ca/alk & Randy's recipe #1

[ItsMee]

I posted this in the newb forum and realized that this is the place it should be....

I used Randy's calculator: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

I have alkalinity of 6 DKH and want a DKH of 10 and the balanced calcium for that is 432 (mine's currently @ 400). So I need 257 ml of Randy's recipe #1 for alkalinity and 295 ml of the calcium part. I have these measured in seperate containers ready to drip. Once these levels are set I want to maintain them with kalk. So I guess my question is, after dosing these should I drip kalk tonight as well, or hold off on the kalk until tomorrow night.

(my total net gallon is approx 90)

 

[steve the plumb]

I use Randys formula and dose kalk at the same time with no problems.You might find that the formula might be to weak.Randys formula is safe but depending on the needs of your tank you might require a stronger dose.I dose kalk with an auto top off unit.I found that dosing kalk alone gets me a dkh of about 8 to 8.6.When dosing Randys alk I get a steady 9 dkh.You can dose more often to raise alk.I am using the Aqua medic doser.I dose every 8 hrs for 27 seconds.I find this gives me the 9 dkh.I have dosed longer and got 11.6 dkh results but I was a little bit nervous about going to high with the alk.I dose the calcium aswell.My levels are at 460 ppm.I don't need to dose the cal, kalk tends to keep the levels at a norm of 400 to 420 ppm.I find kalk doesn't raise levels it just keeps thems at bay, unless you have strong calcium demads.I add all doses at differant times.I find dosing units make this hobby so much easier.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would not necessarily tie the alkalinity and calcium together in that sense. As long as both alkalinity and calcium are in desirable ranges, there is nothing better about them being "balanced".

You can start the limewater any time.