How much Kalkwasser ?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Can you decrease your Kalk dose if you added NaOH? Is there some ratio or formula to use if you decided to substitute NaOH for some Kalk primary due to the volume of kalk used or is it 1:1 ? #RandyHolmes

I assume you mean using some NaOH that is dosed separately, not mixed into the kalk?

My standard NaOH recipe (283 g/gallon) is 46.5 times as potent as saturated kalk.

So 46.5 mL of kalk can be replaced by 1 ml NaOH recipe, 1 mL of the calcium solution, and perhaps 1 ml of Balling Part C.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Thank you, I am going to try to implement something similar. What pump do you use to dose the Kalk ? Im assuming it's not ATO but would have to be a more heavy duty continuous dosing pump? Is that PH not too high ? I thought optimal range was like 8.1- 8.4 ? Yeah, definitely not going to try any acros for awhile, currently enamored with torches and gonis.

Kamoer pumps are really good. I use a jaboe and it works just fine. Tbh i would use a better higher quality dosing pump for the afr dosing since AFR could be much more of a disaster if OD’d. I dose both afr and kalk to support my 69g. I dose about 35ml afr and up to 1200 mL of kalk and keep my kh at about 8.5-8.9.

 

[Reef Puncher]

Thank you, I am going to try to implement something similar. What pump do you use to dose the Kalk ? Im assuming it's not ATO but would have to be a more heavy duty continuous dosing pump? Is that PH not too high ? I thought optimal range was like 8.1- 8.4 ? Yeah, definitely not going to try any acros for awhile, currently enamored with torches and gonis.

i started with a cheap jebao. it worked at first after a year it started squeeking and clogging. i swapped to a hydros sole. but that is an expensive control center. the brs continous and kamoer would work. theres lots of options.
Top shelf aquatics and World Wide Corals said keeping Alk between 7.5 and 9.5, is fine, doesnt matter where in that range. All that matters is stability. That whatever alk you pick it stays there.

It is worth noting if you want to get into the nitty gritty science, there are some differences between high and low alk. For instance, if you run on the higher end of that, you will get faster coral growth than at natural sea levels around 7 or 7.5. But with faster coral growth, sometimes their skeletons can grow so fast they dont grow as thick or tough, and can be a little brittle.

But these are minor, no worrying issues. just keep whatever number you pick relatively stable and your good to go.

 

[Reef Puncher]

Kamoer pumps are really good. I use a jaboe and it works just fine. Tbh i would use a better higher quality dosing pump for the afr dosing since AFR could be much more of a disaster if OD’d. I dose both afr and kalk to support my 69g. I dose about 35ml afr and up to 1200 mL of kalk and keep my kh at about 8.5-8.9.

i used jebao before switching to hydros and kamoer. it worked great for a year and a half, then all the wheels started squeeking and it slowly started breaking down. but hell, for $80 to get wifi 4 dosing heads thats hard to beat. even a year and a half for $80 is not a bad deal for 4 head pumps.

 

[nichthyes]

Surprised nobody has mentioned iodine for CCA growth. Any idea what your iodine levels are? I'd imagine AFR is maintaining it to some degree.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Surprised nobody has mentioned iodine for CCA growth. Any idea what your iodine levels are? I'd imagine AFR is maintaining it to some degree.

Do you have evidence it is useful in that context?

 

[nichthyes]

Usual amounts are like 1-2% of the tank volume, replacing all or nearly all evaporated water.

Do people usually ramp up to this volume of dosing for kalk? I'm trying to bring a system up to speed and don't want to overdo it.

 

[nichthyes]

Do you have evidence it is useful in that context?

Only anecdotal, and by that I mean I've heard others talk about it in that context including Jake Adams on his "Reef Therapy" podcast.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Only anecdotal, and by that I mean I've heard others talk about it in that context including Jake Adams on his "Reef Therapy" podcast.

IMO, there's lots of "common knowledge" in the reef hobby that has no clear evidence, and may well be wrong. I cannot prove it wrong in this case, but I've not seen any actual test of it one way or another.

 

[KStatefan]

Do people usually ramp up to this volume of dosing for kalk? I'm trying to bring a system up to speed and don't want to overdo it.

Match alk demand

 

[nichthyes]

Match alk demand

I'm already meeting my alk demand with a two part, but I'd like to increase my pH with CaOH. I know my system evaps 1 gal/day currently, which is still less than the 1-2% Randy suggested, but 3800 mL seems of kalk is a lot to jump straight into. I've been slowly ramping up dosing it while watching alk and pH. So my question was, more specifically:

How do you intelligently incorporate CaOH to increase pH with an existing, ionically balanced two-part when your demands of your system are already currently being met? and what are some major concerns with switching to CaOH dosing via the ATO when your evap rate is relatively high?

 

[KStatefan]

Decrease your two part to make up for the increase from kalk. I doubt you are going to see that much difference in ph dosing less than 1%

 

[Freenow54]

Amazing I have the exact opposite problem . I am trying to lower mine . I did a 30% water change and two days later still at10.9 I believe just from over feeding. Yes No ?

 

[Freenow54]

Also my evaporation rate with screen tops is not even close to what I am reading maybe a litre max

 

[Freenow54]

My readings are Mag above 1500 , Alk 10.9 Calcium 490 , Nitrate 11 , Phosphates .7 Salifert kits

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My readings are Mag above 1500 , Alk 10.9 Calcium 490 , Nitrate 11 , Phosphates .7 Salifert kits

Not sure I trust any magnesium test results, but are you dosing anything?

 

[Freenow54]

Not sure I trust any magnesium test results, but are you dosing anything?

No. That was the reason for the tests to satisfy the requirements for ALL-for -REEF . You suggested K+ and A- but am holding off for now since everything high . Why don't you trust the Magnesium results ? I think I recall you saying you go by Alk for ALL- FOR - REEF Am I correct?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No. That was the reason for the tests to satisfy the requirements for ALL-for -REEF . You suggested K+ and A- but am holding off for now since everything high . Why don't you trust the Magnesium results ? I think I recall you saying you go by Alk for ALL- FOR - REEF Am I correct?

When you say everything is high, did you do an ICP? Tropic Marin A and K doesn't add any calcium, alk or magnesium. Doesn't mean you need it, but testing the big three doesn't say anything about the need for trace elements unless you dose alk using a method that adds trace elements.

Magnesium test kit results seem highly variable, and I recommend not using home tests to determine dosing of it. I recommend dosing it based on calcium dosing, as detailed here:

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

I use All For Reef based on alkalinity needs, and I am assuming it is allowing calcium and magnesium to follow along. I do not measure either of those. Calcium is likely slightly overdosed and magnesium is likely slightly underdosed, but my water changes should correct that.

 

[Freenow54]

\ok I read it no more measuring Magnesium but alk is high too so no need for ALL FOR REEF. This is after a couple of water changes . Since you talked about water changes being derogatory to changes occurring , oddly enough I see improvement in the tank after a week. So I will wait and see. Be back in two weeks tired of chasing my tail anyway

 

[Freenow54]

Sorry Thanks for your time appreciated