Will kalkwasser increase alkalinity or just maintain?

[samrggzy]

So I just tested my alkalinity and it was 6.9 and I would like to get it back up to around 10. I want to start dosing kalkwasser through my ATO to do this but dont know if this will increase my alkalinity or just keep it stable at where it is now. Does anyone have experience using kalkwasser to increase alkalinity?

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

kalkwasser will raise your alakilinity, raise your ato water to slightly higher than you want your alkalinity to be, and it will start to come up as the tank gets topped off.

 

[samrggzy]

kalkwasser will raise your alakilinity, raise your ato water to slightly higher than you want your alkalinity to be, and it will start to come up as the tank gets topped off.

Okay awesome, the directions say to add a teaspoon per gallon of water. So should I up it a little bit if I want to raise my alk?

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Okay awesome, the directions say to add a teaspoon per gallon of water. So should I up it a little bit if I want to raise my alk?

is that a teaspoon per gallon for your desired 10? if so, I would go with like 1.5 tsp for the first while to raise it a little more quickly.

 

[samrggzy]

is that a teaspoon per gallon for your desired 10? if so, I would go with like 1.5 tsp for the first while to raise it a little more quickly.

Thats what I was thinking too, thank you

 

[nereefpat]

Kalkwasser (German for limewater) is calcium hydroxide dissolved in water. It will dose calcium and alkalinity. If what you dose is more than the tank's usage for Ca and/or alk, those values will rise.

1 or so teaspoons per gallon in a ATO is a reasonable place to start. Kalk is a bit of trial and error. I would test alk daily until you get the trend figured out.

In case you aren't aware, alk of 6.9 dKH is pretty close to natural seawater, where 10 would be pretty high...although some people keep it that high.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

kalkwasser will raise your alakilinity, raise your ato water to slightly higher than you want your alkalinity to be, and it will start to come up as the tank gets topped off.

Not sure what that means.

Limewater (kalkwasser) will raise alk if you add more alk than the tank is using each day.

It has nothing to do with the alk in the top off being higher than the tank. Unless demand is super, super low, it will be far above the tank alk level.

 

[Backreefing]

It’s best to use a doseing pump to add measured amount of kalk .
yes it seams like it’s trouble and expensive but it isn’t. Jebao makes affordable doseing pumps and you simply add full strength kalk in as much as you want.

 

[Backreefing]

Make up a bucket of full strength kalkwasser and use the doser pump to add however much you want through out the day .
The kalk lasts a long time if not disturbed and a lid on the container. 30 days or more .

 

[reefer2/19/24]

So I just tested my alkalinity and it was 6.9 and I would like to get it back up to around 10. I want to start dosing kalkwasser through my ATO to do this but dont know if this will increase my alkalinity or just keep it stable at where it is now. Does anyone have experience using kalkwasser to increase alkalinity?

My Alkalinity is showing 12.8 on a Hannah checker. Should I continue to dose kalkwasser? And if the Alkalinity is too high how do you lower it please?

 

[DangerDave]

I've found kalk to be very useful, and quite flexible when used in a reactor as an ATO along with an RODI top off. If you find your alk/calc/PH moving up or down you can raise or lower the percentage of the top off that is kalk.

It's fluid based on your reef's need. With my new tank build the ATO started as RO water only. Then kalk and RO water was being dosed during top off at the same rate. Now, kalk is my only top off. Soon I expect I'll be introducing my calcium reactor to make up for the alk/calc that the kalk can't keep up with.

Good luck with your reef!

 

[nereefpat]

My Alkalinity is showing 12.8 on a Hannah checker. Should I continue to dose kalkwasser? And if the Alkalinity is too high how do you lower it please?

Kalk adds alkalinity, so no, don't continue as long as you trust your Checker.

It will lower on its own over time. Or you can change water with a lower alk salt.