ACI Kalkwasser Method.... I've watched this video and read a few articles, still not sure the exact method.

[Koigula]

ERV works great. I got open box panasonic from Lowes. It is a simple way to temper incoming air to temper it. It also reduces humidity and odor. I use kalk and pH was 8.3 without the ERV and same withit since the 1400 sq ft basement is mostly me and my dog. The kids and mom are on top two floors usually. CO2 might not be high.

It has Aux input so you can control as accessory from an ecobee. It would be more useful with my 2 seven foot 18" deep frag tanks running to control moisture. I found it most usefull to bring in cold air in early AM by timer and turn off to lower AC bill.

It may reduce CO2 a bit but I use kalk and not a farm.

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

ERV works great. I got open box panasonic from Lowes. It is a simple way to temper incoming air to temper it. It also reduces humidity and odor. I use kalk and pH was 8.3 without the ERV and same withit since the 1400 sq ft basement is mostly me and my dog. The kids and mom are on top two floors usually. CO2 might not be high.

It has Aux input so you can control as accessory from an ecobee. It would be more useful with my 2 seven foot 18" deep frag tanks running to control moisture. I found it most usefull to bring in cold air in early AM by timer and turn off to lower AC bill.

It may reduce CO2 a bit but I use kalk and not a farm.

Thank you for the information. I’m going to get an estimate on one installed.

 

[Koigula]

HVAC specialist will likely sell you a whole house unit and want to connect to main house blower by training.

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

HVAC specialist will likely sell you a whole house unit and want to connect to main house blower by training.

That’s what I’m looking for. With 7 tanks I need some fresh air.. lol

 

[Koigula]

Into summer I run 100Watt fan 40 min an hour from 1 am to 6am. It is enough to keep basement cool most of the day without ac. Most units will have aux input to have a fan control. HVAC install would likely sell basic digital timer.

 

[BigTimeIssues]

I want an air exchanger.. right now I'm using a co2 scrubber and kalk on a doser. I dose about 1.5 gallons a day. I mix 2 teaspoons of kalk per gallon.

Ph stays at 8.25 to 8.33. Calcium got a little high at 460 but came back down. Alk is steady between 8.4 and 8.9.

Chris meckley is using kalwasser AND potassium hydroxide. I kinda want to myself, but that is a dangerous chemical to have on hand and mess with. As long as my evaporation stay high like it is, I will be good. I just don't like using the co2 scrubber.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I want an air exchanger.. right now I'm using a co2 scrubber and kalk on a doser. I dose about 1.5 gallons a day. I mix 2 teaspoons of kalk per gallon.

Ph stays at 8.25 to 8.33. Calcium got a little high at 460 but came back down. Alk is steady between 8.4 and 8.9.

Chris meckley is using kalwasser AND potassium hydroxide. I kinda want to myself, but that is a dangerous chemical to have on hand and mess with. As long as my evaporation stay high like it is, I will be good. I just don't like using the co2 scrubber.

It is never a good idea to use potassium hydroxide unless you are closely monitoring potassium. Even then it doesn't seem sensible to me.

Sodium hydroxide is a far better choice. Cheap food grade sodium hydroxide is readily available.

 

[BigTimeIssues]

It is never a good idea to use potassium hydroxide unless you are closely monitoring potassium. Even then it doesn't seem sensible to me.

Sodium hydroxide is a far better choice. Cheap food grade sodium hydroxide is readily available.

I agree with dosing potassium anything while not knowing the level is a bad idea. I do icp testing and could find out my usage. I just don't want to expose my kids or wife to such a caustic chemical. Wierd things happen and not having it in the house is safer than trying to control it. Also this is just from reading warnings. Maybe it's not as dangerous as its made out to be, but I'm not planning on finding out.

I do like the kalkwasser. But I'm right on the line of evaporation now. I can barely maintain the ph where it is. And I would like to keep 8.3 while not using a co2 scrubber.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree with dosing potassium anything while not knowing the level is a bad idea. I do icp testing and could find out my usage. I just don't want to expose my kids or wife to such a caustic chemical. Wierd things happen and not having it in the house is safer than trying to control it. Also this is just from reading warnings. Maybe it's not as dangerous as its made out to be, but I'm not planning on finding out.

I do like the kalkwasser. But I'm right on the line of evaporation now. I can barely maintain the ph where it is. And I would like to keep 8.3 while not using a co2 scrubber.

With kids around, safety is a concern. It’s not as problematic as muriatic acid, but a kid eating either one would be very bad.

FWIW, treat it like a drain opening chemical.

 

[Koigula]

It is never a good idea to use potassium hydroxide unless you are closely monitoring potassium. Even then it doesn't seem sensible to me.

Sodium hydroxide is a far better choice. Cheap food grade sodium hydroxide is readily available.

You also keep in mind that ACI keeps potassium VERY high. Corals look great but it is bit over elvated amounts.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You also keep in mind that ACI keeps potassium VERY high. Corals look great but it is bit over elvated amounts.

They may. They may also have a lot more potassium demand than typical reef tanks, if they dose inorganic nutrients. That's a serious drawback to randomly following someone else's method that may not be suitable in a different aquarium.

For each 1 dKH of alk added by potassium hydroxide, potassium will rise by 14 ppm.

So in a month of 1 dKH per day potassium hydroxide dosing, and no water change, potassium will double.

 

[BigTimeIssues]

They may. They may also have a lot more potassium demand than typical reef tanks, if they dose inorganic nutrients. That's a serious drawback to randomly following someone else's method that may not be suitable in a different aquarium.

For each 1 dKH of alk added by potassium hydroxide, potassium will rise by 14 ppm.

So in a month of 1 dKH per day potassium hydroxide dosing, and no water change, potassium will double.

As I say this don't think think I'm taking up for this guys methods (chris). Although I believe what he is doing works. But I'm not him, he runs a large business with multiple 2000 gallons systems, I have a 60 gallon system.

But...

I think he still has to dose potassium to get to 400(not sure how its measured).

The main reason why is because he has wall to wall coral. But there are other factors that I heard him talk about. He doesn't use just potassium hydroxide. He uses kalkWasser as his primary method of top off. As his demand goes over the amount of kalkwasser that he can add without diluting the SG, he uses very small amounts of potassium hydroxide. He was saying that at maximum saturation he was dripping one drop of potassium hydroxide every 5 seconds (in 2000 gallons) and it was still too much. He diluted the mixture by 2 times the amount of water, and now only doses one drop per 3 seconds( or at the time of the video).

So at this amount, wouldn't the amount of potassium gain be very small?

I guess it all works together and you have to consider the amount of water and the amount of demand.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As I say this don't think think I'm taking up for this guys methods (chris). Although I believe what he is doing works. But I'm not him, he runs a large business with multiple 2000 gallons systems, I have a 60 gallon system.

But...

I think he still has to dose potassium to get to 400(not sure how its measured).

The main reason why is because he has wall to wall coral. But there are other factors that I heard him talk about. He doesn't use just potassium hydroxide. He uses kalkWasser as his primary method of top off. As his demand goes over the amount of kalkwasser that he can add without diluting the SG, he uses very small amounts of potassium hydroxide. He was saying that at maximum saturation he was dripping one drop of potassium hydroxide every 5 seconds (in 2000 gallons) and it was still too much. He diluted the mixture by 2 times the amount of water, and now only doses one drop per 3 seconds( or at the time of the video).

So at this amount, wouldn't the amount of potassium gain be very small?

I guess it all works together and you have to consider the amount of water and the amount of demand.

Sadly, people seem to think that someone keeping a great tank must have an accurate understanding of why the things they do work out. Such is not the case.

Wall to wall coral does not mean any potassium decline. It is also not a size thing.

What a potassium decline comes from is that somehow the tissue being added in the tank by growth contains more potassium per unit of N and P incorporated than the tissues (foods) he feeds to the tank.

That can readily come about in a system that doses N and P in a way besides foods. Many coral farms may do that, but it doesn't mean it happens to the same degree in ordinary reef tanks.

It might also come about by rinsing frozen foods before use. Freezing can break cell membranes and allow the high potassium contents to spill out and be rinsed away before they get to the tank.

In any case, I see no reason to ever dose potassium hydroxide, tying together two needs (alk and potassium) into one additive that is highly unlikely to exactly meet the demands for both simultaneously. More sensible, IMO, is sodium hydroxide for alk and potassium chloride for potassium.

It is not possible for me to judge the amount he doses without knowing the concentration, but I would definitely note that if the amount used is very low, then the benefit to alk is also low, and it may be nothing more than a potassium additive.

As I noted elsewhere in this thread, I tried to engage him to clarify some incorrect chemical comments he has made regarding his online comments, and even suggested a range of different explanations for his observations. His response was to not engage beyond superficial comments like watch the video.

 

[BigTimeIssues]

Sadly, people seem to think that someone keeping a great tank must have an accurate understanding of why the things they do work out. Such is not the case.

Wall to wall coral does not mean any potassium decline. It is also not a size thing.

What a potassium decline comes from is that somehow the tissue being added in the tank by growth contains more potassium per unit of N and P incorporated than the tissues (foods) he feeds to the tank.

That can readily come about in a system that doses N and P in a way besides foods. Many coral farms may do that, but it doesn't mean it happens to the same degree in ordinary reef tanks.

It might also come about by rinsing frozen foods before use. Freezing can break cell membranes and allow the high potassium contents to spill out and be rinsed away before they get to the tank.

In any case, I see no reason to ever dose potassium hydroxide, tying together two needs (alk and potassium) into one additive that is highly unlikely to exactly meet the demands for both simultaneously. More sensible, IMO, is sodium hydroxide for alk and potassium chloride for potassium.

It is not possible for me to judge the amount he doses without knowing the concentration, but I would definitely note that if the amount used is very low, then the benefit to alk is also low, and it may be nothing more than a potassium additive.

As I noted elsewhere in this thread, I tried to engage him to clarify some incorrect chemical comments he has made regarding his online comments, and even suggested a range of different explanations for his observations. His response was to not engage beyond superficial comments like watch the video.

Your insight is always beneficial and seems very practical. As usual my understanding is way below that what is actually happening.

He does seem to be very succesful.. but trying to do his methods in our home reefs could be disastrous. I hope this is conveyed to those like me that want an amazing tank or wants to understand these things without the fundamental knowledge needed to keep us and our tank inhabitants safe.

 

[BigTimeIssues]

It is not possible for me to judge the amount he doses without knowing the concentration, but I would definitely note that if the amount used is very low, then the benefit to alk is also low, and it may be nothing more than a potassium additive.

As far as I can tell from his video.. He only doses potassium hydroxide to maintain ph at 8.3. Every podcast I've heard him speak on about using this, the goal is to maintain high ph. This is why I thought that you could use small amounts to maintain ph and not over add potassium and alkalinity. But I'm not a chemist so I decided that path isn't for me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As far as I can tell from his video.. He only doses potassium hydroxide to maintain ph at 8.3. Every podcast I've heard him speak on about using this, the goal is to maintain high ph. This is why I thought that you could use small amounts to maintain ph and not over add potassium and alkalinity. But I'm not a chemist so I decided that path isn't for me.

That's very hard to say. Many people never attain pH 8.3 even with all of their alk supplied by hydroxide. Some folks cannot even get above 8.0, because they have high indoor CO2 or naturally low demand for alk.

For that reason, I do not consider it a desirable plan to dose hydroxide based on pH alone. Alk may become higher than desired.

 

[uninformed]

It is not possible for me to judge the amount he doses without knowing the concentration, but I would definitely note that if the amount used is very low, then the benefit to alk is also low, and it may be nothing more than a potassium additive.

This is my assumption as well. He is dosing KOH for his potassium needs and capitalizing on whatever small alkalinity benefit he receives as a result. No one in their right mind would use KOH as their primary alkalinity source.

As I noted elsewhere in this thread, I tried to engage him to clarify some incorrect chemical comments he has made regarding his online comments, and even suggested a range of different explanations for his observations. His response was to not engage beyond superficial comments like watch the video.

He does seem to be very succesful.. but trying to do his methods in our home reefs could be disastrous. I hope this is conveyed to those like me that want an amazing tank or wants to understand these things without the fundamental knowledge needed to keep us and our tank inhabitants safe.

Chris obviously runs a quality business and has good people advising him. On a macro level, he appears to understand the things he preaches about, but his inability to accurately convey that information to regular hobbyists, much less those which even a basic background in water chemistry, creates confusion and leads people down dangerous paths that risk the well-being of their own tanks. He needs someone sitting next to him on these streams that can translate his words into the actual chemistry that he's talking about.

Realistically, 99.9% of us are far better off following the simple, concise, and accurate advice from @Randy Holmes-Farley than chasing Chris's incomplete cocktail of magical outcomes.

 

[Ed Kaz]

That's very hard to say. Many people never attain pH 8.3 even with all of their alk supplied by hydroxide. Some folks cannot even get above 8.0, because they have high indoor CO2 or naturally low demand for alk.

For that reason, I do not consider it a desirable plan to dose hydroxide based on pH alone. Alk may become higher than desired.

Randy this is so true... I am one of those people having a problem with PH/ALK. I am using a Avast reactor and dosing kalk @13liters a day (versa pump) to keep my PH @ 8.15. BUT my ALK is a 14.2 dkh ! What I am doing since my dose rate is HIGHER than my evaporation rate is draining tank water and replacing new salt water to keep up salinity. I have been doing this for over 6 months and never had this much success. Corals look good (one SPS has a little whitening at the base). I had run a air line outside to ETSS skimmer years ago (and also removed a gas fireplace that someone suggested did not help). Tank is 180gal with 100gal sump in basement with cheato. Magnesium 1380,Calcium 460. Tank has been running for over 25 years (fish only) and I have tried corals in the past with no luck but installing this kalk reactor and raising PH is a game changer! I am running a Korallin Sulphur biodenitrator also. So last nite I had shut down the kalk reactor and in 6 hours my PH dropped from 8.12 to 7.98 ! I turned the kalk reactor back on. Any Ideas on how to lower ALK besides co2 scrubber? I do not know what will happen long term with elevated ALK>14dkh.

 

[Reefscape20g]

Just a quick question, does alkalinity drop when the CO2 concentration in the tank rises? Or does this only effect ph?Equilibrium?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Just a quick question, does alkalinity drop when the CO2 concentration in the tank rises? Or does this only affect ph?Equilibrium?

Alkalinity and CO2 together determine pH mathematically.

CO2 has no direct impact on alkalinity.
CO2 and alk (and pH) will alter the ongoing demand for alkalinity. Higher pH and alk yield higher ongoing consumption of alk.