Kalk + 2-part Ca/Alk

[jcjrogers]

I'm looking at getting back into the hobby after being out for well over a decade. I'm interested in a 120g - 150g tank w/sump and will keep SPS and LPS corals as well as some mushrooms, polyps, etc. Struggling with a physical handicap, which wasn't an issue when I kept my 75g and 55g tanks in the past, I have to figure the best method for me to do things, which isn't necessarily the best or cheapest method.

For calcium, I'm thinking about using kalk in my ATO and then dosing 2-part either manually or with a dosing pump. Though I understand the advantages of a Ca reactor (I used to run one), I'm afraid fidgeting with it to get it set and potential pump problems, leaks, and re-filling CO2, could be problematic. The obvious problem with 2-part is cost. I know kalk by itself will not likely keep Ca/Alk where I need it to be. However, I wonder if I set my Ca/Alk with 2-part and then start running kalk, would the amount of 2-part necessary to keep levels in check be reasonable enough to make this a viable solution?

 

[downbeach]

My progression once my WC's alone weren't enough to keep up with my demand, was to add kalk in my ATO. First at half saturation(1tsp./gal) then to full saturation(2tsp./gal). Once I started to add SPS, the kalk by itself was no longer enough to keep up with the demand, and I started using two part. Ultimately, I was dosing all three, Kalk, Ca and Alk using dosing pumps, and went back to plain RO/DI water in the ATO.

 

[davehead86]

My progression once my WC's alone weren't enough to keep up with my demand, was to add kalk in my ATO. First at half saturation(1tsp./gal) then to full saturation(2tsp./gal). Once I started to add SPS, the kalk by itself was no longer enough to keep up with the demand, and I started using two part. Ultimately, I was dosing all three, Kalk, Ca and Alk using dosing pumps, and went back to plain RO/DI water in the ATO.

How big is your tank and how much SPS / LPS do you have that causes you to use that much?

Im curious because I have a dosing pump but I could just start with kalk in the ATO at this point.

 

[jcjrogers]

I'm a little confused... you would add a lot more kalk with top-off than dosing. It sounds like you switched to dosing because topping-off wasn't enough. I must be missing something.

 

[anthonys51]

2 part is pretty cheap. the brs give you everything you need for 3 fills witch should last you a year for 50-75. then the refiller are 5 bucks for the powder. it makes once gallon of liquid witch should last you a couple of months. why do you think 2 part is expensive

 

[jcjrogers]

Why do you think 2 part is expensive?

I started using B-Ionic on my 75 gal w/ approx. 20 gal sump almost 20 years ago. I just remember that I was really going through the stuff, and that's why I got a reactor. After adding the reactor, I ended up with low pH so then added kalk to my top-off. I never used kalk in conjunction with the 2-part.

This go-round, I'm going to go with a 120 gal - 150 gal tank plus a sump, which will use a lot more. That said, it might be that the cost seemed high 20 years ago but not so much now. Also, I saw that B-Ionic is now sold in (4) gallon containers for $90. When I was using B-ionic, 1 gallon containers was as large as I could get, and I'm not sure the 1 gallon combo was any cheaper 20 years ago than it is now. Furthermore, BRS dry makes the same 4 gallon batches for $50, which also includes magnesium. It just lacks other trace elements.

 

[anthonys51]

i would just do brs 2 part. no kalk and call it a day. dose once in the morning once at night, until you get to about 30 ml, after that you can buy the dosing pumps or dose 2 times each manually if you have the time. just make sure to wait 1 hour in between dosing each one

 

[downbeach]

How big is your tank and how much SPS / LPS do you have that causes you to use that much?

Im curious because I have a dosing pump but I could just start with kalk in the ATO at this point.

It was a 180gal./ 40gal. sump predominantly SPS mixed reef, including a couple Maxima clams. You could start with just kalk, I did, but your evaporation rate may cause a little difference in how much can be dosed daily, although it may not be a problem.

I'm a little confused... you would add a lot more kalk with top-off than dosing. It sounds like you switched to dosing because topping-off wasn't enough. I must be missing something.

I was dosing 2 gal. of fully saturated kalk daily(equivalent to ~ 160mL of Ca/Alk for Randys recipe #1) along with 125mL ea. of Ca and Alk(Randy's recipe #1). Although it wasn't a major problem in my system, dosing the kalk mitigated the problem associated with varying amounts of evaporation, keeping the overall (Ca/Alk) dosing more stable, and providing the secondary benefit of utilizing some of the CO2, which kept my pH up a bit. The evaporation in my system was between 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 gal. a day, so fully saturated kalk by itself got to the point that it wasn't enough to keep up with the demand, and I had to start using a two part. I compensated the additional 1/4 to 1/2 gal of kalk in the top off with the two part supplements. I did try to super saturate the kalk to 3 tsp/gal. using 45 mL of vinegar, but the vinegar added a carbon source, and I developed other issues that I wanted to deal with separately under more control, i.e. measured carbon dosing, BP's, etc. The ATO, now back to plain RO/DI water, made up the remaining 1/4 to 1/2 gal. daily evaporation.

 

[jcjrogers]

I was dosing 2 gal. of fully saturated kalk daily(equivalent to ~ 160mL of Ca/Alk for Randys recipe #1) along with 125mL ea. of Ca and Alk(Randy's recipe #1). Although it wasn't a major problem in my system, dosing the kalk mitigated the problem associated with varying amounts of evaporation, keeping the overall (Ca/Alk) dosing more stable, and providing the secondary benefit of utilizing some of the CO2, which kept my pH up a bit. The evaporation in my system was between 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 gal. a day, so fully saturated kalk by itself got to the point that it wasn't enough to keep up with the demand, and I had to start using a two part. I compensated the additional 1/4 to 1/2 gal of kalk in the top off with the two part supplements. I did try to super saturate the kalk to 3 tsp/gal. using 45 mL of vinegar, but the vinegar added a carbon source, and I developed other issues that I wanted to deal with separately under more control, i.e. measured carbon dosing, BP's, etc. The ATO, now back to plain RO/DI water, made up the remaining 1/4 to 1/2 gal. daily evaporation.

Ok, so knowing your evaporation rate, you put kalk on a doser that dosed a constant amount that was less than the tank's daily top-off needs. Therefore, the ATO didn't run much but when it did, it ran RO/DI only. Did you dose kalk 24/7? Just wondering how you managed at night with less evaporation.

 

[downbeach]

Ok, so knowing your evaporation rate, you put kalk on a doser that dosed a constant amount that was less than the tank's daily top-off needs. Therefore, the ATO didn't run much but when it did, it ran RO/DI only. Did you dose kalk 24/7? Just wondering how you managed at night with less evaporation.

Exactly. I dosed everything 24/7 each @ 20 min intervals, using the 1.1mL dosers for the Ca and Alk, each ran for 5 minutes each hour, the kalk used a 50mL/min doser and ran for 6.5 minutes each hour. Besides the normal evaporation, I was running my skimmer on the wet side, so I was also losing some water there.

 

[jcjrogers]

i would just do brs 2 part. no kalk and call it a day. dose once in the morning once at night, until you get to about 30 ml, after that you can buy the dosing pumps or dose 2 times each manually if you have the time. just make sure to wait 1 hour in between dosing each one

Yeah, Ca requirements will increase over time as I will stock the tank gradually. I'm just trying to determine what amount of 2-part and costs I might run into in the future and know that kalk is as cheap as it gets. My thought was that combining kalk and 2-part would reduce the amount of 2-part necessary while also keeping pH in check.