Got Kalkwasser?
- Thread starter daddio
- Start date
DEATH BY SNU SNU
Guest
If you have stability with 2 part, I wouldn't mess with kalkwasser.. It raises the ph too fast if overdosed and can kill acros quick. I've accidentally killed a few acros with kalkwasser, but I've never killed acros with 2 part...
Acros need stability. If you are hardcore, then you will want to get calcium reactor. but if things are fine with 2 part, I would stick with 2 part.
Kalkwasser is great for tanks that don't require as much ca and alkalinity, but once stonies start growing like weeds, kalkwasser is woefully inadequate.
Acros need stability. If you are hardcore, then you will want to get calcium reactor. but if things are fine with 2 part, I would stick with 2 part.
Kalkwasser is great for tanks that don't require as much ca and alkalinity, but once stonies start growing like weeds, kalkwasser is woefully inadequate.
daddio
Guest
First off, thanks for the Oceanic and equipment it is really appreciated. Peter is very excited and is already planning it out. We would love some kalk. We are going to the lunch this weekend and can pick it up there or at your house?I have a jug or 2 of kalk if you need it. FREE to a good home like yours and Peter.just say the word
daddio
Guest
Sure, bring it to the lunch?
daddio
Guest
Right now I am adding my top off and 2 part manually, all at once, which is not adding any stability. This is causing a quick jump in parameters and fresh water (cold). I feel that I have to set up an ATO and should do limewater in the reservoir. I will go slow. I think I have all the equipment needed.
DEATH BY SNU SNU
Guest
the ph of kalkwasser is 12 acros are unhappy when ph rises above 8.5 ime
Looks like you are taking it slow. Good luck.
Looks like you are taking it slow. Good luck.
ashburn2k
Supporting Member
wont be able to make it to lunch, but either someone who's going to lunch can meet me in berkeley or find another way to give you this bag of coke.
rygh
Guest
Done right, the PH can help your tank. Most tanks are a bit low.
Main risks:
1) During water changes, you can overdose if you forget to turn it off.
2) If there is ever a leak in your plumbing, it will overdose.
It really helps if your ATO is programmable. You can limit the maximum time per day it is on, so it
can never really overdose.
Main risks:
1) During water changes, you can overdose if you forget to turn it off.
2) If there is ever a leak in your plumbing, it will overdose.
It really helps if your ATO is programmable. You can limit the maximum time per day it is on, so it
can never really overdose.
daddio
Guest
That's OK, I'll pass – it's not that expensive and it looks like Kris has a bit for me
daddio
Guest
Perfect!!
daddio
Guest
Worked on getting the ATO roughed in and turned on today. Watched a great video by BRS on kalkwasser dosing and read an article by Randy Holmes-Farley. I feel pretty comfortable. Need to get a larger ATO reservoir and will spend the next couple of days fine tuning the alk/calcium levels with 2 part and water changes and with any luck will begin running a very diluted lime water by Sunday.
Vincerama2
Supporting Member
I have a Spectrapure Ultimate Top Off... it takes fresh water and pumps it into my 4 foot tall DIY kalkmixer which forces out mixed kalk as top off water. So it doesn't dump it in.
Of course I'm lazy and there is no actual kalk in the mixer at the moment....
Of course I'm lazy and there is no actual kalk in the mixer at the moment....
Flagg37
Guest
I started out with 50% saturation in a 5 gallon bucket that I put my ato pump in. I found that my alk still drifted down so I manually dosed alk to keep it where it should be for a while. It seemed to be less than consistent which I attributed to being linked with the evaporation. That’s when I switched to full saturation and just dose it with my DOS. I’ve been much happier with this method.
Kmooresf
Supporting Member
I use a GEO kalk reactor through my ATO system. Kalk is very forgiving, and easy IMO. It might be tough to use while dosing 2 part. You will need to keep an eye on your calcium and Alk levels while you get used to it. I use it with a calcium reactor and stopped using two part. I have a very large and packed system though. If the tank doesn’t have a huge calcium demand yet, you might be fine with just kalk and water changes. It will raise your Ph a bit, and sometimes with two part, it can jack up your alk (to over 12) if you are not watching it. Never saw a huge issue with that, but it will often make it “snow” in your tank when the alk is that high. Little calcium snow flakes EVERYWHERE. Again, never had anything die from that.
The best part for me, is that if your alk drops below 7.5, but you are actively buffering with kalk, you might not get any ill effects. I still buffer back to an alk of at least 9dkh, but it is fantastic to have that safety net. I have lost a lot of coral in the past from an overnight alk drop. I am talking about SPS here, not LPS.
Anyway, good luck. I think kalk is a great way to go. Sounds like you have done a lot of research as well.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
The best part for me, is that if your alk drops below 7.5, but you are actively buffering with kalk, you might not get any ill effects. I still buffer back to an alk of at least 9dkh, but it is fantastic to have that safety net. I have lost a lot of coral in the past from an overnight alk drop. I am talking about SPS here, not LPS.
Anyway, good luck. I think kalk is a great way to go. Sounds like you have done a lot of research as well.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
daddio
Guest
Thanks for the advice! I will not be dosing the 2 part just the Kalk. To be honest, I was on the fence about using Kalk but I hear your reef is just magnificent and that you use Kalk so I figured why not give it a try. Someday I'm going to have to come over to Pacifica and see your reef in person
Cheers!
Cheers!