Going back to Kalk reactor

[Koty]

My tank is nearing 6 years and most but not all is doing ok. My pH is fixed on 7.8 using a reliable Milwaukee probe. My phosphate is high and refuses to settle at concentrations closer to 0.2-0.1. My plan is to use the TLF Kalkwasser reactor connected to my ATO. My ATO works for 5 min every 12 hours (at 07:00 and 19:00 ) and dispenses about 2-4 liters to my 110g tank. That translates to about 0.6 - 1.2 KH added every 12 h (hope calculation is correct). This is addition to my TM Balling dosing system that is running for years. I guess that this will boost the pH yet only temporarily. This will also contribute to getting rid of phosphate and other benefits as well as increase the time between making the Balling solutions. I wonder if I should increase the number of times that the ATO his on, so that the alkalinity and pH change will not be too harsh. Also, I wonder what experience do people have with the two little fishes Kalkwasser reactor.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I doubt you will see much phosphate change due to starting a small amount of kalk.

Can you split that ATO into 4 or more times 12 h?

 

[Koty]

I doubt you will see much phosphate change due to starting a small amount of kalk.

Can you split that ATO into 4 or more times 12 h?

I guess I can, but the more I split, the more I affect the efficiency of my RODI-2x-resin water purification system. Probably 4 times will be fine.
Regarding phosphate, I agree that the contribution may be negligible. It is just another export addition to the Chaeto and Carbon dosing that I have, which also does not cope well with my heavy bioload. I started using GFO more regularly, although I am not fond of it. I just ordered 5 Kg of Rowaphos GFO. I do see some correlation with high phosphate levels to serious algae growing on the glass and substrates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I did not know you connected directly to the ro/di system, but I still think adding 1 dKH of kalk in 5 min is too much.

 

[Koty]

Actually, It is not connected directly but the reservoir with the floating valve is. I am thinking of an alternative such as a 1 min resolution smart plug with a small pump that will still stir the kalk slurry. Since summer is soon here, evaporation is much less than winter. Otherwise I will increase the switch-ons as you advised. I am getting the reactor next week and will update.
Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Let us know how things work out! :)

 

[exnisstech]

I do see some correlation with high phosphate levels to serious algae growing on the glass and substrates.

This is interesting. I run several tanks, one with PO4 levels 0.4 - 0.9+. Two others at or near zero and I dose when I see 0. I find my glass needs cleaned every other day on the low nutrient systems but I can go close to a week on the tank with higher levels.
Doesn't really mean anything but I just find it interesting how tanks can run very similar parameters and have such different results. All of my nuisance algae concerns have always been tanks that run low N and P and tanks with higher levels have never had nuisance algae problems.

 

[Koty]

Thanks for sharing. I have one tank and since it matured Nitrates were Les than 10 and many times near zero. Phosphate was always high hardly ever below 0.2. My Bengali cardinal breeding tank was zero phosphate and nitrate and was infested with cyano.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, while I do not know if it played a role in your cyano issue, Cyanobacteria are one of the very few organisms that can fix nitrogen. That is, they can get needed N from the N2 in the air. Thus, a zero nitrate scenario may boost them relative to other organisms.

 

[Koty]

Here is zero nitrates, and zero phosphate tank with lots of Cyano: