Calcium Supplementation

[FleeVT]

Water changes are no longer adequate for keeping my calcium and alk at proper levels. I'm considering kalkwasser and 2-part to make up the difference (don't have the space for a reactor).

I've got a 4 gallon topoff trashcan in my cabinet that I could add lime to, I just need to get a lid for it. Does anyone know where can I find Mrs. Wage's Pickling Lime locally?

Also, is anyone making the DIY 2-part, and if so, where are you getting those supplies?

Thanks!

 

[macawmagic]

I mix up 5 gallons of ro/di with 5 teaspoons of mrs. wages and pour into my topoff reservior which is connected to a float valve. My tank uses that about every 2 days. maybe a little longer. I don't use a top on the bin and have no problem. I'm about to buy a kalk reactor though as I'm getting tired(lazy) of mixing up the pickling lime with water. plus I always seem to spill and it makes a huge mess!!!

 

[ReefWreak]

Mrs wages is definitely the way to go when your tank isn't overrun with SPS. You shouldn't need a lid over it, as though there can be a film of calcium on the top of the water of the precipitated calcium, but no worries.

JeffBrig makes DIY 2 part, when he's online I'm sure he'll chime in.

I find Mrs Wages in Publix, usually seasonally in the winter though. I'll check next time I'm there.

 

[zurc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12067025#post12067025 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by macawmagic
I mix up 5 gallons of ro/di with 5 teaspoons of mrs. wages and pour into my topoff reservior which is connected to a float valve. My tank uses that about every 2 days. maybe a little longer. I don't use a top on the bin and have no problem. I'm about to buy a kalk reactor though as I'm getting tired(lazy) of mixing up the pickling lime with water. plus I always seem to spill and it makes a huge mess!!!

When I went to Manny's shop the other day (Marine Design Systems) he had a kalk mixer there he was making, very nice model and very nice price. I am going to have a mini one made for my 30g cube.

-zurc

 

[dent2011]

I buy all my bulk additive supplies from twopartsolution.com they have everything from kalk to GFO, let me know if you are going to place an order, as I am getting low on kalk and it never hurts to combine shipping!

 

[A.T.T.R]

either go with kalk or bionic
( diy 2 part is no were near as good as b ionic or even tech cb)

kalk is cheeper and has exact same outcome as a diy 2 part

 

[FleeVT]

I am leaning towards the kalk, both for simplicity and cost. Just need to find the Mrs. Wages. I've hit the 3 Publix stores near me and nothing.

Eric, good to know I can go topless. Now I don't need to find a lid for the perfectly sized office trashcan I'm using for my topoff container.

I may talk to Manny about a topoff/mixer container that will fit in my area. I'm not sure what that would look like, though.

Chris, have you used both the B-Ionic and DIY 2-part? Poor results or did you get the feedback from customers? Just curious what the differences are.

 

[A.T.T.R]

differences is diy is JUST CA and ALK

bionic is CA alk mg and everything else in the properratio's ( making it hard to get any one chem outa wack) are all the chems needed.. probobly not.. will it hurt.. no..
diy two part has the sameresults as kalk. CA and ALK ONLY! ( actualy kalk gets ph up as well)

 

[jeffbrig]

Actually, DIY for most of us has evolved to Ca, Alk, and Mg. Whether it's kalkwasser or CaCl + baking soda, you're going to need to dose Magnesium periodically. MgCl, epsom salt, or ideally a combination of the two.

 

[FleeVT]

OK, thanks everyone.

Jeff, do you buy your chemicals locally or do you use the website provided above?

 

[jeffbrig]

I have bought locally (CaCl, baking soda, epsom salt) and online (Mag flake, kalkwasser) at times. I haven't used the website above, but I would consider them in the future.

 

[AquamanE]

I recently got a ATO from autotopoff.com. Its the greatest thing ive done. It sets up in less than 20 minutes, everything but bucket and Kalk for less then 75$. Works like a charm. 5 gal homedepot bucket with lid,place it in a closet and forget about it for 1 week, in my case. 2 part web site is very reasonable for all mentioned products above. youve already spent more gas looking for ms wages than is worth it.

web site has Ca, Alk, Mg, GFO, AC, and Kalk, shipping, again, very reasonable.

 

[dent2011]

FleeVT let me know if you are going to order from two part solution, as I am going to place an order in the next couple of days. personally I use kalk as my top off, and I dose Ca and ALK everyday and Mg once a week. DIY 2 part is soooo much cheaper than B ionic and between the 2 part dosing and regular water changes, all the trace elements are in check. look around on reef central, there is an article written by Randal Holmes Farley about using DIY 2 part that explains everything you would want to know

 

[FleeVT]

Dent, I am going to hold off on the bulk order until I have some time to see what my needs are. I picked up a small container of Wages from someone local. I don't have much SPS (and all of it is frags), but my coralline growth has stunted. So I'm thinking I just need a little bit added to my topoff to keep levels up. That and water changes. If I end up needing more, I will go the bulk route in the future.

I need to get a Mg test kit so I can begin to monitor that as well. I have no idea where that level is.

 

[dent2011]

Sounds good fleeVT starting out with just kalk will be a good way to start

 

[jeffbrig]

FleeVT, you can test your Mg levels (and a whole bunch of other things) at our next club meeting - Water Testing.

dent, I am thinking of placing a two part order soon - I need carbon, gfo, soda ash, and kalk. I'm going to look into their club group buy discounts, but I think we'd need a total of 10 people to participate.

 

[NanoKat]

Okay, you guys are on to something I've been thinking about since I got an ato. How exactly do you dose a 2 part with a topoff? I am not too sure myself about dosing kalk with it since it seems to leave it's residue and possibly eventually clog up the pump. My assumption is that two parts shouldn't be mixed before dosing the tank.

 

[ahoyhoy239]

if you want to dose 2-part, you will need a medical dosing pump like the ones at innovativeaquatics dot com ?? with a 2 channel tubing set. the problem is that this doses the same amount of each part, and for me that wouldnt work because my alk depletes much slower than my cal. if you need to add both in equal amount then this will work.

also you cant mix 2 part together or i think its the calcium that will precipitate out of solution

 

[ReefWreak]

I've also heard from a few people that they do clog up over time if you dose 2 part through peristaltic dosing pumps :-/ something to consider...