Kalk won’t raise alk

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey guys I recently started using kalk I’ve had kalk+2 for the last few years but never actually used it before till last week

the goal was to stop my 2 part dosing at night and add the kalk to keep my ph higher at night then again my high is usually 8.4-8.5 and low is usually 8.1-8.2 so i wont say I have a ph problem but just trying to make of a flat line

so the last few night I’ve tried out the kalk mixing y1Tsp in 1 gallon and set my doser to add 2500 ML during lights out
The 1 first couple of night I know I didn’t add enough cause my cal dropped big time.

using this calculator I was able to find out how much to add to keep my cal steady however I did not see the ph benefit from using kalk at night, it went to the same low it always does, also my alk didn’t go up at all any ideas why?

a little about my system I have a very well stocked 60 gallon mixed reef
For filtration I have a rollermat fleece filter.
Aquamaxx protein skimmer with a CO2 scrubber recirculating.
Carbon reactor with Rox 0.8 changed when the flow get below 50 GPH.
Pax Bellum Algae reactor growing chaeto harvested about every 3 weeks.

I have 8 dosing heads
Head 1: soda ash W/trace A from TM
Head 2: calcium chloride W/trace k from TM
Head 3: magnesium
Head 4: tropic marin balling part c
Head 5: ChaetoGro
Head 6: NO3
Head 7:Restor( Aminos & fatty acids)
Head 8: Kalk

I’m not sure what could be the problem maybe my kalk is old... I never opened before TBH I broke the seal for the first time on that bottle even though I had it for years

Im thinking to order some of the BRS kalk and try again instead of using brightwells Kalk+2

Unsure, please help :)
 
OP
OP
Shadows Reef

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
CF40F17C-76FF-468E-B73F-EA9CE8DC8187.png
 

Deep

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 11, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
481
Location
Singapore
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you are mixing 1 teaspoon to 1 gallon then that solution is less than half saturated, You need to mix a little more than 2 tea spoons to one gallon for a fully saturated solution.
 
OP
OP
Shadows Reef

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you are mixing 1 teaspoon to 1 gallon then that solution is less than half saturated, You need to mix a little more than 2 tea spoons to one gallon for a fully saturated solution.
Well according to the calculator tool it should have been at least 97% saturated which is still more then enough with one TSP, I don’t think the extra TSP would have made that much of a difference.

I went to my LFS just now and they have some kalk from BRS so I got that and will give that a try instead of KALK+2

But I’ll try 2 tsp
 
OP
OP
Shadows Reef

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
But I started dosing the kalc at night to stabilize my pH

I was trying to see if I can reduce that swing up and down from night and I started on the 5th and it seems that the kalk had the opposite effect that I wanted. Tomorrow we will find out if 2TSP into 1 gal will have the effect I want, I’m also going to use the new BRS kalk I just got also
164E4060-27EA-4F8B-BA85-431FE127A201.png
 

blasterman

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
1,730
Reaction score
2,018
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Kalk is kalk.

Kalk 2 throws some magnesium in it, but I've not found the magnesium part balanced or sufficient. I can get bulk kalk and mag chloride for a lot cheaper. The brightwell stuff isn't a waste, just over priced.

1 teaspoon of kalk directly added to a 60gal tank won't scratch pH, especially at night. Take a lot of kalk to do that.

If you're pH is indeed in the 8.3 to 8.4 range, and this typically requires some pretty healthy chaeto then you do not have a pH problem. Most of us would love pH in that range. At best mine is 8.05 during the day next to an open window.

Try running the lights over your chaeto at night vs the day.
 
OP
OP
Shadows Reef

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I wonder if using the protein skimmer with the recirculating CO2 scrubber keeps the CO2 levels in the tank to low to to where the Kalk isn’t having that elevating effect on the PH


Ca(OH)2 = Kalkwasser

OH- + CO2 = HCO3 = Bicarbonate
Kalk is kalk.

Kalk 2 throws some magnesium in it, but I've not found the magnesium part balanced or sufficient. I can get bulk kalk and mag chloride for a lot cheaper. The brightwell stuff isn't a waste, just over priced.

1 teaspoon of kalk directly added to a 60gal tank won't scratch pH, especially at night. Take a lot of kalk to do that.

If you're pH is indeed in the 8.3 to 8.4 range, and this typically requires some pretty healthy chaeto then you do not have a pH problem. Most of us would love pH in that range. At best mine is 8.05 during the day next to an open window.

Try running the lights over your chaeto at night vs the day.
thanks man yeah I definitely have to agree I don’t believe I have a PH problem either just things can always be better....right? Lol

I already run my algae reactor on a reverse schedule from the display

TBH I believe it’s my CO2 Scrubber recirculating on the skimmer that I need to thank for the high ph if you have not done it yet you need to.

here’s the current update, I dosed soda ash in the day

5B4E3229-B40E-4BA3-9FAB-6C37156FE928.png
 
OP
OP
Shadows Reef

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sooo it seems the BRS kalk is definitely more effective on elevations the PH for comparasion purposes I did 1 TSP into 1 Gal instead of 2 since with 1 I’m still just about 97% max saturation

but still not much added to the ALK, I did have a dip in my cal also so maybe I need to dose more.
I set the pump to dose 2600 ML of kalk yesterday maybe I should go up to 3000 ML, not sure what my nightly evaporation rate is but I’m sure I may exceed that soon if I keep going up.

would it be okay to dose soda ash the same time or could that possibly precipitate out?
 

Attachments

  • 6A314007-B27E-4A43-AEA2-6CC1FD55E4E0.png
    6A314007-B27E-4A43-AEA2-6CC1FD55E4E0.png
    291.8 KB · Views: 37
  • 128A3FF8-CC61-49AA-BF5F-7A1CF06987D0.png
    128A3FF8-CC61-49AA-BF5F-7A1CF06987D0.png
    292.6 KB · Views: 30
  • 96ECDB7B-2D8F-432F-9CA9-AEC78337B8F8.png
    96ECDB7B-2D8F-432F-9CA9-AEC78337B8F8.png
    405.1 KB · Views: 33

Deep

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 11, 2020
Messages
419
Reaction score
481
Location
Singapore
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Sooo it seems the BRS kalk is definitely more effective on elevations the PH for comparasion purposes I did 1 TSP into 1 Gal instead of 2 since with 1 I’m still just about 97% max saturation

but still not much added to the ALK, I did have a dip in my cal also so maybe I need to dose more.
I set the pump to dose 2600 ML of kalk yesterday maybe I should go up to 3000 ML, not sure what my nightly evaporation rate is but I’m sure I may exceed that soon if I keep going up.

would it be okay to dose soda ash the same time or could that possibly precipitate out?

Which calculator told you that 1 tea spoon in one gallon is 97% ? Or is that table spoon and not tea spoon ?
 
OP
OP
Shadows Reef

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Which calculator told you that 1 tea spoon in one gallon is 97% ? Or is that table spoon and not tea spoon ?
I’m glad I double checked apparently I was doing something wrong on the calculator last time I used it cause now I see how 1TSP is only about 45% saturated I will definitely double up and then some to full saturation and post the progress
 
OP
OP
Shadows Reef

Shadows Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2018
Messages
353
Reaction score
201
Location
Las Vegas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So my all still dropped a little but far less then before now just need to fine tune my additions right now I'm adding 2600ml of fully saturated kalk per night from 7pm to 9am, lights on from 8 to 8.

Now I'm adjusting my skimmer to turn off at 8.4 and on at 8.38 to keep my levels more steady in the day no need to have it running all day
 

Attachments

  • E115261A-76D3-4CDF-9D5E-D2041758647C.png
    E115261A-76D3-4CDF-9D5E-D2041758647C.png
    286.3 KB · Views: 42
Back
Top