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Kalkwasser Method - Chris Meckley

Alexander1312

Alexander1312

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Does anyone know exactly how to set up the Kalkwasser method he has been describing in various interviews? I recognize that not everyone supports this method, or feels comfortable with Alkalinity fluctuating a lot by focusing on PH only, but I would like to try this as I did see a strong correlation between the PH and how corals look, vs. relying on Alkalinity parameters. And the fact that the ocean appears to be stable at a PH of 8.3 seems convincing, if correct.

I would like to know which equipment is exactly needed since I am not too familar with the APEX system. I only bought the APEX Jr. some time ago, and the only thing it is doing in my tank is measuring PH and Temp.

I understand it needs the APEX dosing pump, and it looks as if the APEX Jr can handle the dosing pump, and I would not need another module.

- APEX Jr (or higher), including PH probe
- Apex DOS Dosing Pump & Fluid Metering System - Neptune Systems
- Kalkwasser - I will use the Captiv8 - 6.5g / gallon
- Kalkwasser container

I understand then that the following needs to be 'programmed':
- Time period will be during lights-out period
- Target PH will be the average PH for my tank when starting this method and then updated daily for continously higher average amounts until 8.29 average PH is reached.
- Evaporation will be the double amount of my daily evaporation during the half day 'on' time period

I have not used the programming of the APEX before but I assume this can be done with some research. Does anyone else have some adds to this, or has done this before, or notices any inaccuracies in what I am describing above?

It looks like mixing the kalkwasser with the right quantity, saturation and limited exposure to CO2 is key. Understanding the PH saturation of the solution seems to be essential (also mentioned in Kenny's video) so I have ordered the following PH probe with Temp adjustment:

- MW102 PH & Temperature Meter w/Auto Calc

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I don’t know his exact method/implementation since what little I know of it allowed me to put it in the not-gonna-do-that category.

Yes, you want to stabilize your pH around 8.3 or so. You also want to stabilize your Alkalinity, at least for hard coral. The precise number matters less but the stability is important. While alkalinity is carbonate for coral skeletons, the actual definition is the solution’s buffering capacity against a given amount of acid lowering the pH. So pH and alkalinity are directly connected.

Since alkalinity is consumed as much or more during the photosynthetic period, which is also when the pH is being raised by photosynthesis, you have an inherent conflict in stabilizing both with a single additive that both raises pH and add alkalinity (Kalkwasser).

In a low-demand tank you can get away with just kalk, but in high demand tanks you need more alkalinity than your evaporation allows, unless you start getting more complicated with vinegar or fans. Plus as your tank gets more full of respirating and photosynthesizing stuff, generally the pH swings increase, which means your Kalk dosing will be swinging more. Like large potentially problematic doses at night and no dosing during the day.

My implementation is to dose kalk during the 15 hours of when the pH would otherwise be going down (lights low/off) and then other alkalinity supplements (either carbonate or bicarbonate) during the photosynthetic period.

If you are going to do the pH only method, I would recommend being cautious with it and still testing alkalinity frequently to make sure.

As far as knowing your kalk is saturated, RHF and other smart chemist-types say that EC is more reliable than pH for that, but EC hasn’t worked reliably for me. Seems like just adding a little more powder than what you calculated you need is the best way to be saturated if mixing up in a still container.
 
I'm not sold on it because he's running a huge volume system in a commercial facility and isn't as dependent on things like fluctuating CO2 levels in a house, drifting probes (I'll bet he has someone calibrate every week), and might be running a wildly different photoperiod than you are. You could potentially have it overdose the kalk at night because of a depressed pH.
 
Darkxerox said:
I'm not sold on it because he's running a huge volume system in a commercial facility and isn't as dependent on things like fluctuating CO2 levels in a house, drifting probes (I'll bet he has someone calibrate every week), and might be running a wildly different photoperiod than you are. You could potentially have it overdose the kalk at night because of a depressed pH.
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My first thought was that PH probes are sketchy AF and need to be constantly calibrated to be trusted, and even then…I don’t trust them.

Maybe I am buying the wrong probes? I get the green Milwaukee ones.
 
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