Kalk or 2 Part for 20gallon (LPS and Softie dominated)

[PugsAndFish]

Should I go with kalkwasser or 2 part for a 20 gallon AIO tank that is softie and LPS dominated? It's predominantly zoanthids along with a few LPS (Space Invader, 2 favias, Candy Cane, a Duncan, Raja Rampage, Torch). I also might add a acro or two depending on how much room I have.

I feel like 2 part might not be necessary but I'd like your thoughts.

 

[KStatefan]

In my opinion start with kalk then add 2 part if your demand grows greater then kalk can supply

 

[exnisstech]

I use kalk in my larger system about 200g total on a doser but am using 2 part on my smaller tank, about 40g total. I was using kalk in the ato but after adding quite few new frags it was fluctuating too much so I switched to 2 part. I just dose manually.

 

[GMay]

Small tank like yours might better be served by just doing water changes with a salt mix with elevated alkalinity and calcium. It will be a lot less work and easier. You will also benefit from better management of trace elements.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Both work fine. Limewater (kalkwasser) needs to be added slowly over hours, but a two part might only need once a day until demand rises significantly.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

In my opinion start with kalk then add 2 part if your demand grows greater then kalk can supply

IMHO, before starting to dose, you need to test to determine IF you need to, and HOW MUCH of any element you need. (Emphasis on IF!)
Test your big 3 about 12 hours after water change and then test again right before the next one. Then test a third time 12 hours after THAT WC. If water changes alone are maintaining stable parameters, there is no need to dose. Dosing is only for when the stony corals in your system start to use up more of the big 3 than your WC can replace. A tank full of soft coral and a few lps likely won't ever need dosing.

 

[Jrich666]

I would go two part. I’ve crashed my nano tanks at least twice when the ato got stuck on and pumped a ton of kalk that was mixed with my top off water