Need to understand dosing Kalk

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I only dose about 3.5mL of B-ionic Alk solution per day in my RSR250 tank currently. Makes me think I would start with a very low amount of Alk to account for a small percentage of Alk demand as I still want to use 2 part.

If you still want to use a two part, you can make a DIY two part with the same pH boost as kalkwasser without the high volumes required. You simply use sodium hydroxide instead of sodium carbonate or bicarbonate.

 

[Sabellafella]

I'm curious on a few things as I've thought about using Kalk on a BRS dosing pump in addition to using by B-ionic 2 part. My goal is simply to achieve a pH increase.

I'm curious are you dosing your Kalk with this pump 24/7, only at night, only during the photoperiod during the day? Are you dosing every hour, half hour, etc? I currently dose my Alk and Calcium during the photoperiod during the day.

I only dose about 3.5mL of B-ionic Alk solution per day in my RSR250 tank currently. Makes me think I would start with a very low amount of Alk to account for a small percentage of Alk demand as I still want to use 2 part.

Hey man do you do water changes frequently? That's a pretty small amount to dose to make any big changes especially in alk. I dose kalk during peak hours and during the night. No real reason to why I've done.

 

[Sabellafella]

Kalk Is very diluted when you compare it to two part. It takes a lot to make drastic changes to alkalinity. Since the solution is over 12ph, a constant drip will somewhat keep your ph elevated. My dos is sorta almost a constant drip, just more controlled opposed to drippers/topoff ect.

 

[Bob Lauson]

I have used kalk in my aquariums for more then 10 years with no issues. I actually use it in a bit of unique way (I think) in that I dose it in to keep my pH between 8.3 and 8.4. I use two pH probes and the Apex controller. I use two probes for redundancy in case one goes bad. I keep a DIY 5 gallon reservoir that has a stirrer which keeps the kalk in suspension when it doses into the aquarium. The reservoir has a RO/DI automatic top off to keep the water level full and then I dump in a cup of kalk in the reservoir every so often. When the pH drops below 8.3, the stirrer kicks on for 30 seconds the dosing starts and runs until the pH gets above 8.4. The real reason for dosing kalk, of course, is to keep Alkalinity up as well as Calcium. My alk is always between 7.5 and 8.5 and I only check it every two weeks. I love my Kalk system.

 

[drawman]

If you still want to use a two part, you can make a DIY two part with the same pH boost as kalkwasser without the high volumes required. You simply use sodium hydroxide instead of sodium carbonate or bicarbonate.

I remember you posting about a recipe. I need to dig that up and investigate it further. If the pH raising effect is similar that may be the way I should go. I initially wanted to keep some 2 part as B-ionic does include some trace elements but I can always try to supplement more via water changes or other dosing. Thanks for the tip Randy!

Hey man do you do water changes frequently? That's a pretty small amount to dose to make any big changes especially in alk. I dose kalk during peak hours and during the night. No real reason to why I've done.

I'm curious why you ask about water changes? I have scaled back on water changes some I will say but the plan is to get back to weekly changes. I'm maintaining Alk at 8.5dKH not really trying to raise that just pH (I think in your reply you accidentally put Alk in place of pH). I battled ostreopsis Dinos for many months and finally got them under control. This tank has been somewhat of a battle from the start and SPS had a tough time. I recently added some more tester frags but they don't seem to be encrusting just yet. Coralline also doesn't grow well and where there are very small patches it looks very thin/weak (I do have tuxedo urchins so that could add to it). Turf algae does well and I'm starting to question if elevated CO2 is my problem in this tank. My apartment building is a fortress with little air exchange and I can't say I've had an SPS tank have this much trouble from the start.

Kalk Is very diluted when you compare it to two part. It takes a lot to make drastic changes to alkalinity. Since the solution is over 12ph, a constant drip will somewhat keep your ph elevated. My dos is sorta almost a constant drip, just more controlled opposed to drippers/topoff ect.

I've dabbled with Kalk back in 2004 with my first tank but it's really been a long time since I've used it. Good to know. I've debated making up even a diluted solution (say 1/2tsp per gallon) and just running that on a doser. Not sure how much benefit I would get. I really need to buck up and buy a new pH probe.

 

[dwest]

changes. I'm maintaining Alk at 8.5dKH not really trying to raise that just pH (I think in your reply you accidentally put Alk in place of pH). I battled ostreopsis Dinos for many months and finally got them under control.

 

[mitch91175]

If your gonna dose Kalk better to be safe than sorry. If you are willing to invest in a kalk stirrer, get one of those. Also get one that you can put a pH probe in to ensure you are dosing saturated kalk. I have mine setup like this:

1. Using a Geo Kalk stirrer that I had them put a pH probe holder in so I could measure that saturation level. As long as the probe is reading above 12 I know I have saturated kalk. When below I top off kalk.
2. I have a Neptune DOS that pushes fresh RO/DI water to the kalk stirrer. I figured out how much I needed based on my usage and programmed the DOS to push that much water throughout the day.

I sort of use my DOS/Kalk stirrer as a primary ATO, but also still have an actual ATO to plat catch-up if necessary. WHen evaporation is much, the kalk/DOS combo usually wins out versus the ATO.

100 different ways to skin-the-cat so to speak. This is what's worked for my usage and I'd do it again 100 times. Never have to worry about it dosing too much, etc.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I remember you posting about a recipe. I need to dig that up and investigate it further. If the pH raising effect is similar that may be the way I should go. I initially wanted to keep some 2 part as B-ionic does include some trace elements but I can always try to supplement more via water changes or other dosing. Thanks for the tip Randy!

Here's one recipe, with a link to the other:

Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost

In a previous thread, I posted a true two part DIY recipe: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-diy-two-part-recipes-with-higher-ph-boost.344500/ But some folks may want to just swap the new ingredient into my 2/3 part recipe (as used by BRS, for example). Here's the original recipe link...

www.reef2reef.com