Fishy Business

Kalkwasser and SPS dominated Tanks 150-200g

derek_SR said:
Nobody I know that has a large SPS dominated tank (myself included) is able to cover consumption with kalkwasser alone. We are all using kalk to replace as much of the ATO water as possible, but it's not more than 1-2gallons in most cases which isn't enough kalk to offset the alk needs alone.

Nearly everyone is doing kalk + 2part or kalk + carx.

My tank is 2 years old and I am adding about 5L of kalk daily, which is what is evaporating daily. Can't add any more than that. Link to my journal is in my signature.
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I second this! Kalk can carry you far but you will have to start adding alkalinity, unless you increase evaporative cooling evaporation, I’m a kalk monster believe me, just add as much kalk as you can and supplement alk
 
This is the humble user sisterlimonpot I was talking about earlier. Couldn’t find a journal. Maybe they journal on reef2reef?

IMG_5107.png
 
Turkeysammich said:
Alexander. I ran one in 2000. It’s was a dual camber mrc with a bubble counter, then I ran a Milwaukee ph probe module. With a continuous pump.which I had to choke cuz it was ac. So yes in those days it was pretty challenging.
Now 25 years later. It’s all completely different. All computer controlled. Everything is thought out for you. It’s extremely simple and easy. If you’re a sps guy. It is the way to go. You can’t compare a reefer to wholesale shops. They run their systems differently than the home aquarium. Be careful with all these big wholesale like Chris mcleay (sp) they are kinda full of crap because their systems are mostly in and out systems. They talk about growing stuff but in reality they are chop shops. They are not the true aquarist.
Sorry. Thought about this also. Stability is key. A carx is basically micro dosing 24/7 , 365 days forever. You can’t even really do that with 2 part. It’s just dumping. Granted you can say. Well I’m breaking it up. But how much are you really breaking it up. Or bolus method ? All these are done back in the day.
Old is new again. Carx is a main staple of old school. If you look at any successful old school reefer. They are all or 99% carx. I’m taking guys that are 15+years under their belt.
I’m not saying it’s the only way. But it’s a super solid old school way. That’s tried and true.
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Again, I am NOT against CARX. I am just questioning the need and complexity in times when the reefer life is already complicated enough (with all the options out there, which I believe were not available 20 years ago).

Two (three) part can be done for large SPS tanks. I know plenty of folks who do that for 300 gallons up. Similarly, others run CARX, which works great too.

Why I keep pushing back on certain topics, in case you did not notice a theme here :), is when we make these rigorous recommendations where only one way is acceptable in certain circumstances because it has been the way for some time. And we continuously stay silent on the downsides, only telling the pros, because we are so happy with how it works for us. A balanced view is often missing, so I am trying to point to that.

I do very much like your point on continous microdosing though. Some might say this has no tangible benefits, but I can see the stability argument to matter even without visible results over, e.g., hourly dosing (which I do). So you convinced me to look into this potentially more. But then, there is the whole chore to setup this up, maybe a good BAR workshop topic?
 
Alexander1312 said:
Again, I am NOT against CARX. I am just questioning the need and complexity in times when the reefer life is already complicated enough (with all the options out there, which I believe were not available 20 years ago).

Two (three) part can be done for large SPS tanks. I know plenty of folks who do that for 300 gallons up. Similarly, others run CARX, which works great too.

Why I keep pushing back on certain topics, in case you did not notice a theme here :), is when we make these rigorous recommendations where only one way is acceptable in certain circumstances because it has been the way for some time. And we continuously stay silent on the downsides, only telling the pros, because we are so happy with how it works for us. A balanced view is often missing, so I am trying to point to that.

I do very much like your point on continous microdosing though. Some might say this has no tangible benefits, but I can see the stability argument to matter even without visible results over, e.g., hourly dosing (which I do). So you convinced me to look into this potentially more. But then, there is the whole chore to setup this up, maybe a good BAR workshop topic?
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It’s good to question and have conversations. That’s how we all learn. It’s like everything else in life. What works for you may not work for me. I’m just stating what I noticed about the old school guys and their stable items that they do. Like Live rock to dry rock start up an aquarium.
 
Turkeysammich said:
It’s good to question and have conversations. That’s how we all learn. It’s like everything else in life. What works for you may not work for me. I’m just stating what I noticed about the old school guys and their stable items that they do. Like Live rock to dry rock start up an aquarium.
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No disagreement on live rock from me :).
 
If I survive college and get the chance to build a endgame tank, unless there is something vastly better I will probably go with carx. At a certain point, kalkwasser doesn't cut it, and dosing becomes a pain (and produces little spikes). The fact that carx technology is improving so quickly only solidifies my preference

The only reason I don't have a calcium reactor on my current tank is that slapping one on a 20g seems silly considering the upfront cost lol, and I can put up with dosing for now
 
Alexander1312 said:
Again, I am NOT against CARX. I am just questioning the need and complexity in times when the reefer life is already complicated enough (with all the options out there, which I believe were not available 20 years ago).

Two (three) part can be done for large SPS tanks. I know plenty of folks who do that for 300 gallons up. Similarly, others run CARX, which works great too.

Why I keep pushing back on certain topics, in case you did not notice a theme here :), is when we make these rigorous recommendations where only one way is acceptable in certain circumstances because it has been the way for some time. And we continuously stay silent on the downsides, only telling the pros, because we are so happy with how it works for us. A balanced view is often missing, so I am trying to point to that.

I do very much like your point on continous microdosing though. Some might say this has no tangible benefits, but I can see the stability argument to matter even without visible results over, e.g., hourly dosing (which I do). So you convinced me to look into this potentially more. But then, there is the whole chore to setup this up, maybe a good BAR workshop topic?
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But that is in essence is what you're doing. I'll be the first to tell you there are many ways to skin this cat. But you are constantly hating on carx stating they're difficult and tedious, but have no experience with them. You're putting bias on it when no one said calcium reactors were the only way.
 
tribbitt said:
At a certain point, kalkwasser doesn't cut it, and dosing becomes a pain (and produces little spikes).
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You would still be dosing the eff of the CARX...correct? So still dosing. Also, depending on which dosers, the little spikes you speak of are insignificant if done in small doses spread throughout the day. Especially when "flash mixed" in high flow areas.

Also, speaking of old school and the "old is new" perspective, they used to hand dose (bolus) back in the day for massive spikes and their tanks did good. As are a lot of folks jumping on that Bolus trend now.

Based on cost alone, personally, I see no benefit to setting up a CARX. I do say that with a bit of ignorance because I have never set one up. But from what I have seen, I could easily replicate what a CARX produces with solutions and dosers. CARX is only providing Ca and Alk, primarily correct? And a depressed pH solution along with it? Unless ran through another chamber to offset it (another expense). Or am I wrong in my perception of these?

I don't have the desire to spend that much money for equipment to experiment and compare with my current dosing solution which has proven effective. It would be years before I see the difference in costs. If I come across a good used CARX unit, then I would consider it. Just so I could have the experience to speak about it with more confidence.
 
tribbitt said:
If I survive college and get the chance to build a endgame tank, unless there is something vastly better I will probably go with carx. At a certain point, kalkwasser doesn't cut it, and dosing becomes a pain (and produces little spikes). The fact that carx technology is improving so quickly only solidifies my preference

The only reason I don't have a calcium reactor on my current tank is that slapping one on a 20g seems silly considering the upfront cost lol, and I can put up with dosing for now
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I have a small one laying around you could have
 
ReyDeFarts said:
You would still be dosing the eff of the CARX...correct? So still dosing. Also, depending on which dosers, the little spikes you speak of are insignificant if done in small doses spread throughout the day. Especially when "flash mixed" in high flow areas.

Also, speaking of old school and the "old is new" perspective, they used to hand dose (bolus) back in the day for massive spikes and their tanks did good. As are a lot of folks jumping on that Bolus trend now.

Based on cost alone, personally, I see no benefit to setting up a CARX. I do say that with a bit of ignorance because I have never set one up. But from what I have seen, I could easily replicate what a CARX produces with solutions and dosers. CARX is only providing Ca and Alk, primarily correct? And a depressed pH solution along with it? Unless ran through another chamber to offset it (another expense). Or am I wrong in my perception of these?

I don't have the desire to spend that much money for equipment to experiment and compare with my current dosing solution which has proven effective. It would be years before I see the difference in costs. If I come across a good used CARX unit, then I would consider it. Just so I could have the experience to speak about it with more confidence.
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Calcium reactor is low(er) maintenance when set up properly with lower ongoing cost, and can deliver a lot of calcium and alkalinity. There are ways to counteract depressed pH. If I'm setting up another tank, it'll hopefully be around on a long enough time scale to see those benefits.

I sometimes see used CARX going for okay prices. If I had to buy one new I'm not sure that I'd do it, but over a few months to a year I feel like I could find one. Doser would probably work fine until then

CARX also releases trace elements that are in the old coral skeletons. Are those traces a positive or in the right quantity and ratios? No clue, but it is there
 
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