High Ca, Low Alk

arking_mark

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I forgot to mention I am running a carbon reactor in hopes of fighting the bacteria.
should i stop carbon to increase nutrients as well?

Carbon is not going to fight bacteria.

Keep it simple. Balance your Alk and increase feeding. Bacterial blooms generally happen with additives that fuel bacteria.

In fact, many reefers prefer to increase bacteria with carbon dosing. This can out compete other nuisance algae and reduce nitrates and phosphates. They look to strike a balance between a thin white film and brown/green film growing on tank glass.
 
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jabx1

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Carbon is not going to fight bacteria.

Keep it simple. Balance your Alk and increase feeding. Bacterial blooms generally happen with additives that fuel bacteria.

In fact, many reefers prefer to increase bacteria with carbon dosing. This can out compete other nuisance algae and reduce nitrates and phosphates. They look to strike a balance between a thin white film and brown/green film growing on tank glass.
Thanks. I just fed a lot of mess and started to slowly dose alk. once alk is back to where it should be i will probably dose the rest of this 2 part to maintain but look into kalk.

I do not really want to add kalk to my top off water because I randomly add rodi water to my container.
Is it possible to use a dosing pump to add kalk?
 

arking_mark

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Thanks. I just fed a lot of mess and started to slowly dose alk. once alk is back to where it should be i will probably dose the rest of this 2 part to maintain but look into kalk.

I do not really want to add kalk to my top off water because I randomly add rodi water to my container.
Is it possible to use a dosing pump to add kalk?

There are also high-ph 2-part you can use.

Although kalk dosing in the ATO is the simplest solution to a balanced Alk/Ca (in my opinion ), I use a Kalk reactor for dosing.
 
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jabx1

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I have the Tunze Osmolator ATO. If i start using Kalk in my top off water will the pump degrade over time?

Maybe my worry is no warranted but i would rather have a dosing pump of some sort dose Kalk throughout the day.

Am I being crazy?
 

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I have the Tunze Osmolator ATO. If i start using Kalk in my top off water will the pump degrade over time?

Maybe my worry is no warranted but i would rather have a dosing pump of some sort dose Kalk throughout the day.

Am I being crazy?

I use a Ice Cap Kalk Reactor and a Vecta dosing pump. With this combo, only fresh water goes through the pump.

Honestly, you can just use a jug with an IV drip if you want to go old school.
 
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jabx1

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I use a Ice Cap Kalk Reactor and a Vecta dosing pump. With this combo, only fresh water goes through the pump.

Honestly, you can just use a jug with an IV drip if you want to go old school.
I think i will probably start with that old school drip. I will do some experiments and get the flow rate dialed in.

Update:
I over the last few days i have been adding 2 mL of the All part of the ESV 2 part to slowly increase alkalinity. so far it has been increasing by about 0.3dKH per day.
pH is slowing increasing too.


Thanks everyone for all the help and advice.
 

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I think i will probably start with that old school drip. I will do some experiments and get the flow rate dialed in.

Update:
I over the last few days i have been adding 2 mL of the All part of the ESV 2 part to slowly increase alkalinity. so far it has been increasing by about 0.3dKH per day.
pH is slowing increasing too.


Thanks everyone for all the help and advice.

A drop every 3 seconds is about 2ml/min.
 

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