Whats the Best Cal & Alk Supplement?
- Thread starter InADream
- Start date
cd77
Premium Member
Well, C-Balance / B-Ionic contain other balanced trace elements so that is worth taking into consideration. They can't be mixed together, so to automate it you'd need two separate reservoirs and a drip or dosing pump. Limewater is very cheap if you're just looking for calcium / alkalinity and can be used as topoff water or with a kalk stirrer. As it is advertised, the two part solutions can also be used to supplement kalkwasser.
Check out: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php
Check out: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php
Zucker26
New member
I personally have been having great luck with daily dosing of C-Balance 2-part as well as using kalkwasser in my ATO. I used some liquid calcium to boost the calcium levels initially, but the 2-part has maintained great levels ever since.
I know one guy who uses only Kent Turbo Calcium and Kent Superbuffer dKh, alternating each one every day making sure not to add them both on the same day. That guy has an amazing tank and seems to have coral growth that is out of this world!
I know one guy who uses only Kent Turbo Calcium and Kent Superbuffer dKh, alternating each one every day making sure not to add them both on the same day. That guy has an amazing tank and seems to have coral growth that is out of this world!
I just bought a kit from www.twopartsolution.com a couple of days ago and so far its working great. It's the same thing as B-Ionic and all the regular cal and alk solutions but just "generic" and you do the mixing yourself. Oh, I almost forgot, its ridiculously cheap. They are RC sponsors too.
Check out the web site
Check out the web site
sherm71tank
Premium Member
I use this:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
It works great and it's super cheap! I dose it with a liter meter 3 from spectrapure and it works flawlessly.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
It works great and it's super cheap! I dose it with a liter meter 3 from spectrapure and it works flawlessly.
2-part solution raises the specific gravity of your tank water. If you dilute this with fresh water then over time the ionic balance of your tank becomes skewed towards Na+ and Cl-. The only way to stop or reverse this process this is regular water changes. Alternatively, C-Balance and B-Ionic (and maybe others) contain a host of other ions found in seawater to keep your tank looking more like NSW as you dilute it to maintain specific gravity. I don't know how well it works.
OTOH, limewater and Knop reactors don't skew the chemistry of your tank water. Instead they add calcium and alkalinity directly. So monitoring SG and changing water regularly isn't as critical.
Knop reactors have high up front costs but are able to satisfy very large calcification demands with very low ongoing maintenance and cost.
OTOH, limewater and Knop reactors don't skew the chemistry of your tank water. Instead they add calcium and alkalinity directly. So monitoring SG and changing water regularly isn't as critical.
Knop reactors have high up front costs but are able to satisfy very large calcification demands with very low ongoing maintenance and cost.
InADream
I'm That Guy!!
Hey sherm71tank, when you dose the 2 part system do you see any rise in SG or what burris was talking about... I will probably start the 2 part system tomorrow and see how that works... I mean I do a water change every other week and top off when ever needed, think I will be ok...
Dream
Dream
sherm71tank
Premium Member
I have not noticed any SG rise.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
I use recipe # 1 part 3a for the magnesium.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
If I didn't do a water change for a year I wouldn't have a tank to worry about.
Seachem Reef supplements, dry form, although I would switch to DIY supplement, If I had access to MgCl2.
The positive side, comparing to ESV 2-part solutions, that you know on how much alkalinity increases with each dose, and no such data on ESV bottles.
I'm using both - on different tanks.
The positive side, comparing to ESV 2-part solutions, that you know on how much alkalinity increases with each dose, and no such data on ESV bottles.
I'm using both - on different tanks.
BangkokMatt
New member
I use c-balance. All good.
loosecannon
New member
Mrs. Wages pickling lime. 2.50$ @ wall-mart.
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