Kalk not keeping up with demand of small tank

[._Z_.]

Hi Randy and all,

I'm looking for suggestions on an issue I'm having with maintaining alk with BRS kalkwasser in my ATO.

I'm trying to keep alk at 8.0 dkh, but every few days I check and I find that its fallen to the low 7s, I dose the alkalinity portion of 2 part to get it back to 8 then repeat 3-4 days later. I'm mixing my kalk to full strength (2tsp/gal) and my tank is only 45 gal with a couple small sps frags and a several lps, I do have coraline taking over.

Alk: 7-8 (hanna & salifert)
Ca: 455 (salifert)
Mg: 1440 (salifert)
Sg: 1.025

Surely the demand of my tank isn't greater than what kalk can keep up with? Could my evaporation rate be too slow (I refill my 5 gal ato reservoir every 2 weeks or less)? Other things to check?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi Randy and all,

I'm looking for suggestions on an issue I'm having with maintaining alk with BRS kalkwasser in my ATO.

I'm trying to keep alk at 8.0 dkh, but every few days I check and I find that its fallen to the low 7s, I dose the alkalinity portion of 2 part to get it back to 8 then repeat 3-4 days later. I'm mixing my kalk to full strength (2tsp/gal) and my tank is only 45 gal with a couple small sps frags and a several lps, I do have coraline taking over.

Alk: 7-8 (hanna & salifert)
Ca: 455 (salifert)
Mg: 1440 (salifert)
Sg: 1.025

Surely the demand of my tank isn't greater than what kalk can keep up with? Could my evaporation rate be too slow (I refill my 5 gal ato reservoir every 2 weeks or less)? Other things to check?

Thanks everyone!

5 gallons of saturated limewtaer is adding 12.6 dKH to your aquarium. Spread over 14 days, that's a bit under 1 dKH per day. It's not especially excessive. When using limewater, the pH runs higher, so demand runs higher. Some soft coral tanks use 2 dKH per day.

 

[._Z_.]

5 gallons of saturated limewtaer is adding 12.6 dKH to your aquarium. Spread over 14 days, that's a bit under 1 dKH per day. It's not especially excessive. When using limewater, the pH runs higher, so demand runs higher. Some soft coral tanks use 2 dKH per day.

Thanks I’ll try increasing evaporation then!