Is Kalk all it’s cracked up to be?

[butts182]

kalk is doing good things for my params...making them more stable...i tested yesterday
CA = 460
Mg = 1485
Alk = 9.8
Salinity = 1.026
Ph = 8.1

i get my params tested once a week and will put together a spreadsheet when i get enough data

 

[VelasCorals]

Same with me. Everything is doing very well still. I only had one problem when I was trading a bunch of corals and took too much water out of the system. All the water was replaced quickly that caused a PH spike of 8.6. Nothing died but it scared me a little. This was my error and now I know better.

 

[raymond]

thanks for the info, ive been running kalk in my auto top off, but i have a feeling if i use a reactor like tlf i might get a better reaction

 

[bevo1]

Would this work with a Tunze ATO? I wounder because the ATO pump is so small.

 

[CoralBandit]

I use kalk in my ato reservoir which I replenish weekly, I also use vinegar in the mixture which helps stabilize the carbonate and keeps it relatively safe from the air, what if I took my jbj split.the electrical pump outlet put a small powerhead on a piece of styrofoam and another powerhead at bottom of reservoir to mix kalk when ato turns on, while floating powerhead transfers water on top, should work right? As long as my reservoir is tall enough its about 2.5 ft

 

[VelasCorals]

Would this work with a Tunze ATO? I wounder because the ATO pump is so small.

I don't see why not. As long as the pump is around 300gph.

 

[bevo1]

The Tunze ato pump is only around 14gph so prolly wont work then.

 

[VelasCorals]

Still using the reactor and the only problem I have is the check valve has seemed to failed or doesn't hold back the mixed kalk the way it should. I have a bunch of kalk powder in the ATO res now.

Anyone know where to get a high quality 1/2" OD check valve?

 

[VelasCorals]

Growth Update Pics.

02.11.11 to 03.30.11

 

[Electrobes]

Would this work with a Tunze ATO? I wounder because the ATO pump is so small.

It actually works a little too well for me. Even throttles back and with about 6-7 feet in tubing.. it still shoots it into my tank!

Kalk has been working very well for me, but it has been for years. My only issue if every now and then I forget to unplug it during a water change and the pH spikes to 8.5.. but no biggie really.

 

[CJO]

forrealb50- that's some decent growth for a month and a half. Looks like kalk is working well for you.

CJ

 

[florida reef]

Bump for another great thread!

 

[DrTrey]

Bump for another great thread!

How has your Kalk experience been so far, brotha?

 

[xmetalfan99]

How does kalk affect dosing of alk, cal, and mag? Obviously evaporation rates change depending on air movement and temperature. Are the affects of kalk on alk and cal minimal enough to not really matter?

 

[Troylee]

Here take this with a grain of salt if ya will but it's the honest to god truth.... The last 4 months of my big display 220gal sps reef loaded with colonies got real neglected after my mini tank crash... I got so bummed I stopped everything including dosing and just kept topping off with kalk like I always did... In those 4 months I experienced some of the best growth I had seen in that tank ever!!!! No water changes no nothing just strictly kalk you tell me is it all it's cracked up to be????? Btw ya your right evap is how it works my tank evaps 7 gal a day every day it never changes so I just added 2tsp per gallon of water in my ato and the rest was history... If I had continued dosing it would have shot my alk through the roof eventually with out stepping back on the kalk or alk dosing..

 

[Kbra]

Here take this with a grain of salt if ya will but it's the honest to god truth.... The last 4 months of my big display 220gal sps reef loaded with colonies got real neglected after my mini tank crash... I got so bummed I stopped everything including dosing and just kept topping off with kalk like I always did... In those 4 months I experienced some of the best growth I had seen in that tank ever!!!! No water changes no nothing just strictly kalk you tell me is it all it's cracked up to be????? Btw ya your right evap is how it works my tank evaps 7 gal a day every day it never changes so I just added 2tsp per gallon of water in my ato and the rest was history... If I had continued dosing it would have shot my alk through the roof eventually with out stepping back on the kalk or alk dosing..

Doesnt it settle in the top off water?

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[Troylee]

Yeah it would but I have to fill up my resivor every other day so it's stirred every other day... Once the water is saturated it doesn't really matter IMHO it can't take any more in either way stagnant or mixed...

 

[Cjscott]

So I don't have an ato but do I top off everyday with water that I keep in a 5 gallon jug. It is pretty much the same amount of top off needed every day. When I fill up the jug could I just mix in the kalk and then use it over the 10-14 days. I don't keep a powerhead in the 5 gallon jug.

 

[AcroholicReefer]

So I don't have an ato but do I top off everyday with water that I keep in a 5 gallon jug. It is pretty much the same amount of top off needed every day. When I fill up the jug could I just mix in the kalk and then use it over the 10-14 days. I don't keep a powerhead in the 5 gallon jug.

Adding kalk to an ATO container is better than nothing but still not ideal. Kalk will separate from the solution over time. You need to find a way to keep the kalk in suspension in the mixture. Most people use a simple mixing pump. Mine has to mix for 15 minutes every 3 hours or Kalk is not properly supplemented into my system. Keep in mind that this time frame is used on a Kalk Reactor, which only doses the water at the very top, where it is least saturated. The mixing pump is a key element to safely dosing kalk.

 

[bob]

Adding kalk to an ATO container is better than nothing but still not ideal. Kalk will separate from the solution over time. You need to find a way to keep the kalk in suspension in the mixture. Most people use a simple mixing pump. Mine has to mix for 15 minutes every 3 hours or Kalk is not properly supplemented into my system. The mixing pump is a key element to safely dosing kalk.

I've never used a mixing pump and my calc/alk levels stay pretty stable using kalk saturated top off water. My ATO reservoir on my old tank would go two weeks before it was mixed up (refilled). I don't monitor my levels too closely though, so I may be wrong.