Hydros x4 plus sole for kalk dosing question! Need advice!

[Beefyreefy]

So I’m thinking of breaking down and finally buying a controller despite thinking I would never do this lol… My question is: Can I set up a hydros x4 plus the hydros sole continuous dosing pump to dose based off of PH? I want to do something like the Chris Meckley method. So set a doser to only dose kalk when my ph goes below my daily average. He uses apex programming to accomplish this but I’m not a fan of apex/neptune and would like to avoid that and use coral view, I like not being tied to Neptune products. I currently dose kalk 24/7 but would like to keep my ph stable and dose at night. Can this be done with Hydros? Please help and thank you! I apologize I’m new to the controller world!

 

[n2585722]

So I’m thinking of breaking down and finally buying a controller despite thinking I would never do this lol… My question is: Can I set up a hydros x4 plus the hydros sole continuous dosing pump to dose based off of PH? I want to do something like the Chris Meckley method. So set a doser to only dose kalk when my ph goes below my daily average. He uses apex programming to accomplish this but I’m not a fan of apex/neptune and would like to avoid that and use coral view, I like not being tied to Neptune products. I currently dose kalk 24/7 but would like to keep my ph stable and dose at night. Can this be done with Hydros? Please help and thank you! I apologize I’m new to the controller world!

I do not dose kalk but I do dose a KH buffer using dynamic dosing and my alkalinity test results from the iV X10 combination. I guess you could use alkalinity instead but I can have a alkalinity reading over 9 and have pH just above 8 easily. I have it test 4 times a day and do the dosing after the test based on the test results. I have 4 different schedules for the KH buffer dosing. This one is the one with highest dosing settings but it is in the afternoon. You can also setup a output that uses the pH input to start or stop an output also. That would depend on the dosing pump you use on that. The X10 and Minnow dosing pumps cannot be used as constant pumps so you need a dosing schedule setup for them. The Sole would be a good pump to use for that. I use one for my ATO and it is setup as a constant output with a flow rate of 55ml a minute and that s controlled by the depends on statement which can be controlled using another output setup to do that. That output does not need an output device since you would be using it for control of the Sole output only. I do that for my ATO which are the last 2 screenshots below as an example of setting up a Sole to run constantly.

 

[Beefyreefy]

I do not dose kalk but I do dose a KH buffer using dynamic dosing and my alkalinity test results from the iV X10 combination. I guess you could use alkalinity instead but I can have a alkalinity reading over 9 and have pH just above 8 easily. I have it test 4 times a day and do the dosing after the test based on the test results. I have 4 different schedules for the KH buffer dosing. This one is the one with highest dosing settings but it is in the afternoon. You can also setup a output that uses the pH input to start or stop an output also. That would depend on the dosing pump you use on that. The X10 and Minnow dosing pumps cannot be used as constant pumps so you need a dosing schedule setup for them. The Sole would be a good pump to use for that. I use one for my ATO and it is setup as a constant output with a flow rate of 55ml a minute and that s controlled by the depends on statement which can be controlled using another output setup to do that. That output does not need an output device since you would be using it for control of the Sole output only. I do that for my ATO which are the last 2 screenshots below as an example of setting up a Sole to run constantly.

Thanks this is very helpful. My plan is to dose kalk as my main supplement, using aaverage ph (let’s say 8) to trigger kalk dosing with the sole, that is when it ph drops below the average that is. Thanks for the detailed response!

 

[n2585722]

Thanks this is very helpful. My plan is to dose kalk as my main supplement, using aaverage ph (let’s say 8) to trigger kalk dosing with the sole, that is when it ph drops below the average that is. Thanks for the detailed response!

The Hydros does have a Kalk Reactor output but using the Sole you will have to use a seperate output for the stirrer to use it since using the Sole and using the Kalk output for the depends on would cause the sole to run if either the pump output or the stirrer output is on. I come up with a way to do this for another user. Here is the settings for doing that.

 

[n2585722]

Thanks this is very helpful. My plan is to dose kalk as my main supplement, using aaverage ph (let’s say 8) to trigger kalk dosing with the sole, that is when it ph drops below the average that is. Thanks for the detailed response!

In the settings I posted it has a low level set to 8.2 so once it drops below that it would turn on if the other input is also low if used. it would turn off at 8.3 but t would also have to be within the schedule settings. The thing is you don't want to pump kalk when the stirrer is running so you need to make sure the schedules do not overlap. I come up with this for someone so I used the parameters they were wanting to setup the outputs.

 

[John Neuzil]

Thats exactly how i do it. My sole is set to continuously dose and turns off when ph gets too high.

 

[skey44]

In the settings I posted it has a low level set to 8.2 so once it drops below that it would turn on if the other input is also low if used. it would turn off at 8.3 but t would also have to be within the schedule settings. The thing is you don't want to pump kalk when the stirrer is running so you need to make sure the schedules do not overlap. I come up with this for someone so I used the parameters they were wanting to setup the outputs.

I think if it’s a true kalk stirrer it can pump water while stirring bc it’s so slow/gentle mixing. It’s a kalk reactor with a pump mixing where this is applicable. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I’m looking to do this same thing with a controller and kalk stirrer so have a vested interest. Thanks for the help!

 

[n2585722]

I think if it’s a true kalk stirrer it can pump water while stirring bc it’s so slow/gentle mixing. It’s a kalk reactor with a pump mixing where this is applicable. Correct me if I’m wrong.
I’m looking to do this same thing with a controller and kalk stirrer so have a vested interest. Thanks for the help!

I do not use kalk but setup the outputs to use the values someone else want to use. From what I have be told you do not want to run the pump when the stirrer s running but I have no experience using one myself. I dose All For Reef instead.

 

[skey44]

I dose all for reef as well but I’m looking to pick up my growth rates with the pH boost of kalk. Looking at kalk as a supplement for all for reef. Actually think ultimately they both go together as eventually the both have limits for a heavy loaded acropora dominant reef. I’m interested in the controller though. Make sure I do kalk the best way possible to improve stability.

 

[n2585722]

I dose all for reef as well but I’m looking to pick up my growth rates with the pH boost of kalk. Looking at kalk as a supplement for all for reef. Actually think ultimately they both go together as eventually the both have limits for a heavy loaded acropora dominant reef. I’m interested in the controller though. Make sure I do kalk the best way possible to improve stability.

I dose a KH buffer dynamically and use the alkalinity test results from my iV. My pH very seldom get over 8.1 even when the alkalinity is above 9.2.

 

[skey44]

I dose a KH buffer dynamically and use the alkalinity test results from my iV. My pH very seldom get over 8.1 even when the alkalinity is above 9.2.

Soda ash? I think kalk has the most potential to raise pH of all the buffers.
How’s your Acropora growth?

 

[n2585722]

I use Randy's recipe for it using baked baking soda.

 

[n2585722]

Soda ash? I think kalk has the most potential to raise pH of all the buffers.
How’s your Acropora growth?

I don't have anything but candy cane and Duncan corals. The candy cane when I got it was only 2 heads. The Duncan was also small about 5 heads. There not much room left now. The fish hid when I went and too the photo the other day.

 

[skey44]

Very cool those are some nice colonies!

 

[n2585722]

Thanks, here is a couple of photos when I first got them. The candy cane was one of my first corals I added to thr tank back in 2016. The Duncan I got a year later.