kalk not enough?

[Europhyllia]

My tank used to have nice levels of alk and calcium but lately I am having so much trouble keeping both high enough.
Coralline algae used to grow like crazy but I haven't had to scrape it off the front glass in a few weeks now.
I have been dosing kalk in the top off water and really liked that system. I am worried if I dose any more kalk my pH will go too high though. Right now it's 8.0 in the AM and 8.35 before lights out -just where I want it.

I got a two-part to boost calcium and alk a little but it seems like I go through the bottles fairly quickly without much of a boost.

Some things do grow in my tank like I can see the Blue Ridge coral encrusting the rock really quickly and the clams for some reason are growing new scutes like crazy.

So how do I get alk and calcium back up - cheap and simply preferred!

[Europhyllia]

You'll probably want to know what the numbers are:
I've previously kept it at 12 dkh and 450 calcium
Now I'm just creeping around 380 calcium and 7 dkh even with the kalk top off.

[justahobby]

Has your salinity dropped off? I've found my calcium drops and will not stay up unless my SG is 1.0205 -6.

There's some really good DIY 2 parts that are relatively cheap. I have the stuff to make it and can bring it over tomorrow to get you started and show you what you need.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

[Europhyllia]

My salinity is perfect (I think). I have a nice refractometer and check it once a week to make sure my new saltwater is the same as my tank water.
Both are at 35.
I'll read that article after I get the little one to bed. Thanks!

[justahobby]

Anytime

[wkada]

might want to check your magnesium level. If it is low, it can make it difficult to keep Ca levels up.

[TexasTodd]

Check mg levels. You want 1300-1400.

The it's calcium reactor or bulk two part solution time.

You might be able to get by with B-Ionic 2 part for a while but it will get expensive eventually.

Todd

[Europhyllia]

according to salifert my mag is 1380 :)

[ErikH]

which tank is this on?

Either way you need to start dosing with a bigger system. What is the PH of your fresh water after you add kalk and it has settled? It should be at 12 and should only be dosed at night when your PH is lower.

[Paul28]

whats your Phosphates at ?

[Europhyllia]

phosphates are 0 (probably because my algae are eating it all up! lol)

[TexasTodd]

If you are using kalkwasser for all make up water, then go get B-Ionic or equivelent and start dosing.

Todd

[Europhyllia]

What is the PH of your fresh water after you add kalk and it has settled? It should be at 12 and should only be dosed at night when your PH is lower.

I guess don't mix it up to where pH is that high. Maybe I've been diluting it too much. (I was a little scared of waking up and the pH being sky high due to accidental kalk overdose). I'll try a little more kalk in the solution.

[corruption]

With the slurry methods, you typically want to oversaturate the make up water as high as possible, and then only add back enough to adjust your ph swing to where you want it -- a bit of a balancing act to get it down pat. The water will only absorb so much of the kalk, and the remainder will precipitate to the bottom of the container -- make sure to only add the parts that are thoroughly absorbed, not the precipitate at the bottom of the container -- this is still 'unactivated' kalk, and the next time you top off with water, the limewater left in the container will begin the saturation of the fresh water.

-Corruption

[TexasTodd]

Ah, I didn't realize you weren't using full strength kalkwasser.

You can put up to about 1 teaspoon per gallon.

Some worry about letting it settle out and only using the more clear solution. I NEVER have and have never had a problem. THINK about all the people using Kalk reactors, they never let the solution settle out!

You do need to watch your alk and ph as you ramp up solution concentration. Kalk is strange, you actually get a higher concentration with a LOWER water temp (not tank, talking about kalkwasser storage vessle here). You can also increase the concentration further by adding some vinegar, but then you don't get as much PH increase that most people are looking for.

T

[Europhyllia]

Kalk is strange, you actually get a higher concentration with a LOWER water temp (not tank, talking about kalkwasser storage vessle here). You can also increase the concentration further by adding some vinegar, but then you don't get as much PH increase that most people are looking for.

T
Wow Todd that's really interesting. I have a heater in there. Maybe I'll turn it down a bit. It was the pH that I was worried about and the reason I didn't go with a stronger solution because before lights out my pH is already at 8.37. I was worried with higher concentration I'd get higher pH than I'd want (even if dosing several hours after lights out)

[corruption]

A kalk reactor by definition is putting out the concentrated and saturated effluent... thats a different situation than mixing up kalk in an external vessel.. I still believe that the pure kalk shouldn't be allowed into the tank, until its saturated into the water -- too much possibility of burns on corals/fish/etc -- that stuff's pretty caustic :)

-Corruption

[TexasTodd]

Kalk reactors stir every few minutes and then dose anytime the float valve or ato demand water. If it's just stirred the whole reactor and immediately (or during stirring) tops off, what's the difference?

I'm not saying not to fully mix it, but some won't dose kalkwasser until it's been mixed and set for like 12+ hours.

Yes, VERY caustic

Karin, are you using a ph probe or test kit? If probe, when is the last time you've cleaned it in vinegar and re-calibrated?

T

[Europhyllia]

I am using a pinpoint meter and I think I cleaned it last time about 3 weeks ago.
My values have made it into acceptable range now although a little higher would be nicer. Alk is 8.3 dkh and calcium is 400. (too bad it took two not so cheap bottles of 2-part to get there. hopefully just stronger kalk will work from here on out)
I was taking a closer look at my hard corals and my birdsnest has a ton of new little buds for new branches and the digitatas seem to be putting out new 'bumps' as well so creeping along the low end must have not been too detrimental to their health.