Kalkwasser

thanks!

thanks!

Welcome back!
I ended up getting the last big Aqua Medis stirrer on BRS.
Looks like a winner!
Started ripping the reef apart tonight for the move.
 
i was thinking about adding kalk to my system oddly enough i have never used it in all these years. My new setup will mainly be lps so thinking i may not have to dose with kalk.. Currently i have a brute container with my ro water i use for top off how do you guys add it to the brute container just toss x amount in and leave a pump running to stir it? my setup refills itself automatically how do i know when to add more is there a way to test the level or is it just trial and error
 
2 tsp per gallon cold ro.
Stir. No pump because limewater will destroy it.
The kalk will reach saturation when you stir it.
Close the lid on brute. A thin floating crust will form on the surface when you do this correctly. No need to stir the kalk in the brute until you add more ro water. Best to use the whole barrel before starting the process of making more.
 
So being I basically have a auto tip of setup that automatically refills I wonder if just doing a drip might be better for me prob I have is my ro stuff is very far from sump so being a plumber I just ran lines so I don’t need to go down there then I have a pump in basement hooked to a WiFi outlet when I need to top off I just say Alexa turn on pump and it fills haha
 
It's advised to drip kalk into system via peristaltic type pump. Personally, I use a litremeter.

Not to go off topic... but I've been reefing and taking vacations for over 20 years. Up to this point, I don't need to monitor my aquarium online when I leave town for a week at a time.

The few reefing disasters I've had while away involved someone else taking care of my aquarium.

*Back to the original subject*
Preparing kalk is as easy as making a 30 gallon barrel full of kool-aid. You just need to remember that calcium hydroxide/pickling lime/kalkwasser/limewater is CAUSTIC.
ie: don't sniff it :jester:
 
Litremeter setup involves calculating rate of evap and calculating the rate the Litremeter pumps fluid into your aquarium (which varies in each case because head pressure varies in different situations). You program it. Instructioms come with each unit and online.
You can set it up to dose whatever you'd like but it works extremely well for replacing evap.
 
I use a Litermeter too with a 20 something Gallon Brute. So easy to dial in. Just had to back it down due to the nice weather.
 
gandolf8 said:
Anyone using kalk if so how are you doing it top off or
drip .? Having trouble with low ph . thx.
Click to expand...

Im kind of an old school reefer and all my make up water is RO/Kalk+2 which I mix in a gallon jug for 24 ours before I drip it into my tanks. For a dripper I am using a 1/2 gallon Repti-Dripper that allows me to drip the Kalk into the tank much the way a IV Drip works. Typically when I drip the Kalk I will drip it directly into my sump where the return pump is located. My Ph generally runs from about 8.0 to 8.4 .
 
Just finished setting my son's 29g reef with a drip. Decided to use the Kalk/vinegar from my garage system 'cause when I mix the kalk with the vinegar, it dissolves completely, so less chance of clogging the drip. We are dripping old school with an old water bottle and a good siphon.
Cheers! Mark
 
ok been dosing kalk for about 3 months now ph is now 8.03 and stable
But ALK is running at 12.5 how can I reduce this . I did a 50 gal water change yesterday thx.
 
Just shut it off and let it drop on its own. If you’re using it for top off like I do, I just have a fresh RO 5 gallon pail to draw from while it drops.
 
gandolf8 said:
ok been dosing kalk for about 3 months now ph is now 8.03 and stable
But ALK is running at 12.5 how can I reduce this . I did a 50 gal water change yesterday thx.
Click to expand...

Honestly I'd prioritize Alkalinity over pH but you may want to also double check and test if you Alk/Ca/Mg is balanced. You can have Alk spikes if low in Ca and Mg.

What I've found in the winter time with the house all closed up I need to run a higher Alk to maintain the pH closer to 8.2 but 12dkH is still a tad high.
 
gandolf8 said:
ok been dosing kalk for about 3 months now ph is now 8.03 and stable
But ALK is running at 12.5 how can I reduce this . I did a 50 gal water change yesterday thx.
Click to expand...
did you test dKH of your new 50 gallons of saltwater?
A lot of artificial salts mix up to 10/11 dKH... meaning that water changes to reduce 12.5 dKH is most likely not the best way to go.
Like others have already suggested:
Top off with RO water until dKH drops to desired level and then resume topoff with kalk.
 
My Litremeter is presently set up to only replace evap with kalkwasser. (I never added extra pumps for other additions.)
Replacement rate is based on evap rate.
LM gives instructions how to calculate it's flow (pumping) rate. You simply dial in your evap rate and LM replaces daily evap amount in small increments daily.
I used to have LM drawing kalk from a 30 gallon Brute but in the new setup I have it drawing RO from a 55 gallon aquarium (reservoir) then pushing it through a newly added kalkstirrer.
Coincidentally, I just now checked alkalinity here and kalk alone is not keeping up with demand.
I'll need to get my calcium reactor fired up asap.


I do not monitor display pH. My pH probe is used inside the calcium reactor to control release of CO2.
 
ok Top off with RO water until dKH drops to desired level and then resume topoff with kalk. now should I use the litermeter for kalk and the tunse for ro water ?thx.
 
I'm not familiar with the Tunze equipment you mentioned... but it works by (water level) sensor, right?
The Litremeter is (basically) a programmable peristaltic pump. Two different methods of topping off for evap. Both can work.

Litremeter also has the added ability to dose any liquids you choose.
 
ok here is what I did have 2 30 brute trash can 1 with R/O 1 with kalk have Tunze top off to R/O water and the Litermeter to the Kalk. Also red sea make a salt blue bucket with Alk at 7.2 to 8.6 may switch right now I use Tropic marin
 
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