I've been doing this since April of this year. A lot of misunderstanding and flaming in this thread.
I dosed kalkwasser many years ago when I was first starting out via an ATO and float valve. Not the best method in retrospect. Like many of us we didn't know 100% how it worked. It just worked. NO really, this is sort of re-inventing the wheel like others in this thread has said, but just in a much more controlled fashion. Some wheels are better than others. For me personally, the jury is out on this method, and I am still considering Randy's Sodium Hydroxide 2 Part recipe and using a part C from Tropic Marin.
My code found in the Neptune DOS gear icon, under the advance tab:
Comments are indicated in forward slashes "//" which explains what each line's purpose
My settings in the Neptune DOS:
Below is my pH graph. Lights out at 18:30 and lights on at 06:30. Due to the conditional statements that I coded in, kalkwasser is dosed in at this time replenishing calcium and alkalinity.
Why am I doing this fad? Pros?
What do I wish it address? Cons?
That's my two cents. I hope this helps clear things up! It's great for those on a budget. It's not worth all these flames. It's a perfectly legitimate system to dose calcium and alkalinity. Chris might not be the most eloquent speaker but practicality speaking what he's doing is working well for him and others. Reef on y'all.
I dosed kalkwasser many years ago when I was first starting out via an ATO and float valve. Not the best method in retrospect. Like many of us we didn't know 100% how it worked. It just worked. NO really, this is sort of re-inventing the wheel like others in this thread has said, but just in a much more controlled fashion. Some wheels are better than others. For me personally, the jury is out on this method, and I am still considering Randy's Sodium Hydroxide 2 Part recipe and using a part C from Tropic Marin.
My code found in the Neptune DOS gear icon, under the advance tab:
Comments are indicated in forward slashes "//" which explains what each line's purpose
If MAIT_1 CLOSED Then OFF //shuts off dosing if I am doing maintenance on the tank
If SMPOFF CLOSED Then OFF //shuts off if the optical water level sensor SMPOFF detects water on the optical eye. Prevents kalkwasser overdose in the event the water volume be too high in the sump. Or prevents any additional volume being added to an already full sump. This sensor also is tied to an alarm.
If Time 09:00 TO 17:30 THEN OFF //prevents any unnecessary daytime kalkwasser addition when my lights should kick off photosynthesis, which raises pH by itself. Also prevents any strange events like an asterena starfish hanging out on the probe in the middle of the day, causing an necessary additions of kalkwasser
Defer 002:00 Then ON //Just good to have after doing anything that might happen above as a little bit of a time delay buffer
If pH > 8.25 Then OFF //my minimum pH set point
My settings in the Neptune DOS:
I've calculated my evaporation to be around 2500 mL per day. So I doubled what's required in the APEX. That doesn't mean that the system throws in 2500 mL per day. Naturally what's happening at night the pH falls, the code above in the advanced setting turns ON. The DOS automatically doses at its prescribed internal settings at its own flow rate, which you have no control over without doing some fancy coding. Naturally the pH raises when the kalkwasser hits the water, eventually satisfying the conditional statement of IF pH > 8.25 THEN OFF . See below for what that looks like.
Below is my pH graph. Lights out at 18:30 and lights on at 06:30. Due to the conditional statements that I coded in, kalkwasser is dosed in at this time replenishing calcium and alkalinity.
Why am I doing this fad? Pros?
- It's easy, inexpensive, needs only one doser head, handles the evaporation. Steady salinity readings. Not much to think about.
- Fill up a bucket, fill with saturated kalkwasser, check and/or replenish about every 7-8 days.
- I do not go nuts with setting up a Styrofoam cut out, but I see the appeal.
- No more dangerous than any other dosing method. Kalkwasser's bad name came from ATO float valve days. This is a better wheel.
What do I wish it address? Cons?
- Trace Element Additions in a balanced ionic fashion. I can still dose in Trace A- and Trace K+ into the system, but at that point, I might as well do a Two Part + C. That's three DOS heads.
- Alkalinity creeps up. Calcium creeps up. Alkalinity creeping up just could be me not trusting the system "to let it ride". Possibly this is alleviated when you "let go". Then supposedly alkalinity starts dropping because the corals get really happy??? I still need to prove that to myself.
- Space. You need a big bucket to do this. I have a 50 gallon tank. I use a 5 gallon bucket. A 200 gallon system would need a small brute trashcan. Obviously with traditional two part methods, it's much more concentrated and needs less water.
That's my two cents. I hope this helps clear things up! It's great for those on a budget. It's not worth all these flames. It's a perfectly legitimate system to dose calcium and alkalinity. Chris might not be the most eloquent speaker but practicality speaking what he's doing is working well for him and others. Reef on y'all.