Kalk is low cost, keeps Alkalinity & Calcium in check and helps PH. Do you use it?

[darwindiaz]

I started using kalk. It seems to have maintain my Ca & Alk level but doesn't seem to bring my Ph as much.

With my CO2 scrubber and my kalk dose i stay within 7.9 - 8.0 during the day and drop to 7.8 @ night.

 

[ScottB]

This Spring I added a Kalk stirrer to help with chronically low pH. My APEX DOS pushes RODI into the stirrer and it gravity feeds into the return section of the sump. I ramped up gradually and am now up to 2400ml per night into a 300G frag system. 8pm to 8am dosing period. Also allowed me to reduce my 2 Part by almost half.

Before KALK: 7.9 - 8.1
After KALK: 8.21 - 8.35

It does mean I have another monthly task to do, emptying, cleaning and refilling the monster. Takes me over an hour, but hoping I can find some efficiencies in that process.

5. Kalkwasser also removes phosphates because it precipitates out as calcium phosphate, which isn't biologically available for algae.

Thanks for that bit of new information. I was wondering where all my phosphate went! I went from .18 to .05 without even trying. I will keep an eye out as I don't have any PO4 to spare anymore. (But I do have a liter of trisodium phosphate already linked to a doser, just in case.)

 

[Justin Swinney]

I use kalk in my reef. For the ph boost. Started with an avast kalk stirrer hooked up to a dos. When I hit my max kalk I could use. I switched the stirrer to my tunze ato and added two part to supplement the extra needed. I use the brs pharma additives

 

[Pêcheur]

Never use this either. I currently use natural sea water from LFS and My aquarium calcium and alkalinity fluctuate a little. By fluctuations I'm saying one week calcium is at 440ppm and another 425 or 415. Alkalinity usually around 9 and 10 ppm. The corals growth is kind of slow so maybe I should be using kalk.or 2 part.

For alkalinity, ppm numbers should be 115 +/- 15, did you mean 9 - 10 dKh?

That sounds really high for natural sea water

 

[bigjgmac]

I use 2 part instead of kalk. It is cheap and keep the parameters stable as well. I looked into using kalk once but I'm more comfortable using 2 part, just because that's what I'm used to using.

Same here. I often feel like I should give it a shot, but I'm reluctant to change. I've been dosing Seachem Reef Fusion 1 & 2 , it has worked well, and at this point it's a known quantity for me.

 

[nereefpat]

I only use kalk and occasional water changes.

I'm weird. I mix it up in a 6 gallon bucket, and a light timer controls a pump that runs for a couple minutes every couple hours. It takes care of most of the topping off that way, and lasts about 5 days.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

Love it! I dose Kalk in all of my systems, regardless of soft or stony corals, with or without 2 Part, or auto water changes. I can stabilize my pH, which, if it wasn’t important, no one would be concerned about ocean acidification putting the worlds coral reefs at risk. It also reduces phosphate, and dinos don't like high pH or low CO2. Kalk stirrer on a pH controller with a dosing pump on all.

 

[beachsidereefer]

Yes

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I'm definitely interested in kalk and it has been on my list of things to research, mostly because my pH tends to fluctuate wildly, particularly in the summer. Biggest fear of trying it is overdosing (seems many tank crashes trace back to some sort of doser malfunction). I have an AIO so options are limited.

 

[Sunny in Miami]

For alkalinity, ppm numbers should be 115 +/- 15, did you mean 9 - 10 dKh?

That sounds really high for natural sea water

Yes 9-10 dkh..sorry.

 

[Shooter6]

Kalk is inconsistent and makes a heck of a mess of your ATO. Might be useful for smaller tanks but 2 part is the way to go for me.

Use a kalk reactor/stirrer and have zero mess!

 

[hotdrop]

It seemed too hard to keep stable because evaporation is inconsistent and the cost of replacing pumps every year or 2 seems to make up for cheaper ingredients

 

[Shooter6]

I started with kalk in the ato back in the late 80s. Moved over to a calcium reactor, and balling method on numerous other systems through the years.
For the past 3 years I've been using the tropic marin all for reef.
On my current 1200gal build I'm running a combo of all for reef, and kalk in the ato until I get my kalk stirrer. Looking at the avast k2 or icecap large, with either the versa doser or a kamoer, on a constant drip.

 

[Not an IT guy]

Yes I do but BRS said not to use it in my ATO

 

[Shooter6]

It seemed too hard to keep stable because evaporation is inconsistent and the cost of replacing pumps every year or 2 seems to make up for cheaper ingredients

If you use a dosing pump, dosing clean ato to a kalk reactor, and letting it flow out of the reactor, theres no pump issue.

 

[Cre8or30]

I use two part because it’s easy and I already bought the dosers. I really would want to set it and forget and Kalk seems to work but so does 2 part. I guess to each is own. There’s no wrong way to reef here. Do what’s best for you and your tank.. which reminds me, I’m almost out of 2 part.

 

[Apropor]

I use kalk with a doser at night for ph, alk and calc along with additional manual dosing as needed. Not messy because not using in ATO. I use BRS brand. All is good for several years…but I am getting more crowded all the time. Just started looking into All-for-reef.

 

[dlaird76]

Saying "its the only way to dose with one solution"is a bit misleading. All For Reef is only one solution unless you mean because All For Reef includes other things also? Apologies if if misunderstood your opening statement.

 

[saltyhog]

I'm very content with dosing 2 part. I'm curious though. With evaporation varying so much from place to place and tank to tank, how do you achieve stability with kalk in your ATO...or do you dose it some other way? I also don't have a need to chase pH in my tank and don't think buffers are the best way to address it if it is needed. Great discussion/question.

 

[Ross Petersen]

Thinking about dosing my nano tank with a 1-headed pump using solely kalkwasser. This way, I can precisely control how much is added, when, and adjust accordingly - things not offered by dosing kalkwasser via an ATO. In an ATO, you always have to be cognizant of the pump as well as kalkwasser is tough on it.

With water changes, micronutrients are replenished so 1-part kalkwasser may be the best option for smaller systems with routine water changes.