Kalkwasser vs 2 part?

[Brew12]

Are you sure? For example, I use Soda Lime on my skimmer intake and it has increased the PH of my tank. However the Alk has not increased. I thought the reason for a higher PH of Kalk to Soda Ash was that Kalk consumed more CO2 than Soda Ash. I am not implying that Soda Ash consumes CO2, just that if it does it will be less that Kalk.

I'm with you now. This works because you have excess CO2 in your system. The Kalk will convert some of the excess CO2 to Alk giving you a bigger short term boost to your pH. Very interesting!

 

[Reefnewb]

All depends what your demand is... Some people also just get away with water changes only... Others like to use Kalk because its simple and can go into your top off, but some people also like it because it helps to stabilize PH... Me personally I stabilize my PH by running a fuge lit opposite of my display lights, and also run my skimmers air intake to the outside. So since I do all of that I then use Two part because it is simple and the most safe in my opinion.

 

[hawkinsrgk]

I'm with you now. This works because you have excess CO2 in your system. The Kalk will convert some of the excess CO2 to Alk giving you a bigger short term boost to your pH. Very interesting!

Thanks for responding. I was planning to do a test tonight to verify what I was thinking. Glad we are on the same page

 

[Brew12]

Thanks for responding. I was planning to do a test tonight to verify what I was thinking. Glad we are on the same page

And thank you for explaining! Sometimes I forget my system is a little unusual with the amount of air exchange I get. I get almost no benefit from adding a CO2 scrubber to my skimmer but can tell almost immediately if I open the window to my office where my tank is. Pretty sure it is my dual Durso drains dominating my air exchange. I get so much air exchange that the impact of Kalk on my systems pH lasts under an hour.

 

[Drakonis]

I use kalk, my alk is stable, my cal is stable, and i get a PH boost as my controller adds it via brs doser every hour. i do ocasionally drip mag dose but you need to do that either way. kalk is cheap, it covers my needs, and on a brs doser it could run 24/7 and would need atleast a 12 hour run before my tank starts get above alk of 10

 

[hawkinsrgk]

All depends what your demand is... Some people also just get away with water changes only... Others like to use Kalk because its simple and can go into your top off, but some people also like it because it helps to stabilize PH... Me personally I stabilize my PH by running a fuge lit opposite of my display lights, and also run my skimmers air intake to the outside. So since I do all of that I then use Two part because it is simple and the most safe in my opinion.

+1. I do the same thing. Just didn't explain it that well

 

[Acro maniac]

It all depends on the type of system (corals )you have and what you want to achieve. Ime kalk gave me too much instability in my alk levels. I was never able to get it dialed in.
2 part brs you setup on a doser/calulate / test and let it run a few days test again. Make an adjustment and your pretty much set for the week

 

[Mrx7899]

I dose kalk I find it easier and my levels are very consistent I just dump in half a cup of kalkwasser into my stirrer every 2 weeks and that's it. But will eventually have to start 2 part cuz kalk can only do so much by itself

 

[hawkinsrgk]

I dose kalk I find it easier and my levels are very consistent I just dump in half a cup of kalkwasser into my stirrer every 2 weeks and that's it.

How much water do you evaporate?

 

[Mrx7899]

I only evaporate 5 gallons a week it's a 38 gallon sps tank

 

[Mrx7899]

Half a cup of kalkwasser into my stirrer every 2 weeks keeps my ph around 8.0 to 8.1 alk 8.5 calcium around 380 to 400

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Thanks. I'm in the process of dialing up my stirrer and it give me something to gauge by

 

[Mrx7899]

Glad I could help