Switching from Kalkwasser to 2 part?

cincyreef · Jan 11, 2016

Hi all. I'm debating switching from Kalk to a 2 part through a doser. I'm old school and have always used Kalk, but my sand is always hardening. I have a few concerns if I switch. If I do, how do I know how much to dose?From what I've read you dose equal amounts of each solution.

Also, what is causing my sand to keep hardening? I'm using Kalk in my ATO, so I have no way to really control how much I use daily, it's all through evaporation. My ATO is 1.5 gallon container in which I add 3 teaspoons of Kalk too. Any help is appreciated.

This is for a 29 biocube mixed reef btw. My tank is rather crowded, but it's mostly just frags.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 11, 2016

How much volume do you think you dose each day? From that we can calculate a two part dose.

Equal parts dosing base don the alk needs of the tank will give about what the limewater was, and you can tweak the calcium up or down a bit over the long term to hkeep it in a reasonable range.

cincyreef · Jan 11, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
How much volume do you think you dose each day? From that we can calculate a two part dose.

Equal parts dosing base don the alk needs of the tank will give about what the limewater was, and you can tweak the calcium up or down a bit over the long term to hkeep it in a reasonable range.

I seem to evaporate about 1/2 gallon a day. My alkalinity is fluctuating quite a bit as well. This is another reason I'm wanting to switch to the 2 part, as to try to dial it in for more steady parameters. I use 2 tspns of Kalk per gallon of water. Hopefully this helps.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 11, 2016

About 41 ml per day of both parts should about amtch that 1/2 gallon dose of limewater.

The lower ph you get with the two part may help reduce the sand hardening, and be sure to check and supplement magnesium as it may help with the sand as well as other issues.

cincyreef · Jan 11, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
About 41 ml per day of both parts should about amtch that 1/2 gallon dose of limewater.

The lower ph you get with the two part may help reduce the sand hardening, and be sure to check and supplement magnesium as it may help with the sand as well as other issues.

Thanks Randy!