How to dose kalk?
- Thread starter kissman
- Start date
kissman
Active member
I am using s 50mL dosing pump from BRS, i am going to be dosing a litule less than a gallon ato at first 2800mL all my lights are off by 8:30 on a timer, at 9pm, 11pm, 1am, 3am, 5am, 7am, and 9am i will be dosing for 8min each 400mL every 2 hours. I am starting with 1/2 tsp a gallon of kalk. I will test on Monday after work. Doser starts in 1 hour
I'd personally use both, but just the two part is also a fine plan.
Thanks Randy!
:thumbsup:
Happy Reefing.
Happy Reefing.
You will find that you have little direct control over the pH. You cannot just move it around at will.
Using limewater for calcium and alkalinity and bringing more fresh air into the room are the nest bets, followed by a CO2 scrubber on a skimmer intake.
Using limewater for calcium and alkalinity and bringing more fresh air into the room are the nest bets, followed by a CO2 scrubber on a skimmer intake.
Limewater is far more effective at raising pH than is a buffer. So if you need a big rise, limewater is the way to go.
Bear in mind that both raise alkalinity and you need to make sure alk does not get too high chasing a pH value.
Bear in mind that both raise alkalinity and you need to make sure alk does not get too high chasing a pH value.
jean yves
New member
In My tank, the kalk injection is drived by a ph meter.
I inject drop by drop a very concentrated mix like "milk" :
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2166072
I inject drop by drop a very concentrated mix like "milk" :
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2166072
I posted to that thread. IMO, I would not recommend most people try to do that. it risks way overdosing alkalinity if you dose milky limewater until you reach a target pH. It may work in some aquaria, but it definitely won't in others where home CO2 levels may be higher than yours. Those will overdose the alkalinity before attaining a target pH.
Definitely not a good idea. Buffers will push alk way too high if you use them to try to attain a specific pH. Salt mixes already have enough to more than enough alkalinity in them.
I think that if you want to raise pH, you should either dose limewater, use more fresh air, or use a CO2 scrubber. There are no other useful options, except perhaps a reverse light cycle refugium.
If you are already dosing limewater and the pH is always at least 7.8, I'd probably stop worrying.
If you are already dosing limewater and the pH is always at least 7.8, I'd probably stop worrying.
kissman
Active member
I just opened the windows supposed to get down to 63 tonight, i am sure my roommate will close them before it gets to hot butight help co2 we will see! I have a refugium with the light cycle oppisite DT got bout 20-25 mangroves and a 4" deep sand bed been up for about 2 months. Had cheato in it but it didnt last long. I am researcing co2 scrubbers but the sodalime is not cheap. I will give it a week of dosing limewaterand see where it is then
RobertK
Premium Member
I would advise against using an auto topoff device to replace evaporated water with kalk. I did that for some time, but then one day a snail got caught in my overflow and caused the water to back up in the tank. The water level in the sump dropped and several gallons of kalk got dumped into my tank. I lost almost all my corals, a sea cucumber and other inverts, and a fish or two. Never again. I still use the ATO for topoff water but now use a liter meter for dosing kalk. This also obviates the problem with different amounts of kalk being dosed at different times of the month/year due to different evaporation rates. I am currently dosing 2.6 liters of kalk/day in my 65 gallon system. I have a 5 gallon container for kalk that I fill weekly which is connected to the liter meter. The dosing pump was expensive but cheaper than all the livestock I lost to the kalk overdose.
