How to manage ionic balance while using kalkwasser, a calcium reactor and three part?

[ss88]

How to manage ionic balance while using kalkwasser, a calcium reactor and three part?

1. When dosing kalkwasser with a kalk reactor, can I use Tropic Marin Balling Part C to keep the other elements not replaced by kalk at the proper ratios? Does someone have a calculator or formula for this?
2. What is the best overall approach to manage a 450-gallon SPS dominate system based on the following requirements in descending level of importance?

a. Maintain all major ions, minor ions and trace elements with limited deviations from desired levels​

b. Redundancy with Alkalinity supplementation.​

c. Promote pH of 8.3​

d. Automation​

e. Ease of use​

f. Price​

3. Does this approach seem reasonable to manage major ions, minor ions and trace elements?

a. Kalkwasser reactor used in conjunction with Tropic Marin Balling Part C to maintain ionic balance. Both managed through dedicated dosing pumps.​

b. Calcium reactor run with large Reborn media 90% and ZeoMag 10% in first chamber. Second chanber with ARM media. Run from a Versa Continuous Dosing Pump.​

c. Three Part Dosing using Randy Holmes-Farley recipe found here.​

i. Can I substitute the Magnesium part of this recipe for Tropic Marin Balling Part C? If so, what is the dosing ratio? Still at 16%?​

ii. Please contribute for acceptable source of Calcium Chloride.​

1. ESV?​

2. BRS?​

3. Other acceptable vendor recommendations?​

iii. Please contribute for acceptable source of Sodium hydroxide.​

1. Acceptable source?​

2. Other acceptable vendor recommendations?​

3. Can Soda Ash be substituted for Sodium hydroxide if the pH raising effect was to much? If so what is the mixing ratio?​

d. Continuous water change system ~5.5 gallons per day. Works out to around 30% per month used to manage any inconsistencies in ratios.​

e. ICP testing every three months to verify levels.​

f. Kalkwasser and a Calcium reactor will make up 95% of my requirements. Three part will be used to make daily small adjustments. All three methods managed through Neptune, Alkatronic and Trident.​

 

[Tiki_Reef]

You are over complicating it, just follow the kalkwasser calculator on BRS use a stirrer not the ATO method, same thing goes for the calcium reactor set the pH at 6.5 and measure the effluent potency, test magnesium dose ESV Mag to maintain the level you want. As far as trace elements goes I use Tropic Marin A and K dose accordingly to the instructions on the bottle, oh also I dose my Kalk at night into the morning to make up for the pH swing in those hours I have a decent size fuge on my 120 and by dosing the Kalk at night the pH doesn't drop below 8.15-8.17 this is just a crash course of what I do.

 

[DanTheReefer]

In regards to question 2, I’d think for a 450 SPS system you’d start with a calcium reactor and go from there

Calcium Reactor and Trace Elements

I know that the CalRx media I'm dissolving is basically coral skeleton, so are trace elements included in this? Do I need to dose any trace elements in addition to using the CalRx? This question was posed to me, and I was thinking it would be a good one to ask here. :)

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

1. When dosing kalkwasser with a kalk reactor, can I use Tropic Marin Balling Part C to keep the other elements not replaced by kalk at the proper ratios? Does someone have a calculator or formula for this?

No, Balling part C is not a properly balanced additive to offset demand that arises from using kalwkasser. It will boost sulfate substantially, as well as possibly other things that may not be declining, such as potassium.

IMO, what is needed is potentially magnesium (depending on the level in your salt mix and/or water changes)
and
A trace element supplement in some way that offsets organism uptake into both skeletons and tissues.

A balanced 3 part takes care of itself.

A CaCO3/CO2 reactor only adds what is in coral skeletons, so it too needs a supplement that offsets growth into organism tissues.