Dosing question afr or kalk

[haitian_reefer]

I prefer using a reactor and a dosing pump and dosed based on evaporation rate. Much safer in my opinion

 

[Swfiend]

I prefer using a reactor and a dosing pump and dosed based on evaporation rate. Much safer in my opinion

How do you dose by evaporation rate?

 

[Mikeltee]

Once your carx is setup properly there should not be any issues. With that much water dosing is going to be costly. Kalk works great and will keep your corals alive. They will grow slower but that is an advantage in my book.

 

[Swfiend]

Once your carx is setup properly there should not be any issues. With that much water dosing is going to be costly. Kalk works great and will keep your corals alive. They will grow slower but that is an advantage in my book.

Ca reactor was always my preferred method but even without anyone touching it I’ve had 3 major crashes caused by one since 2007 and now I have a toddler who likes to help out and if she adjusts anything could quickly become catastrophic vs hopefully dosing (locked away in the stand)

The newer automation would make the carx a little more foolproof vs previous

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So a settled reservoir being a super concentrate without precipitation or with kalk mixed and extra on bottom? Sorry for my ignorance I’m trying to learn haha

Side note should I worry at all about orp? The new apex came with the probe so I set it up and orp sits around 250 260 never higher

The term super concentrate doesn’t really have a technical meaning for a chemical. You can make it saturated, about 2 level teaspoons calcium hydroxide per gallon, or a lower concentration if that meets you tank alk needs. I’ve done both at different times.

It’s fine to have excess calcium hydroxide on the bottom.

I’d ignore ORP until you have more experience with the tank, and then, if you want, monitor it as a warning system in case something dies. I stopped using it due to lack of utility.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Once your carx is setup properly there should not be any issues. With that much water dosing is going to be costly. Kalk works great and will keep your corals alive. They will grow slower but that is an advantage in my book.

Why will kalkwasser make corals grow more slowly than a CaCO3/CO2 reactor? I would have said the opposite.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How do you dose by evaporation rate?

You either deliver kalkwasser using an ATO, or you use a dosing pump set just under the daily evaporation rate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I prefer using a reactor and a dosing pump and dosed based on evaporation rate. Much safer in my opinion

The dosing pump may be “safer” than an ATO, but the reactor aspect is not a part of the safer aspect.

 

[Swfiend]

Randy I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with me. I have spent hours online reading and getting no where. I’m thankful i asked on here, you answer my questions clearly and without making me feel dumb haha

Thank you

 

[Seansea]

Heres my set up. Mega easy. About to change out my afr jug as im low now. This doser is a no frills just easy to work doser. My alk stays 8.3 and i test maybe every 3 days.

 

[Swfiend]

You either deliver kalkwasser using an ATO, or you use a dosing pump set just under the daily evaporation rate.

How do you not overdose kalk if using ato as delivery or you just dilute the mixture to what ever amount? Are there any threads you dive deeper into it?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How do you not overdose kalk if using ato as delivery or you just dilute the mixture to what ever amount? Are there any threads you dive deeper into it?

Yes, if you do not need all of the alk it contains, then make the fluid more dilute. I did that for a long time until demand rose enough to need saturated limewater (kalkwasser).

FWIW, most reactors/stirrers seem to produce less than saturated limewater.