Kalk Dosing Question

[E_rock]

Couple quick questions I have a jug of brs kalk mix already. And I have two part as well. Alk is usually the only one I have to add. I suspect its because I use oceanic salt and I have heard its high in Calcium. Idealy I would like to dose it via my gravity feed ato with a float valve. Is there any issue as far as precipitation or it not mixing well enough in the container? Also how much solution do I add per gallon in the ato?

With all the talk about bad brs dosing pumps what other alternatives do I have?

Kind of stupid small details, but they have stopped me from properly dosing my tank for months now and I would like to get the ball rolling this weekend.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

it can be done, however...

it can be done, however...

I would not recommend dosing limewater via gravity feed float valve.
Over time, limewater will jam it.

One or two spoonfuls of calcium hydroxide powder for each gallon of cold water. The water can only hold so much so you can't go wrong.Only dose the clear water above the bottom precip.

The BRS dosing pumps fail in the "right" way- meaning a kalk overdose is impossible.
Gravity feed float valves fail in the "wrong" way- meaning it might be a white Christmas inside your aquarium.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Second that on gravity floats, they will get clogged with calcium over time and stay open. ATO pumps, I use a medical peristalltic pump. Heavy duty and only needs its tubing replaced once every four to five months. I use kalkwasser in my ATO. Been running now for two years strait with no problems!

 

[Conesus_Kid]

Please make sure you've test your alkalinity and calcium before dosing 2-part and/or kalk.

I recommend this calculator to determine proper dosing amounts.

I have also learned that dripping kalk via float valve will gum it up but good!

 

[tmz]

I would not dose it via float valve. Clogs are likely, precipitation too. Consistency in the dose will be difficult.

If you are high in calcium, kalk will add more in balance to the alk it adds. Might want to test nwly mixedsaltwater andifneeded shift slat mixes first and asses the tanks consumption rate.

Always dose only clear kalk, the clouding is either: precipitated calcium carbonate which weakens the mix, precipitated impruities which you don't want in your tank or undissoved calcium hydroxide which can dissolve in the tank leading to an overdose.

It doesn't take much mixing but needs settling time and needs to be still and covered and dosed without any of the particulates. A perstaltic pump/timer setup works great. Some diaphrom pumps are also good bets but noisier.

Dosing over the longest practcal time ,peferably 24/7 is optimal. At most no more than 1/4 tsp of kalk powder should be dosed per 50 gallons of tank water in any given hour to avoid pH spikes and over dosing in most aquariums.

 

[E_rock]

Thanks for the info.
okay looks like I am going to have to look into over hauling my ato system. Any recommendations on a system thats not $300? Pretty confident in my electrical skills if there is a cheaper way to build one if thats possible.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

you could always

you could always

CHANCE a BRS topoff doser :lmao:

 

[tmz]

There are 21 pages of perstaltic pumps on ebay ranging from $29.99 to sevaral thousand dollars. The master flex by cole palmer gets good reviews ;maybe a used one can be had at reasonable cost. Then you'd need a multi position timer for $20 to $30 to go with it.

:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=peristaltic+pump&_pgn=4&_skc=75&rt=nc