Kalk Reactor or not?

[txg8gxp]

So after playing around with a kalk reactor, dosing kalk via dosing pump and just useing ca/alk/mag additives I'm starting to learn towards just using 2 part and mag. I'm looking for opinions on rather I should leave my kalk reactor hooked up and running or just use more 2 part. There are several +/- to using kalk and I'm just not sure. My tank has been doing fine with a lower pH (8.0) so I'm not to worried about doseing more via a pump to correct that. My alk is also ok, I prefer a lower alk.(Not sure why, I just do) So my main needs are ca. With the amount of evaporation my tank has the kalk reactor isn't adding much kalk anyways, so is it even worth running it. The benefits to not running it would be- less opportunities for any heavy metals entering the tank, one less piece of equipment to maintain, and it would open up 2 outlets on my reefkeeper for use with other stuff and one less piece of equipment sitting outside my stand. Down sides would only be needing to run alittle more 2 part.(that I can think of) But 2 part through bulkreef is cheap so I'm not too worried about that. Any opinions or advice would be great.

[Mrs. z28pwr]

My tank has been doing better ever since I started using a Kalk Reactor. I used to dose something similar to the two part system but ever since I started using the kalk reactor my corals have been growing faster and the colors appear to be brighter. If you are planning on keeping SPS or clams then I would definately keep it.

[allan]

I've always put a teaspoon in each day, but now I'm using the Todds Method of using a saturation of kalk for a top off source.

Working real good.

I also have taken to adding a smallish handful of Epsom salt once a week for mag.

[txg8gxp]

Yeah, I have a few SPS pieces :)

My tank has been doing better ever since I started using a Kalk Reactor. I used to dose something similar to the two part system but ever since I started using the kalk reactor my corals have been growing faster and the colors appear to be brighter. If you are planning on keeping SPS or clams then I would definately keep it.

Anyone with alot of SPS have any good info for me? The problem I see is that kalk can only maintain levels, not raise them. Once you have high calcium demand kalk can not even maintain levels without help from ca additives. With that said, what would be the point of even using kalk. Only answers I can come up with is slightly lower ca additive costs and to help with higher pH. But once you reach a high ca demand in your tank, if you use alot of kalk it then lowers you mag. So it is no longer cheaper on ca additives if you now have to add more mag additive. So on a high ca demand tank the only benefit I can see is for pH.

[aquasport24]

Every tank is different from the next, you know your tank best. You can try to take it offline and keep an eye out for any major change in your parameters. Eventualy your demand will get higher and you have to hook it back again. I can't live without it in my case, b/c of my calcium reactor's low ph output.

[BSJF]

I would leave it on, unless you just can't stand it. I removed mine when I moved, but my calcium reactor couldn't keep up with the demand of the tank and the pH was always low, so I added it back in when I finally got around to reinstalling the ATO. Even with that I again exceeded the fun limit inside the tank. So now, with my current demand (tank full of SPS, clams...), I am using a calcium reactor, kalk reactor with my ATO, and auto dose several times throughout the day (alk, calc, and mag). I finally have it stablized.