manage calcium and Kh

[Newsalth2o]

added a calcium drip 2 tsp of kalcwasser mixed in a gallon of RO then strained and added to 1 gallon RO for a 2 gallon batch. Its at a drip rate to add the 2 gallons over 5 days. calcium went from 440 to 460 in 5 days. Kh is holding 8 been dosing 1 tsp superbuffer DKh weekly with water change of 7 gallons. Any ideas how to automate dkh? Should/could it be dripped like the calcium? Can it be batch mixed with the kalc soluition? Would there be a reaction between the two in the storage? Any thoughts would be appreciated...

 

[aquaph8]

Kalk should supply both Cal/Alk pretty balanced but it won't raise one or the other. You gotta use your two part calcium additive to get it where you want it. Then if you demand isnt too high you can keep it there with kalk. You don't have to strain it, just don't pump it off the bottom of the container.

 

[Newsalth2o]

The alk on my 125 is running a steady 8 with a PH of 8 I've been trying to get them both up by dosing the Dkh weekly. Over the last month the ph as been swinging 7.8 to 8 every week. I started with a kh of 12 in late November at startup and just a steady decline to the 8. Everything else is zeroed out and corals are growin ok excellent polyp extension on everything. Maybe thats just were this tank is going to run?

 

[aquaph8]

What are you trying to get your alk up to?
What product are you using?

 

[Newsalth2o]

Trying for 10 and Kent superbuffer dkh

 

[brettinteriors]

Supper buffer Dkh is a mix of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. If you are trying to raise you ph you will want to switch to just sodium carbonate. It is sold on bulk reef supply and has the calculator of how much to add to reach the desired Dkh level based on your water volume. I shoot for 9 Dkh as I find if it gets up to ten my calcium gets too low. I dont use kallwasser so I am no help with that. I add dry sodium carbonate to my auto topoff water so it is added throughout the day. My tank sucks down alkalinity and my Dkh would go down by .6 daily depending on my calcium level if I didn't dose. I have maintained my tank at a Dkh of between 8.5 and 9.3 for some time using this method. Water changes cause some fluctuation.

 

[itsmateo]

The alk on my 125 is running a steady 8 with a PH of 8 I've been trying to get them both up by dosing the Dkh weekly. Over the last month the ph as been swinging 7.8 to 8 every week. I started with a kh of 12 in late November at startup and just a steady decline to the 8. Everything else is zeroed out and corals are growin ok excellent polyp extension on everything. Maybe thats just were this tank is going to run?

The best thing to do is instead of trying to chase a number, like 10 or 11 or 9, as long as your within range, being able to keep it steady will make your corals the happiest. so if you can keep it at 8, without a bunch of added effort keep it at 8. :thumbsup: