Kalkwasser

[fishRus]

@Morten1234
To achieve max saturation I mix 2 tsp per gallon. My kalk from BRS says 2tsp per gallon but on the brs website it says 1.5tsp per gallon. Either way the water will absorb as much as it can and the rest will sit at the bottom of your container.

Also, my kalk. solution is always a tab bit cloudy as well.

Switching from 2-part to Kalk was the best thing I have done. My tank currently maintains 8.4-8.49 PH throughout the entire day.

I put 150 ml of kalkwasser in my 100 gallon system it made no change in alk or calcium? I have a mixed reef with lots of coralline algae

 

[fishRus]

I put 150 ml of kalkwasser in my 100 gallon system it made no change in alk or calcium? I have a mixed reef with lots of coralline algae

I use ESV calcium hydroxide mixed at two teaspoons per gallon

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I put 150 ml of kalkwasser in my 100 gallon system it made no change in alk or calcium? I have a mixed reef with lots of coralline algae

That is certainly as expected.

150 mL will boost alk by 0.05 dKH and 0.4 ppm calcium.

You need to add far more daily. Like 1% of the tank volume.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[Morten1234]

I’m having trouble with this. Must be doing something wrong. Lost 2 corals and now I’m getting alk swings. Should I go back to all for reef? Or should I give it time. Don’t wanner do more stupid sh.. perhaps problems starter before I started kalk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m having trouble with this. Must be doing something wrong. Lost 2 corals and now I’m getting alk swings. Should I go back to all for reef? Or should I give it time. Don’t wanner do more stupid sh.. perhaps problems starter before I started kalk.

What alk "swings" are you getting?

 

[Morten1234]

Sry I’m Danish my English isn’t good
8-9,6

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sry I’m Danish my English isn’t good
8-9,6

No problem on the language.

How are you dosing and what are you dosing now?

 

[Morten1234]

I’m dosing with a doser. Slow drip all day. Down to 500ml kalk a day. Using rowa kalk

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m dosing with a doser. Slow drip all day. Down to 500ml kalk a day. Using rowa kalk

And why is alk swinging up and down? Maybe the movement is test error?

 

[Morten1234]

I’m testing with a Hanna checker have always been able to get consistent results with it
My kalkalgie is loosing colour too. Think I might have done something really wrong. But only change is dosing kalk. The alge on my glass has also changed to a more stubborn type. No3 is testing 10 and po4 0,8.

 

[Genetics]

I’m testing with a Hanna checker have always been able to get consistent results with it
My kalkalgie is loosing colour too. Think I might have done something really wrong. But only change is dosing kalk. The alge on my glass has also changed to a more stubborn type. No3 is testing 10 and po4 0,8.

This sounds concerning. Adding kalk should only improve water conditions. If you are adding it continuously and slowly throughout the day your alk and pH should be stable. If you’re adding any material that isn’t dissolved that would create a big problem as pH would possibly spike high and cause stress.

 

[Morten1234]

This sounds concerning. Adding kalk should only improve water conditions. If you are adding it continuously and slowly throughout the day your alk and pH should be stable. If you’re adding any material that isn’t dissolved that would create a big problem as pH would possibly spike high and cause stress.

This is what I don’t understand. And ph is not really high 7,98-8,2

 

[Genetics]

Without the kalk your alk is stable? I would just stop adding it then. When I dose kalk through my reactor I get a slight pH increase (8.04 to 8.12 for example) but cannot say I see any real change in alk values.

Mainly my alk is stabilized through the two part additive and stays around 8.6.

 

[docforestal]

Kalk newbie question. My tank is young and no corals, reasonable to dose as neede and once stuff starts using it maybe drip in daily? My ph is 8.2 , was 8.3 4 weeks ago,but has remained 8.2., my calcium and alk have stabilized tho , previously when first set up alk was high , went down to 8.2 so I dosed some last week, went up to 9.7, now 4 days later is 9.2 and ph still 8.2. Calcium 450-480 over the last 2 weeks. Not dosing anything else
I have rock ,sand and fish. Tank up 7 weeks now and ?maybe start of coralline in a few spots (hard to tell on real reef rock that is purple
Rough goals I am shooting for are ca 400-450 and alk 8-12 and ideal ph 8.3
I am using b,ionic salt
Is there better/narrower ideal window
Want to get good at keeping stuff stable and learn this before adding any corals for a while.
Thanks for any advice

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Kalk newbie question. My tank is young and no corals, reasonable to dose as neede and once stuff starts using it maybe drip in daily? My ph is 8.2 , was 8.3 4 weeks ago,but has remained 8.2., my calcium and alk have stabilized tho , previously when first set up alk was high , went down to 8.2 so I dosed some last week, went up to 9.7, now 4 days later is 9.2 and ph still 8.2. Calcium 450-480 over the last 2 weeks. Not dosing anything else
I have rock ,sand and fish. Tank up 7 weeks now and ?maybe start of coralline in a few spots (hard to tell on real reef rock that is purple
Rough goals I am shooting for are ca 400-450 and alk 8-12 and ideal ph 8.3
I am using b,ionic salt
Is there better/narrower ideal window
Want to get good at keeping stuff stable and learn this before adding any corals for a while.
Thanks for any advice

The values you are maintaining are very good and I would not change anything at the current time.

 

[docforestal]

Thanks Randy I appreciate it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks Randy I appreciate it.

You're welcome.

Happy reefing.

 

[Morten1234]

Without the kalk your alk is stable? I would just stop adding it then. When I dose kalk through my reactor I get a slight pH increase (8.04 to 8.12 for example) but cannot say I see any real change in alk values.

Mainly my alk is stabilized through the two part additive and stays around 8.6.

Was using all for reef before was rock stable at 8,5

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Was using all for reef before was rock stable at 8,5

I don't think alk can be swinging too much if you dose an appropriate amount of clear kalkwasser through the daylight hours.