Kalk = hitting my head against a wall

[GRREEF]

I was so proud of finding a local supply of Mrs. Wages the other day. ($1.75 a pound). I set up a kalk drip system. My water seems to keep testing at about 425ppm Cal. and 2.75-3 meq alk. I had been trying to keep the alk around 4.5 meq and calcium around 450 with a two part system. I do not have but a few small sps in my tank, which under VHO survive but grow s-l-o-w. The rest are softies. I drip about a gallon a day as my top-off water.

Should I go back to the two part system? The 2-part seemed easier. Although, I like that my pH is now stable (8.0 night - 8.2 day), but want to be sure my alk is ok.

I'm upgrading to MH next month and want to get this figured out before I start adding more sps.

 

[ReefLife1680]

kalk only maintains the alk and calcium levels. You will have to raise it to the specified levels THEN use kalk to maintain it.

I assume you know about kalk saturation? Can't just mix and drip, it has to be continually mixed if you are dripping the mix into your tank for a prolonged preiod of time.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Personally, I think your values right now are perfect right now, but if you want things a bit higher, you'd need to add more limewater. Are you replacing all evaporated water with saturated limewater? You might be able to increase evaporation with fans.

Some of a two part in addition to the limewater is another fine option, either a commercial brand, or my DIY:

A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm


Can't just mix and drip, it has to be continually mixed if you are dripping the mix into your tank for a prolonged preiod of time.

I disagree with that. A still solution can sit just fine for weeks. I show that in this article:

The Degradation of Limewater (Kalkwasser) in Air
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rhf/feature/index.htm


kalk only maintains the alk and calcium levels. You will have to raise it to the specified levels THEN use kalk to maintain it.


Folks often say that because alkalinity rises much faster than calcium using it (1 meq/L for each 20 ppm in calcium), but he could actually get to about where he wants with more limewater since he is not looking for a big calcium rise.

425 ppm calcium and 2.75-3 meq alk

could go to

445 ppm calcium and 3.75-4 meq/L

 

[GRREEF]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6550394#post6550394 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefLife1680
kalk only maintains the alk and calcium levels. You will have to raise it to the specified levels THEN use kalk to maintain it.

Thanks guys. I should have mentioned that when I try to raise it to those levels independently of the kalk, they just fall right back down in 24 hours.

I have about a total of 50-55 gallons in my system and about a gallon is all I can get to evaporate. I run fans already.

I'm not so worried about the Calcium because so long as I am above 400 everyone looks happy in my tank. With the Alk, everything seems happy when I'm at least 3.75-4.0. (My desired calcium level is just so the corresponding alk will be balanced) I'd like to see it at 4.5 just to have a cushion there.

Following Randy, I guess I'll keep it where it is for awhile and see what happens.

Thanks!:mixed:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you still want to boost, and can't dose more limewater, then there are two options:

1. Use some of a two part along with the limewater
2. Add vinegar to the limewater, and increase the lime to 3 tsp per gallon of limewater (45 mL distilled white vinegar per gallon of limewater).

 

[steve the plumb]

I find best way to maintain levels is to use randys formula and top off with kalk.Depending on the demands of your tank you may get good results with just the kalk.I get good alk levels just with kalk7-8 range.I decided to dose randys 2 formulas to keep the alk closer to 9 dkh plus since my auto top off unit is only 5 gals my alk levels drop to 7 dkh when my 5 gals of top off emty.Many times I would be left with kalk in my unit so somtimes I add lees kalk when I refill.I find dosing the alk with a doser always gives me a dkh of 8.4 even when kalk doser gets low.My 5 gals evaporates every 3 days.I also use less kalk this way.