Red Sea Complete Reef System

[dolpator]

Also it’s a trade off between the number of dosing heads and how many supplements that need to be monitored and tracked… that whole issue with salinity creep, trace element depletion and pH issues seems just to add to the number of dosing heads, not subtract…
Red Sea is trying to address all those issues using a 4 part system but it seems pricey…
I think the Kalkwasser/AFR dosing combo get you down to two supplements with some balance of cost/simplicity
…I’m not doing it due to space limitations implementing a kalkwasser solution … might be more practical for a smaller tank like yours

see below

yes, this isn’t a bad strategy as many advocate using just Kalkwasser until demand says otherwise….implementing Kalkwasser is bulky but simple
BTW a lot of folks are using both AFR and Kalk

This is what I was ultimately wanting to do, use both Kalk and AFR to dose and supplement my tank. The only problem is there is going to be a huge dialing in period trying to get the right proportions correct. Another reefer does this, and he says he mainly doses Kalk at night and AFR during the day. Might be something I try to get the benefit from both. A vendor at Reefapalooza said this is the most practical and cost effective solution as you will get the best of both worlds, and the tank gets what it needs....

 

[exnisstech]

BTW a lot of folks are using both AFR and Kalk

What is the reasoning behind this costs?

I currently use Kalk though a Avast Marine Kalk Stirrer, pulling RODI from the ATO through a Neptune DOS and feeding the stirrer. Still dialing in a little. Started dosing assuming evaporation rate of tank, and feeding Kalk from those numbers. Had to start over, because the directions said to put 1/2 cup into the reactor, when there was a lot of readings that only 1 tablespoon per gallon was needed. So not sure if that was the reason, but I had to start over as 3700ml of kalk dosed over a 2400 hour period didn't seem right when I was watching levels going higher than I wanted to keep them. Now I am having to play the waiting game as I bring numbers back down, and looking at using something a little more forgiving so to speak...If I have to make little adjustments that is easier than having to wait for systems to stabilize....

I've never used a stirrer . I drip 24/7 using a brs 50ml minute doser on a cheap digital timer. It took some trial and error but I finally found the sweet spot is 7200ml daily. Many only dose kalk at night but don't worry about pH so I do all day.

 

[dolpator]

What is the reasoning behind this costs?



I've never used a stirrer . I drip 24/7 using a brs 50ml minute doser on a cheap digital timer. It took some trial and error but I finally found the sweet spot is 7200ml daily. Many only dose kalk at night but don't worry about pH so I do all day.

What is the reasoning behind this costs?
So the reasoning is the method would utilize the trace elements in the correct proportions in the AFR, while getting the uptick in PH from the Kalk and having the adjustability of the alk and calcium from both systems. I am sure there is a lot of trial and error to getting the ratios correct, but the benefits should be 10 fold as the tank would then be getting everything it need with just two products...

I've never used a stirrer . I drip 24/7 using a brs 50ml minute doser on a cheap digital timer. It took some trial and error but I finally found the sweet spot is 7200ml daily. Many only dose kalk at night but don't worry about pH so I do all day.
I was pulling water in a highly concentrated solution of kalk 1/2 cup in a avast Kalk Stirrer. I think it was wrong. Since there is barely a gallon of water that can be contained in the stirrer. I redid the stirrer to only having a tablespoon of Kalk in the container, PH is 12.5 so the concentration is there. Just need to get my numbers back down and start from scratch on dialing that in.

 

[exnisstech]

So the reasoning is the method would utilize the trace elements in the correct proportions in the AFR, while getting the uptick in PH from the Kalk

Thanks. I don't monitor pH but when I test pH in 3 tanks using hanna it is identical with only one getting kalk. I don't get the pH bump from kalk that people talk about. Maybe if I monitored I would see something.

 

[Doctorgori]

What is the reasoning behind this costs?

So the reasoning is the method would utilize the trace elements in the correct proportions in the AFR, while getting the uptick in PH from the Kalk and having the adjustability of the alk and calcium from both systems. I am sure there is a lot of trial and error to getting the ratios correct, but the benefits should be 10 fold as the tank would then be getting everything it need with just two products...

exactly