEFIN RIOS · Sep 30, 2019

BeejReef said:
I'm limited by my dosing pump to 12x a day, or every two hours. I don't have apex or triton/trident (whatever the auto-tester is) so, I don't get hourly dkh readings. For the time being, I'm dosing 9 times a day, once every two hours starting at 6a.m., ending at 10p.m. If I had a better doser, I'd probably do on the hour, 8a.m.-10p.m., but have solid readings so far, despite my limitations.

How much are you doing in ml?

Nanoreefer4ever · Sep 30, 2019

Start slow dose of kalk mix with vinegar so it dissolve even more. Test every day untill you see alk in stable level without too dip or too spike. Don't worry about cal and mag unless you have sps domiant.

X-37B · Sep 30, 2019

I use 1/4 teaspoon kalk to 5 gallons water. This is enough to keep ph at 7.9- 8.1 and not have much of an effect on Ca & Alk.
I dose esv 2 part by hand daily in the morning. This worked on my 25 nano for 2 years and is working on my 120 now.