Kalkwasser and SPS

P

powertec

New member
I was thinking of trying this method and would like to hear some feed back from the people using this system on their sps system.
 
lets see it adds calcium and alkalinity, but you should be doing that anyways on a sps system... it does have the added benefit of absorbing phosphates though..

However I don't have a regular schedule of dosing it.
 
Go to the chemistry forum and read about it. I mix mine in to my auto top-off water and let it drip in that way. It helps keep the calc and alk steady w/o the hassle of daily dosing. You can mix up to 2 tsps per gallon, most of my sps are still small, so I only add about 1 tsp per gallon.
 
Kalk is the best thing going, all natural, balanced and requires only minimal effort. Imix 55gal at a time then dose it over the of a week or so. usually lasts 8 or 9 days. Another good point you can buy bulk amounts cheap. VERRY CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I also run Kalk in my topoff water. After starting it again recently I wondered why I ever quit doing in the first place. I guess I got caught up in the whole two-part thing. I still dose two-part but now I use Kalk as my primary. Instead of the aquarium stuff I just use Mrs. Wages pickling lime.
 
for a tank that has a low demand for calcium and alk, then a kalk reactor (check out deltec km500 or Geo) plumbed into your top-off will get you by.

if you plan on having many sps, then after a certain point in time the kalkwasser solution will not be strong enough to keep up with the demand...when those little frags turn into colonies they suck up the alkalinity.

thats when you get a calcium reactor or dose two-part. the kalk reactor will now be a secondary source...mainly there to keep ph up. but it still adds Ca and alk, its just that, for e.g., i dose two-part with a doser and it is my primary source for ca and alk. need more alk? just dial in another 5ml. as the corals grow, just keep increasing dosage.

calcium reactor the same thing, just different tool.
 
Like "flyingphish" said, after a while Kalk may not be able to keep up with the demands of your tank.

I drip Kalk 24/7, but it can't keep up -- I dose 100+ ML of each two part each night. Granted my tank(s) have a lot of SPS.
 
By and large, my Ca Reactor handles all my calcium and alk needs. I run a kalk reactor on a continuous drip more or less to help offset the lower pH of the Ca Reactor effluent.
 
Thank you guys, i'm just getting into SPS on my 75 gal. Now, i'm dosing blindly with 2 part b-ionic.

I found this great deal on an old Cal Reactor so I think I might buy that based on your comments.

Now, I have to learn how to set this up. Looks intimidating...sigh.

Thanks again,
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14278331#post14278331 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Daniel.luu
Thank you guys, i'm just getting into SPS on my 75 gal. Now, i'm dosing blindly with 2 part b-ionic.

I found this great deal on an old Cal Reactor so I think I might buy that based on your comments.

Now, I have to learn how to set this up. Looks intimidating...sigh.

Thanks again,
Click to expand...

I wouldn't even consider buying it until you start to test your parameters (( which I am lead to believe that you don't, when you said that you "blindly dose" -- I could be wrong. ))
 
Thanks for the reminder Todd,

I tested my base line of ca,alk, and mag at the lfs for the past 2 months.

What i'm mean by dosing blindly is I don't have anything to monitor the dosage. I just dose about 20ml every other day now. Then i'd would test my CA level every 3 weeks. Currently, it's at around 430-450, alk-9 (tested month ago).
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14278446#post14278446 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Daniel.luu
Thanks for the reminder Todd,

I tested my base line of ca,alk, and mag at the lfs for the past 2 months.

What i'm mean by dosing blindly is I don't have anything to monitor the dosage. I just dose about 20ml every other day now. Then i'd would test my CA level every 3 weeks. Currently, it's at around 430-450, alk-9 (tested month ago).
Click to expand...

If those are your levels and you are only dosing 20 ml every other day, not sure that a Cal reactor would be worth the money -- at least right now. Heck I dose 100 ml each night. :)

As your SPS grow, and the demands for Cal/Alk should start to test more often and/or when you add more corals. Right now I am testing every other week, since my SPS seem to be growing like weeds, and my demands change with that.
 
I just set up a DIY Kalk doser a couple days ago with a 2 liter bottle and some airline tubing. Found the "recipe" here: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/agu/kalkdripper.htm.

I am still tweaking the drip to get it just right with the evaporation rate, but for a small (55gal) tank with a few Monti caps and some softies and LPS, it will suffice for a while. Cost me a grand total of about $6-$8 including the Coke to drink.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14278446#post14278446 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Daniel.luu
Thanks for the reminder Todd,

I tested my base line of ca,alk, and mag at the lfs for the past 2 months.

What i'm mean by dosing blindly is I don't have anything to monitor the dosage. I just dose about 20ml every other day now. Then i'd would test my CA level every 3 weeks. Currently, it's at around 430-450, alk-9 (tested month ago).
Click to expand...

good job danny, you are doing everything right. and you ARE monitoring your dosage, you dose 20ml every other day, which is keeping your parameters in check. perfect!

i would buy two test kits. CA and Alk. check out marinedepot.com or go to aquatic gallery in milpitas...they both carry elos test kits.

a test kit at home is vital. when you get your new equipment, test alk everyday. get that parameter spot on, then adjust calcium. that is if you stay with two-part. and if you do get an electronic doser.

if you go the calcium reactor route you will be just as happy with the results.
 
Kalk is great when used right! I drip kalk 24/7 from a DIY kalk reactor along with 2-part dosing. I like kalk and 2-part much better than my old Ca reactor. I dont mind the daily dosing as much as others do!

Flyingphish- Great avatar. The SR22 is a great airplane! I fly into koak a bit-not to far from pao! :)
 
I use calc and Tropic Marin Biocalcium. The calc doesn't provide quite enough calcium but it does help stabilize the pH drops that I have noted from the addition of calcium chloride (the biocalcium).
 
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