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

Roli's Reef Ranch

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LUL, Magnesium Hydroxide is essentially insoluble in water.

Magnesium Hydroxide solubility:
0.0064 g/1L (25 °C)

For reference
Calcium Hydroxide solubility:
1.73 g/L (20 °C)

Calcium Carbonate solubility:
0.013 g/L (25 °C)

Really the guy in the video doesn't know what he is talking about.
All tech and no tank... lol
 

Batt

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Ok. So let me explain as best as I can.
This method is just for ph . But for the first time users that start using this method need to understand that your alk will raise for the first few months. This is do to the kalkwasser pulling out the the co2 from your rocks. Just like how rocks can store p04. So the first few months I had my alk go as high as 10dkh but my corals were happy no problems as Chris states. After that my alk dropped to stable levels were I had to dose again. But my ph stayed at 8.3 day and night and did notice a big change in growth. I just focus now on ph. That all I chase. I do check alk cal and mag from time to time and make adjustments to my calcium reactor if needed. But that is it.
 

Anthony Gatch

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The first time I heard about Chris Meckley method was when Chris talked on Melevreef You Tube channel. I have not watched the interview of Chris Meckley on ReefBum’s You Tube channel. So I don’t know what Chris said then. But

I’ve watched Chris Meckley discuss his Meckley method with Melevreef on YouTube several times to try to understand how Chris was dosing Kalkwasser. Chris states that 6.5 grams of Kalkwasser will dissolve in a gallon of RO/DI water. I think the actual solubility of Kalkwasser is 6.33g per gallon. Solubility is also temperature dependent. So, if you are making a 10 gallon batch of Kalkwasser you would mix at least 63.3 Kalkwasser to 10 gallons of RO/DI water. When I make my Kalkwasser solution I want to make sure it is saturated. I usually mix 6.5 grams/gallon. I have a 120 gallon aquarium which evaporates about a gallon of water a day. I bought a 10 gallon straight wall cylinder container to mix my Kalkwasser solution. Yes, it’s more expensive than a Brute trash can from Home Depot, but I wanted a container that is a cylinder with straight walls and no narrowing at the bottom. Chris also uses a circular cut out piece of Styrofoam about a 1 inch thick with four legs protruding through the Styrofoam. In the middle of the circular Styrofoam, he appears to have ¼ inch tubing running though the Styrofoam which sticks out a little, but not as far as the four legs. The purpose of this is to prevent the Kalkwasser slurry settled at the bottom of the container from being added to the aquarium when the Kallwasser solution runs low. The Styrofoam also helps prevent the absorption of CO2 in the Kalkwasser solution, and this is why I spent the extra money to buy a straight-walled cylinder container. I cut my Styrofoam so that there is only about a ¼ inch gap between the Styrofoam and the walls of the container. This helps lessen the surface area and, in theory, helps prevent CO2 absorption in the Kallwasser solution, which will weaken the pH potency.

As for dosing the Kalkwasser solution I use my Apex controller. I have the Apex DOS plugged into the Apex energy bar. The code I use is as below:

Fallback OFF

Set ON

If pH > 8.10 Then OFF

I have APEX DOS set to add twice my evaporation rate of the aquarium, which is what Chris states in the Melevreef interview. You might think the DOS is going to add twice the volume of water that is needed, but remember the DOS is being limited by the above rule. This might make you think the DOS is going to add twice as much as Kalkwasser solution as needed. But the addition of the Kalkwasser water is being limited by pH of the aquarium water. I think Chris has figured out that twice the rate of evaporation is a good setting for the APEX DOS. I have the DOS programmed from 0:00 to 23:59. What usually happens is that the DOS does not run that much during the day due to the photosynthesis and pH naturally rising. You may notice that my setting for the pH is only 8.10 and not 8.3. I did have the pH set at 8.15 but at that pH I was adding more Kalkwasser solution than the evaporation rate. So I simply set my pH lower to slow down the volume of the addition. I think if I want my pH to go higher I will have to use a CO2 scubber on my protein skimmer. I already have lines from my protein skimmer pulling fresh air from the outside. But I live in Atlanta and 4 million people produce a lot of CO2 outside as well. t a pH of 8.1 my corals look very happy. The entire tank looks better. Would I like to get to 8.3? Sure, but I will take happy corals at 8.1.

Before I started the addition of Kalkwasser, my pH was around 7.7 or 7.8. I very slowly increase my pH over time, only raising the pH by 0.01 each day. As someone stated earlier, Chris says to check your average every day and put that new average as your new pH setting in the code above until you reach a pH of 8.3. Even with me increasing my pH at that slow of rate my alkalinity increased to 10.5 or so at first. This is exactly what Chris predicts. Now my alkalinity it has come back down to around 7.7. I now add some soda ash to increase my alkalinity. As someone stated earlier, this initial increase in alkalinity is due to the buildup of CO2 in the rocks. I have an APEX Trident and I look at my Calcium and alkalinity level every day and will add two part as needed.

Chris talks about 4 different chemicals. He only tells us three of them, not the fourth. I don’t know what the fourth might be, but we know he is already using two of the strongest hydroxides available, Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide. The third chemical he uses, of course, is Kalkwasser or CaOH. He has said he does not think the average reefer should need to use either Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. He is dealing with much more volume than the average reefer. I’m going to leave it to advanced reefers to use Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide. Like I said, my corals are happy at 8.1.
 

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The first time I heard about Chris Meckley method was when Chris talked on Melevreef You Tube channel. I have not watched the interview of Chris Meckley on ReefBum’s You Tube channel. So I don’t know what Chris said then. But

I’ve watched Chris Meckley discuss his Meckley method with Melevreef on YouTube several times to try to understand how Chris was dosing Kalkwasser. Chris states that 6.5 grams of Kalkwasser will dissolve in a gallon of RO/DI water. I think the actual solubility of Kalkwasser is 6.33g per gallon. Solubility is also temperature dependent. So, if you are making a 10 gallon batch of Kalkwasser you would mix at least 63.3 Kalkwasser to 10 gallons of RO/DI water. When I make my Kalkwasser solution I want to make sure it is saturated. I usually mix 6.5 grams/gallon. I have a 120 gallon aquarium which evaporates about a gallon of water a day. I bought a 10 gallon straight wall cylinder container to mix my Kalkwasser solution. Yes, it’s more expensive than a Brute trash can from Home Depot, but I wanted a container that is a cylinder with straight walls and no narrowing at the bottom. Chris also uses a circular cut out piece of Styrofoam about a 1 inch thick with four legs protruding through the Styrofoam. In the middle of the circular Styrofoam, he appears to have ¼ inch tubing running though the Styrofoam which sticks out a little, but not as far as the four legs. The purpose of this is to prevent the Kalkwasser slurry settled at the bottom of the container from being added to the aquarium when the Kallwasser solution runs low. The Styrofoam also helps prevent the absorption of CO2 in the Kalkwasser solution, and this is why I spent the extra money to buy a straight-walled cylinder container. I cut my Styrofoam so that there is only about a ¼ inch gap between the Styrofoam and the walls of the container. This helps lessen the surface area and, in theory, helps prevent CO2 absorption in the Kallwasser solution, which will weaken the pH potency.

As for dosing the Kalkwasser solution I use my Apex controller. I have the Apex DOS plugged into the Apex energy bar. The code I use is as below:

Fallback OFF

Set ON

If pH > 8.10 Then OFF

I have APEX DOS set to add twice my evaporation rate of the aquarium, which is what Chris states in the Melevreef interview. You might think the DOS is going to add twice the volume of water that is needed, but remember the DOS is being limited by the above rule. This might make you think the DOS is going to add twice as much as Kalkwasser solution as needed. But the addition of the Kalkwasser water is being limited by pH of the aquarium water. I think Chris has figured out that twice the rate of evaporation is a good setting for the APEX DOS. I have the DOS programmed from 0:00 to 23:59. What usually happens is that the DOS does not run that much during the day due to the photosynthesis and pH naturally rising. You may notice that my setting for the pH is only 8.10 and not 8.3. I did have the pH set at 8.15 but at that pH I was adding more Kalkwasser solution than the evaporation rate. So I simply set my pH lower to slow down the volume of the addition. I think if I want my pH to go higher I will have to use a CO2 scubber on my protein skimmer. I already have lines from my protein skimmer pulling fresh air from the outside. But I live in Atlanta and 4 million people produce a lot of CO2 outside as well. t a pH of 8.1 my corals look very happy. The entire tank looks better. Would I like to get to 8.3? Sure, but I will take happy corals at 8.1.

Before I started the addition of Kalkwasser, my pH was around 7.7 or 7.8. I very slowly increase my pH over time, only raising the pH by 0.01 each day. As someone stated earlier, Chris says to check your average every day and put that new average as your new pH setting in the code above until you reach a pH of 8.3. Even with me increasing my pH at that slow of rate my alkalinity increased to 10.5 or so at first. This is exactly what Chris predicts. Now my alkalinity it has come back down to around 7.7. I now add some soda ash to increase my alkalinity. As someone stated earlier, this initial increase in alkalinity is due to the buildup of CO2 in the rocks. I have an APEX Trident and I look at my Calcium and alkalinity level every day and will add two part as needed.

Chris talks about 4 different chemicals. He only tells us three of them, not the fourth. I don’t know what the fourth might be, but we know he is already using two of the strongest hydroxides available, Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide. The third chemical he uses, of course, is Kalkwasser or CaOH. He has said he does not think the average reefer should need to use either Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. He is dealing with much more volume than the average reefer. I’m going to leave it to advanced reefers to use Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide. Like I said, my corals are happy at 8.1.
I didn’t have good luck with the method and went to a 24/7 kalk dosing in conjunction with ESV B-Ionic. The kalk takes care of about .5dkh drop and the B-Ionic the remaining .2dkh. I found too many inconsistencies with the amount of kalk that got dosed depending on how many people were in the house, if windows were open, etc. It varied between about a gallon a day to less than half a gallon a day, and I was uneasy about the Alk bouncing all over the place.
 

ReefGeezer

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I didn’t have good luck with the method and went to a 24/7 kalk dosing in conjunction with ESV B-Ionic. The kalk takes care of about .5dkh drop and the B-Ionic the remaining .2dkh. I found too many inconsistencies with the amount of kalk that got dosed depending on how many people were in the house, if windows were open, etc. It varied between about a gallon a day to less than half a gallon a day, and I was uneasy about the Alk bouncing all over the place.
On my old tank I dosed kalk using a dosing pump at a set level that was slightly less than the minimum evaporation rate. The ATO made up for the varying evaporation rates above that. This worked great. I stopped when I switched to a calcium reactor.
 

Shooter6

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The first time I heard about Chris Meckley method was when Chris talked on Melevreef You Tube channel. I have not watched the interview of Chris Meckley on ReefBum’s You Tube channel. So I don’t know what Chris said then. But

I’ve watched Chris Meckley discuss his Meckley method with Melevreef on YouTube several times to try to understand how Chris was dosing Kalkwasser. Chris states that 6.5 grams of Kalkwasser will dissolve in a gallon of RO/DI water. I think the actual solubility of Kalkwasser is 6.33g per gallon. Solubility is also temperature dependent. So, if you are making a 10 gallon batch of Kalkwasser you would mix at least 63.3 Kalkwasser to 10 gallons of RO/DI water. When I make my Kalkwasser solution I want to make sure it is saturated. I usually mix 6.5 grams/gallon. I have a 120 gallon aquarium which evaporates about a gallon of water a day. I bought a 10 gallon straight wall cylinder container to mix my Kalkwasser solution. Yes, it’s more expensive than a Brute trash can from Home Depot, but I wanted a container that is a cylinder with straight walls and no narrowing at the bottom. Chris also uses a circular cut out piece of Styrofoam about a 1 inch thick with four legs protruding through the Styrofoam. In the middle of the circular Styrofoam, he appears to have ¼ inch tubing running though the Styrofoam which sticks out a little, but not as far as the four legs. The purpose of this is to prevent the Kalkwasser slurry settled at the bottom of the container from being added to the aquarium when the Kallwasser solution runs low. The Styrofoam also helps prevent the absorption of CO2 in the Kalkwasser solution, and this is why I spent the extra money to buy a straight-walled cylinder container. I cut my Styrofoam so that there is only about a ¼ inch gap between the Styrofoam and the walls of the container. This helps lessen the surface area and, in theory, helps prevent CO2 absorption in the Kallwasser solution, which will weaken the pH potency.

As for dosing the Kalkwasser solution I use my Apex controller. I have the Apex DOS plugged into the Apex energy bar. The code I use is as below:

Fallback OFF

Set ON

If pH > 8.10 Then OFF

I have APEX DOS set to add twice my evaporation rate of the aquarium, which is what Chris states in the Melevreef interview. You might think the DOS is going to add twice the volume of water that is needed, but remember the DOS is being limited by the above rule. This might make you think the DOS is going to add twice as much as Kalkwasser solution as needed. But the addition of the Kalkwasser water is being limited by pH of the aquarium water. I think Chris has figured out that twice the rate of evaporation is a good setting for the APEX DOS. I have the DOS programmed from 0:00 to 23:59. What usually happens is that the DOS does not run that much during the day due to the photosynthesis and pH naturally rising. You may notice that my setting for the pH is only 8.10 and not 8.3. I did have the pH set at 8.15 but at that pH I was adding more Kalkwasser solution than the evaporation rate. So I simply set my pH lower to slow down the volume of the addition. I think if I want my pH to go higher I will have to use a CO2 scubber on my protein skimmer. I already have lines from my protein skimmer pulling fresh air from the outside. But I live in Atlanta and 4 million people produce a lot of CO2 outside as well. t a pH of 8.1 my corals look very happy. The entire tank looks better. Would I like to get to 8.3? Sure, but I will take happy corals at 8.1.

Before I started the addition of Kalkwasser, my pH was around 7.7 or 7.8. I very slowly increase my pH over time, only raising the pH by 0.01 each day. As someone stated earlier, Chris says to check your average every day and put that new average as your new pH setting in the code above until you reach a pH of 8.3. Even with me increasing my pH at that slow of rate my alkalinity increased to 10.5 or so at first. This is exactly what Chris predicts. Now my alkalinity it has come back down to around 7.7. I now add some soda ash to increase my alkalinity. As someone stated earlier, this initial increase in alkalinity is due to the buildup of CO2 in the rocks. I have an APEX Trident and I look at my Calcium and alkalinity level every day and will add two part as needed.

Chris talks about 4 different chemicals. He only tells us three of them, not the fourth. I don’t know what the fourth might be, but we know he is already using two of the strongest hydroxides available, Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide. The third chemical he uses, of course, is Kalkwasser or CaOH. He has said he does not think the average reefer should need to use either Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. He is dealing with much more volume than the average reefer. I’m going to leave it to advanced reefers to use Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide. Like I said, my corals are happy at 8.1.
I believe the 4th may be the calcium reactors he uses as well.
 

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On my old tank I dosed kalk using a dosing pump at a set level that was slightly less than the minimum evaporation rate. The ATO made up for the varying evaporation rates above that. This worked great. I stopped when I switched to a calcium reactor.
Essentially what I do as well. I have a peristaltic pump dose 12.5ml every 15 mins. Id love to find a continuous duty pump to have a constant drip but can’t find one slow enough. The Kamoer FX-STP is even too much.
 

Koigula

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The first time I heard about Chris Meckley method was when Chris talked on Melevreef You Tube channel. I have not watched the interview of Chris Meckley on ReefBum’s You Tube channel. So I don’t know what Chris said then. But

I’ve watched Chris Meckley discuss his Meckley method with Melevreef on YouTube several times to try to understand how Chris was dosing Kalkwasser. Chris states that 6.5 grams of Kalkwasser will dissolve in a gallon of RO/DI water. I think the actual solubility of Kalkwasser is 6.33g per gallon. Solubility is also temperature dependent. So, if you are making a 10 gallon batch of Kalkwasser you would mix at least 63.3 Kalkwasser to 10 gallons of RO/DI water. When I make my Kalkwasser solution I want to make sure it is saturated. I usually mix 6.5 grams/gallon. I have a 120 gallon aquarium which evaporates about a gallon of water a day. I bought a 10 gallon straight wall cylinder container to mix my Kalkwasser solution. Yes, it’s more expensive than a Brute trash can from Home Depot, but I wanted a container that is a cylinder with straight walls and no narrowing at the bottom. Chris also uses a circular cut out piece of Styrofoam about a 1 inch thick with four legs protruding through the Styrofoam. In the middle of the circular Styrofoam, he appears to have ¼ inch tubing running though the Styrofoam which sticks out a little, but not as far as the four legs. The purpose of this is to prevent the Kalkwasser slurry settled at the bottom of the container from being added to the aquarium when the Kallwasser solution runs low. The Styrofoam also helps prevent the absorption of CO2 in the Kalkwasser solution, and this is why I spent the extra money to buy a straight-walled cylinder container. I cut my Styrofoam so that there is only about a ¼ inch gap between the Styrofoam and the walls of the container. This helps lessen the surface area and, in theory, helps prevent CO2 absorption in the Kallwasser solution, which will weaken the pH potency.

As for dosing the Kalkwasser solution I use my Apex controller. I have the Apex DOS plugged into the Apex energy bar. The code I use is as below:

Fallback OFF

Set ON

If pH > 8.10 Then OFF

I have APEX DOS set to add twice my evaporation rate of the aquarium, which is what Chris states in the Melevreef interview. You might think the DOS is going to add twice the volume of water that is needed, but remember the DOS is being limited by the above rule. This might make you think the DOS is going to add twice as much as Kalkwasser solution as needed. But the addition of the Kalkwasser water is being limited by pH of the aquarium water. I think Chris has figured out that twice the rate of evaporation is a good setting for the APEX DOS. I have the DOS programmed from 0:00 to 23:59. What usually happens is that the DOS does not run that much during the day due to the photosynthesis and pH naturally rising. You may notice that my setting for the pH is only 8.10 and not 8.3. I did have the pH set at 8.15 but at that pH I was adding more Kalkwasser solution than the evaporation rate. So I simply set my pH lower to slow down the volume of the addition. I think if I want my pH to go higher I will have to use a CO2 scubber on my protein skimmer. I already have lines from my protein skimmer pulling fresh air from the outside. But I live in Atlanta and 4 million people produce a lot of CO2 outside as well. t a pH of 8.1 my corals look very happy. The entire tank looks better. Would I like to get to 8.3? Sure, but I will take happy corals at 8.1.

Before I started the addition of Kalkwasser, my pH was around 7.7 or 7.8. I very slowly increase my pH over time, only raising the pH by 0.01 each day. As someone stated earlier, Chris says to check your average every day and put that new average as your new pH setting in the code above until you reach a pH of 8.3. Even with me increasing my pH at that slow of rate my alkalinity increased to 10.5 or so at first. This is exactly what Chris predicts. Now my alkalinity it has come back down to around 7.7. I now add some soda ash to increase my alkalinity. As someone stated earlier, this initial increase in alkalinity is due to the buildup of CO2 in the rocks. I have an APEX Trident and I look at my Calcium and alkalinity level every day and will add two part as needed.

Chris talks about 4 different chemicals. He only tells us three of them, not the fourth. I don’t know what the fourth might be, but we know he is already using two of the strongest hydroxides available, Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide. The third chemical he uses, of course, is Kalkwasser or CaOH. He has said he does not think the average reefer should need to use either Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. He is dealing with much more volume than the average reefer. I’m going to leave it to advanced reefers to use Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide. Like I said, my corals are happy at 8.1.
There is no need for this much complexity in a home reef tank under 500 gallons. Chris is more of a green thumb expert with better results than many technical gurus, but automated equipment to doses dilutions of hydroxides is not worth benefit to me. Slurries of kalk are also seen discussed, but often the people talking about it often have few pictures of growth. There is nothing new under the sun here. Anthony Calfo did this in 90s in raceways to add minerals back to the tanks he ran.

You should really watch the ReefBum interview. His method is much more simplified. I simplified it further myself He doses saturated kalk at night with a calcium reactor. This combination is more ideal for home aquarium where kalk is dosed at night to match near evaporation and calcium reactor ads some residual CO2 so it does not get depleted. For Apex the program is just this simple for the kalk dosing pump. I use a BRS 50 cc/min pump. There is no point in running kalk and not going to 8.3 on regular basis in the tank. SPS will love it.

Fallback Off
OSC 000:00/002:00/024:00 then ON // 2 min on, 24 min off with 50cc/min pump - 250 cc an hour or so
If pH > 8.50 then off // emergency shut off rarely if ever used
If Time 12:00 to 21:00 then Off // turn off when lights are on

I measure alkalinity every other day at 730pm, and like to see it drift down slowly. I can add buffer with a bettis bottle manually, and boost alkalinity 5ppm with water changes as well.

Hydroxides can be used in 2 parts as well. It can react with carbonate in live rock or CO2. Chris also uses Potassium Hydroxides and his potassium levels are 480 to 500, intentional or not. Hydroxides can also shoot pH of 10 extremely easily on a bad day.
 

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There is no need for this much complexity in a home reef tank under 500 gallons.

Aquaculture. Where selling frags time is money. Home aquaria chasing PH is a lot like bashing ones head into a brick wall.

Kalkwasser - something we discussed years ago in Usnet...nothing new here.
 

Shooter6

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Essentially what I do as well. I have a peristaltic pump dose 12.5ml every 15 mins. Id love to find a continuous duty pump to have a constant drip but can’t find one slow enough. The Kamoer FX-STP is even too much.
Possibly the kamoer x1 pro t?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Chris talks about 4 different chemicals. He only tells us three of them, not the fourth. I don’t know what the fourth might be, but we know he is already using two of the strongest hydroxides available, Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide. The third chemical he uses, of course, is Kalkwasser or CaOH. He has said he does not think the average reefer should need to use either Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. He is dealing with much more volume than the average reefer. I’m going to leave it to advanced reefers to use Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide. Like I said, my corals are happy at 8.1.

Just a comment on hydroxide.

Hydroxide is hydroxide no matter what form one gets it from. The pH effect is identical per unit of alk added.

Thus, if one wants more alk than saturated limewater can add without exceeding evaporation, my diy using sodium hydroxide is a good option.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Hydroxides can be used in 2 parts as well. It can react with carbonate in live rock or CO2. Chris also uses Potassium Hydroxides and his potassium levels are 480 to 500, intentional or not. Hydroxides can also shoot pH of 10 extremely easily on a bad day.

There is no reaction between hydroxide and carbonate (either when dissolved or in rock).
 

BAMatter

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Possibly the kamoer x1 pro t?
Unfortunately too fast on that one as well. 1ml/min puts me at 1440 ml, and I’m dosing around 1200ml. I could probably just have it stop for X amount of mins on the hour…
 

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Unfortunately too fast on that one as well. 1ml/min puts me at 1440 ml, and I’m dosing around 1200ml. I could probably just have it stop for X amount of mins on the hour…
How about the new kamoer x1 pro t2? I have been trying it for a few weeks and it does support slow rates down to 0.1ml/min. Have tried the slowest rate and it is pretty close. You also can use it without an app. It has a dial to adjust flow. Seems to work fine with my limited use. Got it of Amazon.
 

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How about the new kamoer x1 pro t2? I have been trying it for a few weeks and it does support slow rates down to 0.1ml/min. Have tried the slowest rate and it is pretty close. You also can use it without an app. It has a dial to adjust flow. Seems to work fine with my limited use. Got it of Amazon.
That may be a winner… I really just like .75-.85ml/min give or take. Can you do increments of .1?
 

Swede Reef

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That may be a winner… I really just like .75-.85ml/min give or take. Can you do increments of .1?
Yea that why I got it. Only had it for a couple of weeks but so far working well. I use a timer to turn it off and on. I like you can control it without an app in case the app crashes etc...
 

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Yea that why I got it. Only had it for a couple of weeks but so far working well. I use a timer to turn it off and on. I like you can control it without an app in case the app crashes etc...

Sweet, thanks! Def got my eye on it over any other pump right now
 

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I didn’t have good luck with the method and went to a 24/7 kalk dosing in conjunction with ESV B-Ionic. The kalk takes care of about .5dkh drop and the B-Ionic the remaining .2dkh. I found too many inconsistencies with the amount of kalk that got dosed depending on how many people were in the house, if windows were open, etc. It varied between about a gallon a day to less than half a gallon a day, and I was uneasy about the Alk bouncing all over the place.
24/7 as well, but I dose kalk to maintain 8.3 pH. I fully understand the co2 and alk swings. I nearly abandoned this method due to co2 concerns, but I've decided just to let it ride for the sake of experimentation. My alk is currently 12.24 and frequently exceeds 13...but sometimes drops to the high 9s or 10s. During open window season, I was able to maintain high 7s to mid 8s. I've been letting my pH probe run the show for about 6 months now.

And on the topic of peristaltic pumps. I've had good luck with this one so far. I think you can find it outside of aliexpress. No wifi, but solid parts as far as I can tell. I've heard it's just a rebranded Kamoer, but not 100% on that. Very easy to swap tubing.

Aqua Excel AE-K01


I have a Pro T Stepper as well and it's been solid too.
 
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