BuckeyeTodd
New member
I've been trying to obtain proper color in my SPS for almost a year now, and am trying to eliminate things....so looking to see how you successful SPS growers dose
How do you dose cal and alk
- Thread starter BuckeyeTodd
- Start date
allsps40
New member
They all work and are just different methods. IMO one is no better than the other it is a matter of choice. I like kalk because it is easy and cheaper than balling method, no doser is needed. I dose with my ATO and it keeps ca and alk super stable. As I stated all methods work.
Dynamic_Reef
New member
I been using Kalk +2 from Brighwell as topoff seem to keep everything in check no major problems to report thus far I mix lower than recommended so my Alk does not have a major swing so far has stayed between 9-10 dkh mag 1380 and cal 460.. mag could be a little higher though!
BuckeyeTodd
New member
That has always been my thinking. I'm at a similar point to where you where changing things trying to obtain better color. At this point everthing except nitrates is looking perfect(I'm trying to get them down). I've played with flow, lighting, etc in this attempt. Currently I have sps looking OK, but not great. I'm worried about my top off not being tight enough(I dose Kalk), it currently tops off about twice a day approx 1.5 gal per top off in a 150 gal tank. I have a ball valve on the end to slow the top off down, but I'm worried that is creating a mini alk spike. If I need to buy a Tunze Osomolator, if two part is more consistent for the same price I could buy dosing pumps.
dzhuo
Active member
Todd,
Don't worry about the container not being tight, it won't affect the kalk solution to any noticeable difference. Randy has mentioned this multiple times and a tight cover is unnecessary. Under normal circumstance (ie, you don't intentionally break the surface or introduce a air line to stir the solution), the kalk solution will be fine for at least multiple weeks. Assuming you are using saturated kalk, I would worry about your 1.5g per topping in a 150g (is this total water vol?) tank. You are almost right at the 1.25% max of top off which will affect both alk and pH too much (it boost pH 0.6 to 0.7 unit which isn't good). It's not a problem to top off 3g per day but you need to break it off more than twice a day or less than 1.5g per topping.
BuckeyeTodd
New member
I wasn't clear, when I said tight I was referring to the amount of water added to get it to reach the shut off level. My current ato tops off for about 3/4" in my sump which equals to about 1-1.5 gal. The tank is probably 130-140 total water volume, and I use about 15 gal of kalk a week(mixed at 1.25-1.5 tsp per gal). I am concerned that this is not consistent enough, which would lead me to believe I either need an ATO with a smaller range or I could add dosing pumps and switch to two part. When I first set up, the first couple of nice tanks I saw were using Kalk and it was easy so I went that way. Well after doing this a couple of years, it seems a lot of succesfull reefers are doing it other ways. Just trying to decide which way is the way to go. I love the simplicity of kalk, but if two part or a reactor will make my tank more stable that is the way I'm going to go.
dzhuo
Active member
If you top off 1 to 1.5g of kalk per top off in a 130 to 140g total water volume, then yes I think you are adding too much. For saturated kalk, it takes 1.25% (of the tank's total water volume) of kalk solution to boost pH 0.6 to 0.7 unit. You are almost right there and it seems safer to avoid more than .3 pH swing within 24 hours span. Are you able to set the ATO to dose in smaller increment?
For a 150g tank, it seems unlikely you can just use kalk to maintain alk / cal unless you still don't have lots of SPS or you intentionally evaporate more. Kalk is wonderful in many aspect (I used to use it exclusively in my smaller nanos) but is rarely enough once you have larger tank with high alk / cal demand; it's just a relatively weak solution (40x weaker) compare to 2-parts. Have you actually check and see if you are able to maintain alk / cal with just kalk alone?
For a 150g tank, it seems unlikely you can just use kalk to maintain alk / cal unless you still don't have lots of SPS or you intentionally evaporate more. Kalk is wonderful in many aspect (I used to use it exclusively in my smaller nanos) but is rarely enough once you have larger tank with high alk / cal demand; it's just a relatively weak solution (40x weaker) compare to 2-parts. Have you actually check and see if you are able to maintain alk / cal with just kalk alone?
BuckeyeTodd
New member
I've used Kalk since I set this tank up a year and a half ago. Kalk is able to keep up, I am only doing 1.5 tsp in winter and 1.25 in summer when full saturation is 2 tsp per gallon. When I do my weekly tests, the alk is stable. I am unsure if it is stable throughout the day based on the fact that it tops of probably every 12-15 hours or so. My worry is that when it adds the kalk topoff it isn't stable enough. I don't know how to get the top off more spread out. I use an aqualifter for top off with a ball valve to slow the top off, maybe a controller or a fancy timer can spread it out(whether it can spread it out enough I don't know).
I'm just interested in getting my tank stable.
I'm just interested in getting my tank stable.
kingfisherflesh
New member
Been going the h2o route...but this tank is still in the stocking phase. (Only corals in tank are things I decided to take when I sold the last tank.
As demand goes up, Im thinking Ill go the two part route.
As demand goes up, Im thinking Ill go the two part route.
LifeAquatic
New member
Brs 2 part dosed using BRS dosing pumps and RKE controller.
oscarsdad608
New member
I just switched yesterday from a calcium reactor and kalk top off to BRS 2 part buy hand. I will be switching to dosing pumps when I come up with some cash.
BuckeyeTodd
New member
O.K. so 2 part is the runaway favorite. Do people think my current system isn't stable enough(Is it worth investing 300$ in dosing pumps)
