Kalkwasser?

[sergiotami]

Who uses it and how? I've talked to a few members who have used it in a drip system w excellent results. I currently use the BRS two part system, w decent results.....

[allan]

I'm using a kalk reactor to keep up PH... but man, it's hard. I've been able to get it steady at 8.10 or so during the day, but it drops at night.

[sergiotami]

Seen your tank and love the growth, seems it worth the work.... I've bought the mix, just still a little unsure....

[gcantu]

I purchased a kalk stirrer and use it attached to my ATO.

[sergiotami]

Do you have pics of your set up w a little detailed info on how u set it up? Just trying to educate myself....:)

[Sherita]

I use it, but in my ato rather than a reactor. My tanks stay pretty stable, so I'm happy with the method. Ymmv.

[rrasco]

Allan, when did you switch to a reactor?

I tried using a kalk reactor, but I wasn't able to keep my alkalinity up. I had a few corals STN during that episode. I don't know if it was because my evaporation rate was too low so it wasn't dosing enough through the ATO, but it didn't work out well for me. People tend to recommend 2-part to supplement it, but then I wonder what the point of kalk is in that case. I just went back to 2-part and ordered some dosing pumps. Still not ready to let the kalk reactor go, but not trusting it for the time being either.

[Big_Pun]

i use a kalk reactor kinda like the one GEO makes, but instead of hooking it up to my rodi(reactor has 1/4 john guest fittings) i had to use a ro/di booster pump but im sure a tunze osmilator would have worked but i had that laying around. any way so the reactor has a inlet on the top and a rigid tube that goes to the bottom so water is pumped in and the saturated water is pushed through another john guest connection at the top of reactor to my sump. Reactor has a external pump that is connected to my reef keeper and is turned on 6 times a day to stir the water. i fill it up with kalk +2 by brightwell every two months or more.

[Cammed_02]

Right now I dose it via my ATO. 1.5 tsp/gallon in a 5 gallon bucket mixed well and let it sit overnight for the kalk to saturate the water and the precipitate to precipitate out. Then I just swap the empty 5 gallon container for the kalk saturated one and done. Good for about 5 days.

[allan]

Robert, I put it into play Saturday. I'm still struggling to keep my ph up... it will probably be two or three weeks before it stabalizes.

My alk was dropping way low and I discovered that the kilo 28 bricks weren't enough to keep up with the tank. So I'm slowly working on getting the system stable. Right now my goal is keeping it stable at 8.05... then I will be increasing the target until I've got it around 8.2, over the course of several weeks.

I've got to check my calcium to ensure it's where I want it, and my alkalinity seems to have come up to around 105-115 (I have a hard time identifying which colors are closer). To that end I plan on picking up a Hanna checker for Calcium, Alkalinity, and when it's developed one for Magnesium.

As you may remember, or perhaps not, I've always mixed a spoonful of kalk into a quart container, shake it madly about, and then dump it into my sump. Over the last three and a half years I've not had any problems with it. But recently I started using two spoonfuls, and those became heaping spoonfuls, and then I changed over to the 28 Kilo bricks, and my sps started fading, burned tips everywhere, and I've lost maybe four colonies one after the other.

I've started this regiment after noticing that my Ora Stuber was beginning to fade. Indeed, before I got the kalk reactor I started mixing a heavy solution of kalk in a two quart container and keeping an eye on my PH readings, I would periodically dose the tank a little bit at a time until my PH went up. But that's highly dependant upon my ability to properly dose and keeping a schedule... which I couldn't. I've been doing that for the last three to four weeks.

Sunday I noticed that one or two of the tips of my Ora Stuber had burned, but last night and this morning it looks like it's doing okay. The problem is that I am only now starting to get my tank up on its feet. And I'm doing it the wrong way, according to kalkies all over.

You should never try to raise your levels by using kalk. I should be using calcium and maybe a buffer to bring my levels up to a respectful level. Instead I'm running through mad water tryting to keep the fluid running through the kalk mixer in response to the levels that I'm demanding through my RKE. If I'm still struggling this weekend I plan on going to one of the LFS to get the fluids needed to safely and completely raise my parameters to where they need to be, thus allowing the kalk mixer to maintain instead of build the levels needed.

So far, I'm happy with the effects.

[rrasco]

Yeah, I remember you used to dose via that container. I use BRS 2-part for leveling things out, and 100% dosing at this point.

Odd you mention the stubor, as I almost lost that whole colony you gave me. Maybe they are sensitive. When I switched to kalk, my alk went from 8.7 to 7.0 and it started receding, fast. After fixing the alk, it continued to recede for 2 more days. Now I just have a few tips with flesh, but I'm going to nurse it back. My hollywood stunner also took a beating. Those were the only two that threw a fit.

I don't even test for pH. I will get real-time readings once my new controller is built though.

Did you pick up Tony's AIs, or did I read that wrong in the other thread? Assuming you did, keep an eye on the kalk because your evap rates will change. I think that was where I had an issue, not enough evap. I would be very cautious and keep an eye on your levels daily, it didn't take long for mine to crash and cause issues.

Also, on the Hanna checkers, I think the calcium one gets a pretty bad rap. I've never used one, I only have a p04, but I'd look into that before you drop $50 on one.

[Big_Pun]

that sounds like a great plan allan and exactly what should be done. your tank will bounce back once it stables off. i did the same with drip system, and when i burned a few tips i broke down and bought a reactor.

[Big_Pun]

hey robert your correct about the cal test.the problem with calcium test is you have to use zero tds water or hanna has their own water to use with the test otherwise you get skeewed numbers. ive seen this first hand.

[polarbear]

I use it, but in my ato rather than a reactor. My tanks stay pretty stable, so I'm happy with the method. Ymmv.
Do you just add the dose to your ATO bucket? Do you keep a power head in there to circulate the water?

[allan]

hey robert your correct about the cal test.the problem with calcium test is you have to use zero tds water or hanna has their own water to use with the test otherwise you get skeewed numbers. ive seen this first hand.

I didn't realize this about the hanna checkers, but just to clarify... you've got to zero out the probe with the reagent before attempting to run a test, correct? And if done properly then your results are good? I don't need a perfect check, but if I'm within 50 of the actual level I should be fine.

[Big_Pun]

those of you who have not used it before and are thniking about it please ask a lot of question or do a lot of research. you can really mess up a tank quick with this stuff, but if used properly its great if it fits your needs for your tank. i moved to it for a couple of reasons, i had a lot of trouble holding ph( i have a RKE that charts my levels so i know whats going on all day) also my calcium demands with a large amount calcium sucking sps was causing me to dose so much 2 part it was getting expensive. if your demands are not high in your tank i would get a quality 2 part additive.

[Big_Pun]

I didn't realize this about the hanna checkers, but just to clarify... you've got to zero out the probe with the reagent before attempting to run a test, correct? And if done properly then your results are good? I don't need a perfect check, but if I'm within 50 of the actual level I should be fine.



so the cal test requires 10 ml of pure water and .01 ml of actual tank water. i always keep my rodi at 0-3 tds. so when i have a fresh change of filters i collect and store some in clean sealed bottles to use for this test. the other test do not require any pure water just tank water

[polarbear]

ya i use BRS 2 part for my needs.

[Paul28]

me i love the kalk reactor style for ato works good with my cal reactor to takes the co2 out of the drip from the cal reactor only thing i dose is Mag im maybe thinking of buying another reactor to drip mag but ill need another reactor i dont want to run both together becuse the ph has to be lower then 6.3 in the reactor to break down the mag and i dont want to melt my arcanite media and run 2 ph controlers for each reactor, also if i do get to mutch co2 or ph drop, the kal reactor i have on the ato also can become a drip style, not shur what type kalk reactor it is i bought it from Mike(Texreefer) maybe 3 yaers ago think it might be a PM. A reactor is a good way to add Calcium Hydroxide but be so carful not to OD your tank start slow real slow the ph on Calcuim hydroxide i think is 12.0 so you add to mutch your ph can fly up every system is defrent noone can tell you how mutch you need to add to the tank you just half to play with it SLOWLY . o yeh when you mix it let it settle before it adds becuse over the years of useing it your pumps will stop working becuse of bicarbonate biuld up on them it looks like a white crust sorry for run on and miss spell

[rrasco]

Somewhere in this article RHF illustrates how much saturated limewater you can safely add at once. I would quote the part from it but I couldn't find that part at first glance. It is in there though.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

[Zen Reef]

Fwiw, I had to bring up all my levels when I started using my Kalk reactor. I started with mg as buffering capability is dependent on sufficient mg level. Then I took my calcium to 500 and then my alk to 9dkh. At that point, my ph sat right around 8.1 at night and 8.2ish during the light cycle so I set my rke to control my Kalk reactor at the set point of 8.15. It's been left alone for about 3 months now and my calcium is 480-500, mg at 1460-1480 and alk 9-10 during my weekly(well monthly now) tests. I dumped a 450g container of Kalk+2 into the reactor when I started and I doesn't seem to have gone down much. Does anyone know if it's ok to keep the Kalk until its all used up or is there a "expiration" on the Kalk in the reactor?

[Paul28]

when my kalk starts to look like wet bread kinda like snow i drain the reactor and start new

[Paul28]

co2 has bond to it gets bread liike ,make shur your water out of your RO unit dosent splash when its filling up so it dosent pick up Co2 before it gets to the reactor sorry for spelling :)

[Zen Reef]

Gotcha Paul. I've yet to see anything like that. My reactor's stirrer is always on though and my Kalk stays suspended in a liquidy state. Not sure if I'll see if go breadlike. How long between your cleanings usually ?

[Paul28]

there is no need to keep it mixing all the time only have it mix as needed you dont want all that powder in your tank the calcuim hardening will bond to all pump magnets faster when mixed it turns to lime water and the paste will drop to the bottem then when that water is yoused throgh the tank mix it again not shur if you understand me typeing it im bad at spelling and writing im labor for life haha :)



sorry not bread like but if you put bread in water a mixed it up it will look like that

[Richard]

My alk was dropping way low and I discovered that the kilo 28 bricks weren't enough to keep up with the tank.

Are you talking about the Sealab #28 bricks? No carbonates in those...they won't do anything for alk. They are just calcium chloride, mag, and trace elements. Kalk helps to maintain alk but it takes alot of kalwasser to raise low alk. I'd use baking soda to help bring it up and then kalkwasser to help maintain it.

What's your calcium level?

[Zen Reef]

there is no need to keep it mixing all the time only have it mix as needed you dont want all that powder in your tank the calcuim hardening will bond to all pump magnets faster when mixed it turns to lime water and the paste will drop to the bottem then when that water is yoused throgh the tank mix it again not shur if you understand me typeing it im bad at spelling and writing im labor for life haha :)



sorry not bread like but if you put bread in water a mixed it up it will look like that

No pumps are exposed to Kalk or limewater on my application. I avoided it for just that reason. Just simply curious if the Kalk in a reactor should be completely replaced.

[Paul28]

all pumps in your tank if it is always mixing the kalk it self dosent drop to the bottem for only the water to leave the reactor the kalk is going too alot of it

[Zen Reef]

I understand what you're saying and appreciate the advise. Again there are no pumps exposed to Kalk on my application. I was just wondering that one thing.

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?73420-Kalk-Stirrer

[Paul28]

:) ahhh thats a cool reactor you made yeh just try and keep the co2 off it and it will last longer :)

[sergiotami]

Great Thread, Very Informative! So basically Kalkwasser is Calcium? Any other things I should dose tank with to keep a stable reef tank?

[rrasco]

Calcium hydroxide actually. If you have not already, I highly recommend giving this a read.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php