Kalkwasser dropping calcium and alkalinity?

[Bradlas]

Hi all! I recently decide to jump from using 2 part to maintain my calcium and alkalinity to using a combination of that plus kalkwasser. I have had a very balanced tank in terms of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium but wanted the added benfit of a higher pH. My question is, will kalkwasser cause calcium and alkalinity to fall if overdosed; similarly to the way that 2 part can through precipitation? Am I even asking the right question? Maybe someone has another thought on this.

The reason I am asking is that I have been working on dialing in my dosing of saturated kalkwasser now for about 2 weeks now and can't seem to get my dkh or calcium levels to rise. It almost seems like the more I dose, the more my tank consumes. To start off, I used a reef calculator and am dosing half as much kalkwasser as was reccomended to start with based on my alkalinity consumption which is .5 dkh daily. Since starting, I can now see it's safe for me to add morekalkwasser. Here is where I am now confused. I am now dosing kalkwasser in an amount to match up with the level of my daily alkalinity consumption but in my most recent tests, my tank is now losing .4 dkh every two days. My calcium has also fallen by approx. 30 ppm. I have verified all this with mutliple tests just to be sure and have had consistant results. I have also check my magnesium which appears normal as well. Should I consider adding more kalkwasser? Should I start using 2 part to try to maintain these parameters? Do I scrap dosing and start over? What might be another alternative? Let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Any alk supplement that is overdosed can increase the chances of abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate, and the tendency will be higher with higher pH alk additives.

However, that is not necessarily the explanation for your observation, since raised pH increases the demand for alk and calcium.

Also, many people overestimate the potency of their limewater because they overestimate its potency. The increased use of reactors to deliver it has made this problem far more likely, IMO, because they often do not product saturated limewater.

How much of what are you dosing each day to what size tank?

 

[Bradlas]

Thanks for the reply. I am dosing 760 mL of fully saturated kalkwasser to an 80 gallon system daily.

 

[Bradlas]

Thanks for the reply. I am dosing 760 mL of fully saturated kalkwasser to an 80 gallon system daily.

Sorry I met to say 720. I am dosing 30 mL every hour.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How do you know it is saturated?

What is the current alkalinity?

 

[Bradlas]

I do not know for sure but, I measured out the water and 2 tsp per gallon of kalkwasser when I mixed it up. Should I consider getting something to measure with? Suggestions?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you see any sign of precipitation of, say, pump impellers, heaters, or clumping sand?

Would your daily evaporation rate allow you to add more?

 

[BiggestE22]

How do you know it is saturated?

What is the current alkalinity?

My ALK is 9.5. Checked yesterday with Hanna. PH 8.3. Reallly only show crazy growth with my deresa clams.

 

[Bradlas]

I can definitely add more kalkwasser if needed as my pH is running between 8.2 and 8.1 and I am nowhere near my typical daily precipitation. I was just worried if I dosed more kalkwasser it would go down again. I just re-checked all my pumps, sump, and sand just now, no signs of precipitation. I can go ahead and add more kalkwasser and see what the result is. I'm going to test again tonight and see if things leveled off or are going down still. Thanks for looking into this for me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would add more. There is not generally a lowering of alk and calcium by dosing more limewater, but it might happen in certain circumstances (as it does with other high pH additives.

Once precipitation starts, it keeps going and takes some actions to stop.