I've read that people add kalk to their ATO but since I don't have an ATO I was going with the drip method. My question is could I mix one strong gallon of kalk and let it drip over several days or does it have to be added at the same speed as evaporation? I was wondering if i could do it this way so I don't have to mix kalk everyday.
Dripping Kalkwasser
- Thread starter Cannoy
- Start date
Kalk just doesn't work that way. You can only dissolve a small amount of kalk in water. Also, the kalk water must be kept away from air, or it precipitates out and is much less effective.
This means you either mix it every day like your doing or you use a kalk reactor, also known as a Nielsen Reactor. Typically this is used as part of an ato system but you can also dosing pump on a timer.
Yes I know some people add kalk to the ato water directly, but it's not nearly as effective that way, almost to the point of not being worth doing.
This means you either mix it every day like your doing or you use a kalk reactor, also known as a Nielsen Reactor. Typically this is used as part of an ato system but you can also dosing pump on a timer.
Yes I know some people add kalk to the ato water directly, but it's not nearly as effective that way, almost to the point of not being worth doing.
I understand you can only dissolve 2 teaspoons per gallon. I just thought I could do this mix or less depending on what my tank needs, and let it drip for longer than one day.
Also this is a 20 gallon tank with around 30+ gallons including the sump, and I have around 10 acro frags. Will kalk be able to keep up or should I dose 2 part?
Also this is a 20 gallon tank with around 30+ gallons including the sump, and I have around 10 acro frags. Will kalk be able to keep up or should I dose 2 part?
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That's the problem with kalk. you can dissolve those 2 teaspoons in a gal of water, but it will usually start to precipitate out after a day or so. If your in doubt, give it a try. Decant the clear water into another container, and let it stand a day or so, and you'll see the results.
Let me ask you this question. Do you notice any major calcium depletion between water changes? In other words is the calcium level of your new SW a lot higher than the current tank water?
Yes, it's true, tanks with massive amounts of SPS corals or clams can deplete a lot of calcium.
If your seeing only a modest drop in calcium, then using kalk might be all you need. The two part products will also work well here.
Now if you get to the point where you have a forrest of SPS corals, and a lot of calcium is being removed, then consider a calcium reactor. This is quite a bit different from a kalk reactor.
As a side note, on some reefs people use both a kalk reactor and a calcium reactor. This has to do with maintaining alkalinity, pH and calcium.
Let me ask you this question. Do you notice any major calcium depletion between water changes? In other words is the calcium level of your new SW a lot higher than the current tank water?
Yes, it's true, tanks with massive amounts of SPS corals or clams can deplete a lot of calcium.
If your seeing only a modest drop in calcium, then using kalk might be all you need. The two part products will also work well here.
Now if you get to the point where you have a forrest of SPS corals, and a lot of calcium is being removed, then consider a calcium reactor. This is quite a bit different from a kalk reactor.
As a side note, on some reefs people use both a kalk reactor and a calcium reactor. This has to do with maintaining alkalinity, pH and calcium.
To evaluate this, I'd also need to know the size of the tank, how much water you changed, and the reading before you made the water change.
It would be helpful to have alkalinity and pH readings from the new SW, the tank before the water change and the tank after the water change.
Calcium, alkalinity and pH are all tied together and they effect each other. Magnesium is also a factor in the calcium and alkalinity balance. By the way, make sure your SG is correct before you make the tests, as that will skew the other tests if it is off.
chipmunkofdoom2
Well-Known Member
As always, great advice from Dave.
I don't think it's been addressed yet (forgive me if it has), but why is it that you're considering kalk? The reason that most people say to be careful with kalk is because if you're not using it for the right reasons, or in the right manner, it can easily cause troubles. Ca of 400 isn't too bad at all, and unless you're trying to boost it intentionally for SPS growth. Please don't misunderstand, kalk is a great no-nonsense way to maintain Ca and alk, but you need to know why you're using it as well as be aware of the idiosyncrasies of kalk. If it's only for one of the ancillary benefits such as raising pH, I would strongly advise against using it. IMO, the purpose of kalk is Ca/Alk control, with pH elevation as an ancillary benefit, not the other way around.
If I were dripping kalk, I would start with a very low concentration, perhaps 1/4 tsp/gallon, and I'd mix only enough to last 2 - 3 days. I would set the drip rate very slowly to start with. If you end up needing more kalk, increase the drip rate. If you're meeting your top off demands with the kalk mix and you still need more kalk, try increasing the kalk concentration and dialing back the dose. You'll eventually dial in on a concentration that works for you and allows you some topoff room as well.
Again, I wouldn't discourage you from using kalk because it's a great way to maintain Ca/Alk, but there are a LOT of little gotchas that you have to keep in mind. Personally, I'd stick with two part until you have a very solid understanding of how that works. It's hard to mess up two-part. Calculate how much you should use with a dosing calculator, start a little lower than that to give yourself some margin for error, and adjust as necessary.
I don't think it's been addressed yet (forgive me if it has), but why is it that you're considering kalk? The reason that most people say to be careful with kalk is because if you're not using it for the right reasons, or in the right manner, it can easily cause troubles. Ca of 400 isn't too bad at all, and unless you're trying to boost it intentionally for SPS growth. Please don't misunderstand, kalk is a great no-nonsense way to maintain Ca and alk, but you need to know why you're using it as well as be aware of the idiosyncrasies of kalk. If it's only for one of the ancillary benefits such as raising pH, I would strongly advise against using it. IMO, the purpose of kalk is Ca/Alk control, with pH elevation as an ancillary benefit, not the other way around.
If I were dripping kalk, I would start with a very low concentration, perhaps 1/4 tsp/gallon, and I'd mix only enough to last 2 - 3 days. I would set the drip rate very slowly to start with. If you end up needing more kalk, increase the drip rate. If you're meeting your top off demands with the kalk mix and you still need more kalk, try increasing the kalk concentration and dialing back the dose. You'll eventually dial in on a concentration that works for you and allows you some topoff room as well.
Again, I wouldn't discourage you from using kalk because it's a great way to maintain Ca/Alk, but there are a LOT of little gotchas that you have to keep in mind. Personally, I'd stick with two part until you have a very solid understanding of how that works. It's hard to mess up two-part. Calculate how much you should use with a dosing calculator, start a little lower than that to give yourself some margin for error, and adjust as necessary.
chipmunkofdoom2
Well-Known Member
Sorry to rapid fire here, but forgot to mention, kalk should only be used after your tank is at its ideal parameters. If your Ca/Alk is low, you should dose with a two-part to get the tank to desired levels first.
I'm only considering Kalk to maintain calcium and alkalinity because before I had all these acro frags in there the calcium was holding at 460 and now its dropped to 400. The tank is roughly 30 gallons of total water and has 10 1" acro frags in it. I'll test again this weekend before and after my water change. Also my alkalinity is at about 8.3 but i just got the test kit so im unsure how much its dropped.